Introduction to Tofu

Tofu is made of soybeans. water and coagulant, or curdling agent. it is high in protein and calcium and well known for its ability to absorb new flavours through spices and marinades. due to its chameleon-like qualities and nutritional value, tofu, a staple of Asian cuisines for hundreds of years, has recently become popular in Western vegetarian cooking. So popular, in fact, that it is celebrated with its own annual festival and has almost become synonymous with, vegetarians itself. Look for tofu in the produce section of your regular grocery store.

Types of tofu

Silken tofu - Japanese style, or silken tofu, has a very silky, creamy texture. It is deal in vegan desserts such as cakes and cookies which may call for tofu, since it blends readily. In Japan, silken tofu is used to make a variety of desserts and main dishes, served with various sauces. This type of tofu breaks up very easily, making it unsuitable for stir fries and similar dishes, as it well simply melt away among the other ingredients.

Regular - Regular tofu, also called Chinese-style tofu or bean curd is more common than silken tofu and comes in a plastic container in the refrigerator or produce section of most grocery stores. Firm or extra firm regular tofu is best used in stir fries, tofu bakes, grills, scrambled dishes or any dish where you will want the tofu to retain its shape. Firm tofu is higher in protein, fats and calcium than other type of tofu.

Balti Chicken in Saffron Rice

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

• 1/4 c / 50gr butter
• 30ml / 2 tbsp corn oil
• 1.2 - 1.3kg chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5ml/1 tsp crushed garlic
• 2.5 ml / 1-1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorns
• 2.5ml / 1 1/2 tsp crushed cardamom pods
• 2.5ml/1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 7.5ml/1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 150ml natural (plain) yogurt
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp saffron threads

• 150ml water
• 150ml single (light) cream
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Cooking Methods:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F. Melt the butter with the oil in a wok or deep pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken using slotted spoon, leaving behind the fat.
2. Add the onion to the same pan, and fry over a medium heat. Meanwhile, mix together the next 10 ingerdients in a bowl. When the onions are lightly browned, pour the spice mixture into the pan and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken pieces, and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes stirring constantly. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole and cover with a lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.
4. Once you are sure that the chicken is cooked right through, remove it from the oven. Trasnfer the mixture to a frying pan and stir in the cream.
5. Reheat gently for about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with a fruity pilau or plain boled rice.
   

Introduction to Saffron

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It is almost worth its weight in gold. It is also one of the oldest known spices. Made from the dried, thread-like stigmas of the saffron crocus, this coslty spice adds a vivid yellow colour and subtle flavour to food. It is available as bright orange threads (sealed in small glass jars or tiniy plastic packets) or ground into powder (the powder is often adulterated and of inferior quality). Saffron thread are usually soaked in to a little warm water before use, then squeezed out to release the colour into the water. The threads and liquid are then both added to the dish to give the characteristic saffron colouring.



Saffron is the ingredient , condired to be the caviar of the spice rack. Saffron spices have been used in cooking for 1000's of years. Some of worlds renowned chefs regard saffron as a special ingredient in dishes that can not be replaced. Saffron is used in cooking to both add color and to add flavour. In India and Spain saffron is exquisite flavour graces rice dishes. Because of its bitter , hay-like quality, the flower is common in curries, meat dishes and soups.

Saffron Rice - Indian Recipe

Ingredients:

(serves 6)

• 2-1/2 c. basmati rice
• 3 c. water
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. semi-skimmed (low-fat) milk
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads. crushed

Cooking Methods:

1. Wash the rice, put it in a bowl and pour over water to cover. Leave to soak for 20 minutes.
2. drain the basmati rice and put it in a large pan with the measured water. Add the cardamoms, cloves and salt. Stir; then bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan tighly, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the milk in a small pan. Add the saffron threads and heat through gently.
4. Pour the saffron milk over the rice and stir. Cover again and continue cooking over a low heat for 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat without lifting the lid. Leave the rice to stand for about 5 minutes, then fork through just before serving.

