Simple Cooking Ideas

Here are some hints for preparing a sponge pudding and egg custards:

(a) Why are you advised to let the water boil rapidly when you start cooking a sponge

pudding? To ensure that the raising agent in the mixture has a chance to work and to make

the pudding light. When the pudding has risen you may then lower the heat to complete

cooking.

(b) Why are you inclined to get tiny particles of egg floating on the top of an egg

custard? This happens when some of the egg yoke has blended with the milk. There are two

ways to avoid this: (i) strain the custard carefully gefore cooking; (ii) Beat the eggs

and sugar very thoroughly before adding the milk

(c) Why are you told to stand baked egg custards and certain puddings and other foods in a

dish of cold water in the oven? The dish of cold water whichis called a “bain-marie”

ensures that an egg custard does not become too hot and curdle. In some recipes it also

make certain that the outside of the food does not become dry ( a pate is the best example

of this).

(d) Why are you often told to cook or heat food in the top of a double saucepan? This can

be for a variety of reasons according to the particular recipe: (i) Egg custards will tend

to curdle more easily unless set over hot, but not boiling water. (ii) Chocolate will lose

its gloss and become hard and dry if melted over a direct heat. It should always be melted

over hot but not boiling water.

To get the best results from frozen meat one should thaw it as slowly as possible in the refrigerator for up to two days if it is in big chunks. Place the meat in a covered dish or in a heavy plastic bag. If you add a marinade to it while it is thawing the meat, develops added flavour and tenderness.

You can make a marinade out of the following combinations:

1. Lemon, wine, vinegar and beer - they provide acid.
2. Ginger, onion, garlic, herbs and spices - fresh or powdered, they add flavour.
3. Soy sauce intensifies flavour, colour and tenderness. The longer the marinating time, the greater the effect. Also marinades have more effect on cut muscle surfaces than they do on outer skin and fat.
4. If you are sensitive to lamb or mutton odours, I advise you to use marinades which contain soy sauce, garlic, ginger and mustard.
5. Use leaner meat since it is the cooking fat which provides the characteristic odour and trim meat before cooking, where possible.

Chives are available all year round in markets and grocery stores. Chive is a versatile herb and can be used in soups, stir fried, salads and stews. Chives belong to the onion family. Unlike the onions, no large bulbs are form underground, thus the leaves that have the onion flavour. Chives grow in clumps like grass, long thin leaves and up to 12 inches.

Garlic chives also known as “gau choy” in Chinese. Garlic chives have garlic flavour and is extensively use in oriental dishes. Chives can be stored in refrigerator in plastic bag for up to one week. Do not wash chives as excessive moisture may rot the chives.

If you are growing chives in your garden or a container, do not pull them fromm the soil at all. Simply cut the leaves with scissors down to 2 inches above the ground as needed. If you must cook them, add them last just before serving. Sprinkle some chopped chives on the soup, will make it delicious.

Chives are high in Vitamins A, C, potassium and calcium, and its sulfur compounds have anticbiotic properties.

Broccoli is a cool weather crop and will not grow in hot climate. It belongs to the cabbage family. It is a green vegetable with tight clusters of green florets on top of a stout pale green stalk. Broccoli is a mult-purpose vegetable that it can cook in varieties of ways; such as salads,stir-fries, steaming, soups and cassoroles. It is the king of nutrients which is high in vitamin C, E and K; and also high in beta carotene, fiber,potassium,calcium and phytochemicals. Some studies show it can prevent heart disease, cancers and birth defects. It can help you to maintain a healthy vision, healthy skin, bones, and healthy red blood cell.

When buying broccoli look for the crowns of emerald green florets and avoid yellow or wilting broccoli or those that already begun showing open buds. Broccoli will keep for about seven days in the refrigerator if wrapped in paper (preferably white or brown paper) and then put in a plastic bag before storing. Soaked broccoli before use to get rid of insects and debris and also remove the wilted and yellow sections. Always blanch broccoli in hot boiling water before use in salads and stir-fries. The stalks are tasty too, but may take longer to cook. Seperate it from the florets and trim the outer layer before blanching in hot water.

Here are some tips to minimize nutrient loss:

- The fresher your fruits and vegetables the better. Buying broccoli at the supermarket versus a wholesaler can mean one-third less vitamin C.

-Tubers (beets, potatoes, carrots, parsnips) carry the energy stores for plants. They’re full of good stuff, says Sandberg of BCIT. The fruiting portion of plants (tomatoes, fruit, pepper, zucchini, cucumber) are nutritionally great too. They hold all the components a young plant is going to need. Leafy greens tend to be nutritionally weaker, Sandberg says.

- Steam vegetables on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add vegetables to stews late in the cooking process.

- Cook vegetables in large chunks. You’ll retain more nutrients.

- Save cooking water for stock.

- Eat a wide variety of foods, raw and cooked, and prepared in a multitude of ways.

Ginger is a herb and is most useful for medicine and flavoring food. It has been use in study that ginger is use in treating nausea after surgery and after chemotherapy. Ginger is also effective in treating motion sickness and reducing flatulence. Ginger comes in many forms, such as, fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, candied and powdered.

Ginger can be taken as in beverages such as ginger tea, ginger beer and ginger ale. It is used in food as flavouring, stir-fries and a spice in curries.

Fresh ginger can be found in most grocery stores. Choose ginger with fresh skin, should be firmed and feels heavy. Avoid those with wrinkled flesh. For storage, ginger wrapped in paper and placed in plastic bag, can keep for three weeks in the refrigerator and may be frozen up to two months.

Celery is a biennial plant and thrives in cool temperate climate. While growing, celery have a cluster of stalks, topped with green leaves and white flowers during the blooming season. All parts of the celery plants are edible; its roots, its crispy stalks, and leaves. Celery stalks are long, green and retain their crunchy texture after brief cooking. They can be eaten raw, stir-fries and cooked in soups. Raw whole celery is also used in blended green drinks. Celery seeds can be used as flavoring or spice. The seeds which are found in the flowers, are brown in color. Celery is rich in Vitamin B, K and C and low in calorie.

As a herbal cure, celery seeds are used in pills to relieve joint pain and treat high blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol. The celery seed is an effective diuretic used in treating urinary tract infection. It is found in study and research that celery has been used and suggested as an alternative therapy for arthritis, rheumatism and gout. It is also found to have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling around the joints. So celery seed is often taken to maintain healthy joints.