Indonesian Fried Rice - Indonesian Recipe

Ingredients:

• 11 red chillies
• 3 garlic cloves
• 6 shallots
• 1/2 tbsp. shrimp paste, toasted
• 1/2 tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tbsp. sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis)
• 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 950 gr cold rice1/4 c. fried shallots
• 2 leeks, white and green part, finely chopped
• 10 gr chinese celery, finely chopped
• 125 gr chicken breast (cooked by panfrying/deepfrying and shredded)
• 5 eggs - pan fried into thin slices of omelette and cut into thin slices
• Shallots and chilli pickels (recipe follows)

Cooking Methods:

1. Ground cillies, garlic, shallots, salt, sugar, and shrimp paste to form a paste.
2. Mix the soy sauce and sweet soy sauce with the rice.
3. heat cooking oil in a big/medium sized wok till slightly smoky. Add the paste and stir fry for 2 minutes, until the color turned slightly brownish.
4. Add the cold rice and stir fry, breaking any lumps, until all ingredients are combined evenly and the riceis heated through. This will take 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the batch.
5. Adjust the seasoning by adding more salt if needed and add the chopped celery and leek. Cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Serve gwith fried shallots, shredded chicken, and pickels.
   

Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients:

(2 servings)

• 6 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 spring onions/scallions
• 1/2c. fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined and diced
• 4c. cold, cooked rice (long-grain rice)
• 1/2c. cooked peas
• 1/4c. canned bamboo shoots
• 1/4c. cup diced cooked pork with char sui (preferably)
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce

Cooking Mehod:

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil.
2. Beat egg and lightly. add 1/2 tbsp. salt and scramble in oil. remove eggs and set aside.
3. Heat remaing 4 tbsp. of oil.
4. Add spring onions/scallions and shrimp and dash of salt. Cook until shrimp cooks thru (pink).
5. Use your hands or wooden spoon to break up cooked rice.
6. Add rice to shrimp. Stir until rice is heated and grains are seperated.
7. Add all the rest of theingredients, except soy sauce.
8. Stir until heated through and well mixed.
9. Sprinkle soy sauce over rice, and mix evenly.
10. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Rice with A Rice Cooker

Rice cooking has a place in just about every culture around the world. Chinese food, home cooking, and Mexican food all utilize this wonder grain to make delicious meals. Instead of going out to an expensive restaurant to eat meals that incorporate rice, consider getting a rice cooker to make large batches of perfect rice at home. Boiling rice is great for quick fixes, but can leave rice gooey and overcooked. Authentic rice should be slightly sticky and somewhat firm. By utilizing a somple rice cooker, you can make batches of rice in no time. All it takes is putting a set amount of rice into the container, adding water, and turning it on. The machine will inform you when cooking is complete.

Automatic rice cokoing is the new form in many households. Breaking out a pan and boiling water just isn't practical. By having a dedicated machine on your countertop you can have a healthy meal close at hand. And when it's done cooking, the rice cooker will automatically enter warming mode until you're ready to eat. The non stick interior ensures that rice does not stick when scooping out. Cleaning is a breeze and simply involves removing the cooking chamber and rinsing it under water. Or you can place it in dishwater for a quick clean.
A rice cooker works by heating up the cooking chmaber with a heating element. The water inside reaches boling point and cooks the rice. After a pre-set amount of time it will shut off and enter warming mode. The rice can be kept warm for as long as you need it. The glass lid keeps a slight pressure inside the chamber to cook food faster. Is also prevents hot steam from schorching skin. Is is important to remove the lid at an angle pointing away from your face and body.

The rice cooking capacity ranges among models. For a samll family,a capacity of 5 cups is deal. Larger models can accomodate many people but are more expensive. Keep-cool handies ensure that users do not get burned if thr unit must be moved while cooking. By the taking the guesswork out of the rice cokoing, these cookers have paved the way for healhier and easier eating. Inside the cooking chamber are handy measuring lines to help you put in the right water/rice mixture every single time. There's truly no better way to cook rice to perfection.

Three Methods to Cook Rice

• Boiled rice - Boiling is about the simplest way. Properly boiled rice not only forms a valuable dish itself, but is an excellent foundation for other dishes that may be served at any meal. The water in which rice is boiled should not be wasted, as it contains nutritive material. This water may be utilzed in the preperation of soups or sauces, or it may even be used to supply the liquid required in the making of years bread.

Boiled rice (sufficient to serve eight) 1 c. rice ; 3tsp. salt ; 3qt.boiling water. Wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water.

Boil rapidly until the water begins to appear milky because of the starch coming out of the rice into the water or until a grain can be easily crushed between the fingers. Drain the cooked rice through a colander, and then pour colld water over the rice in the colander, so as to wash out the loose starch and leave each grain distinct. Regeat the rice by shaking it over the fire and serve hot.

• Japanesse Method - Rice appeared by the Japanesse method may be used in the same ways as boild rice. However, unless some use is to be made of the liquid from boiled rice, the Japanesse method has the advantage of being a more economical way of cooking this cereal.

Japanesse method (sufficient to serve eight) 1c. rice ; 1-1/2tsp. salt ; 5c. boiling water

Wash the rice, add it to the boiling salted water, and boil slowly for 15 minutes. Then cover the utensil in which the rice is cooking and place it in the oven for 15 minutes more, in order to evaporate the water more completely and make the grains soft without being mushy. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.

• Steamed rice - To steam rice requires more time than either of the preceding cooking methods, but it causes no loss of food material. Then, too, unless the rice is stirred too much while it is steaming. It will have a betterl appearance than rice cooked by other methods. As in the case of boiled rice, steamed rice may be used as the foundation for a variety of dishes and may be served in any meal.

Steamed rice (sufficient to serve six) 1c. rice ; 1-1/2tsp. salt ; 2-1/2c. water

Wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Cook it for 5 minutes and then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook until it is soft. Keep the cooking untensil covered and do not stir the rice. About 1 hour will be equired to cook rice in this way. Srve in the same way as voiled rice.

Types of Rice in Asia

Long grain rice

Cultivates throughout Southeast Asia, this long slender grain is the favoured rice of Chinese. When cooked the grains seperate easily, are non-starchy and are perfect for dishes such as fried rice. Long grain rice is the most readily available and widely used rice in Western world.

Jasmine Rice

Originating in Thailand, this variety of this long grain rice is now popular throughout Southeast Asia. A lightly fragrant rice which goes well with all kinds of Asian deishes.

Basmati rice

The aromatic, narrow, long grain rice is grown in the foothills of Himalayas from Bangladesh to India. It is traditionally used for biryani and pillau dishes which incorporate the delicate flavour and colour of saffron and utilise the firm texture of the cooked basmati rice.

Short grain rice

These small oval grains, which are high in starch, are preffered by the Japanese and Koreans. Best cooked by the absorption method, this rice is sticky and the grain adhere togethere, making it easier to eat with chopsticks and to prepare sushi.


Glutinous Rice


White glutinous rice: this is the staple rice of the Laotians and northern Thaiswho use it as in accompaniment to savoury dishes. However its main use for leaf-wrapped snack or Sian desserts. The grains are short and turn translucent when cooked. Ill-named because it contains no gluten, it has a high starch content and is commonly called 'sticky rice' or 'sweet rice'.





Black glutinous rice: when the layer of bran left on the rice, it is an unsusual dark color and has a nutty flavour. It combines well with palm sugar, coconut milk and sesame seed and is popular dessert rice in Burma, Thailand, Indonesia and The Phillipines. For the best results, the rice should be soaked overnight.


Brown Rice

Traditionally in most Asia , because of its nutritional benefits it was given to the sick and elderly and was also commonly used as a cure for constipation. It wasn't eaten much by the general population as it was considered a food for times of poverty and war time shortages. Today it is a replacement for white rice in the diets of many health concious people around the world.