theoryoffoodblog

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INDIAN CUISINE

Indian cuisine is known for the usage of many spices, vegetables, grains, fruits that are grown across the country. Each geographical region exhibits different dishes and cooking techniques that reflect its varied demographics in Indian subcontinent. Religion is also one of the influences in this cuisine. Vegetarianism is widely practiced.

For today, we will be cooking Lacha Paratha, and Aloo Gobi

To make these food we will need: 

There are some allergens present in this dish:

1. Gluten (Flour)

2. Dairy 

Workplan followed:

PROCESS:

PREPARE M.E.P for Lacha Paratha

Prepare M.E.P. for Aloo Gobi

Blanch potatoes and cauliflower.

Start Making the dough. Combine dry ingredients. 

Mix oil in flour mixture until it creates a pea-like consistency.  

Add little water at time. (At this period, I poured a little over the intended liquid so I added a little flour for it to have a soft, non sticky dough) Knead dough until it forms a smooth dough. Rest for 20 Minutes.  

Start making the Aloo Gobi by cooking cumin seeds, onions, garlic, and ginger. cook until browned.

Add chilies, coriander seed ground, turmeric, and  chili powder. Add tomatoes, and a little water. Then add the vegetables and simmer until vegetables are cooked through. 

Add lemon juice and coriander leaves to finish. 

VIDEO IN MAKING THE LACHA PARATHA: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEJl6xuA8cM&feature=youtu.be

My Lacha Paratha.

Final plate. 

Reflection:

For me, this activity was easy but a bit challenging. It was tricky on the part of knowing the right consistency of the Aloo Gobi. I made mine a little bit dry. Upon showing some of my coworkers my dish, they said it was supposed to be saucy. But in all honestly, this dish is delicious. I liked how the flavours of the toasted spices work with spices and the hint of lemon was a great addition to the experience. The bread was also very good on its own. The texture of the vegetables is tender and is perfectly cooked. The bread was crispy on the outside but is soft on the inside. It has a good subtle smoke flavour from the cooking. 

If I were to do this activity again. I would probably do the documentation better. I wasn’t able to take good pictures and I would probably do videos next time. Additionally, the research of specific dish is also a must to get the product look similar to the authentic dish.

Overall, I honestly think that I haven’t met the standards of the authentic dish. Flavour-wise, yes but the consistency and the final look did not. 

STANDARDS OF QUALITY:

To ensure quality products, one must:

- Buy fresh ingredients from reliable source.

- Product cuts should be more even.

DISCUSSION:

Fenugreek/menthi leaves

Fenugreek is native to south asia and southeastern europe but is cultivated elsewhere. It is also known as methi leaves and has a nutty flavour and typically found in dishes from India and middle east region.  The leaves have milder flavour than the seeds, the taste is somewhat like a blend of fennel and celery. It is also used for dofferent health conditions such as disgestive problems. 

References: 

[1] Indian Cuisine. Retrieved from: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Indian_cuisine

[2] All photos and video taken by me.

[theoryoffoodblog]

ATKINS DIET

Atkins diet is a diet plan developed by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1960s. It is a popular low-carbohydrate diet where in you can consume as much protein and fat as you want as long as you avoid eating food that are high in carbohydrates. It’s primary purpose is to change your eating habits to help you lose weight and maintain it.

The Atkins says that it cannot just help you lose weight but to also boost your immune system, improve some health conditions such as high blood, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This diet acknowledges that the drastic cutting of carbs may result into some side effects, namely: Headache, DIzziness, Weakness, Fatigue, Constipation.

Foods to avoid when you’re doing this diet:

Sugar - Soft drinks, fruit juices, cakes, candies, ice cream and other food with processed sugar

Grains - Whear, spelt, rye, barley, rice

Vegetables oils - soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, etc

Trans fat - “hydrogenated” label on processed foods

Diet and low fat ffod - they are high in sugar

High-carb vegetables - carrots, turnips, etc

High-carb fruits - bananas, apples, oranges, pears, grapes

Starches: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, 

Legumes: Lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc

Food to eat where you are following these diet:

Meats: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, bacon and others.

Fatty fish and seafood: Salmon, trout, sardines, etc.

Eggs: The healthiest eggs are omega-3 enriched or pastured.

Low-carb vegetables: Kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus and others.

Full-fat dairy: Butter, cheese, cream, full-fat yogurt.

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.

Healthy fats: Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocados and avocado oil.

Beverages

Water: As always, watershould be your go-to beverage.

Coffee: Many studies show that coffeeis high in antioxidants and quite healthy.

Green tea: A very healthy beverage.

Alcohol is also fine in small amounts. Do not drink hose with high carbs like beers. 

3 DAY MENU PLAN

I pretended to have a tree nut allergy. I incorporated that in my diet and created a menu plan based on that. Here’s what I ate for 3 days. I normally just eat twice in a day. So here it is:

DAY 1

BRUNCH: OMELETTE ( 2 eggs, onion, mushroom, red pepper,bacon, cheese) and coffee

DINNER: Roasted chicken, Asparagus, Garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and water

DAY 2

BRUNCH: Bacon, poached egg, avocado, tortilla wrap

DINNER: Steak, Mushroom, onion, broccoli, wine and water

DAY 3

BRUNCH: Scrambled egg, Maple sausages, sliced Oranges, coffee

DINNER: Salmon sinigang (Filipino tamarind-based soup dish that includes, salmon, eggplant, spinach, radish, garlic, onion and tomatoes) and water

REFLECTION:

I had a lot of dizzy moments when I started to cut off the carbohydrates that I was taking. It was a bit hard for me at first especially because I love eating starches and incorporating it in every meals that I eat. But continuing the diet, I was a bit surprised of the result. I feel a little bit lighter than before. Adding to this, even though I get dizzy at times, drinking water helped me a lot too. I would probably try continuing the diet. It will be a challenge for me but I would like to take it. 

Reference:

[1] Mayo Clinic Staff. (May 2020). Atkins Diet: What’s behind claims? Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/atkins-diet/art-20048485

[2] Gunnars, K., BSc (August 2018). The Atkins Diet: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/atkins-diet-101

[theoryoffoodblog]

RHUBARB

Rhubarb belongs to the Polygonaceae family, which includes buckwheat and sorrel. It is an edible stalk-based vegetable that is perpetual in parts of East Asia and Siberia.  The leaves are poisonous because it contains oxalix acid that is very toxic to humans and animals. 

Rhubarb is very high in vitamin K, Manganese, Potassium, Calcium, Fibre, and Vitamin C. It is tangy/ sour and has earthy flavour.  This vegetable would greatly fit American cuisine. It is commonly cooked as a dessert like in tarts, jams, etc.

RECIPE:

Today I will make a Jam wit Rhubarb. I will be adding a little strawberry because it works well with it. 

Here’s how you make it: 

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 Cups

2 Cups Rhubarb, sliced

1 C Strawberries, trimmed and washed

1.5 C Sugar

1T Lemon

Procedure:

1. Combine everything into a pot. Let it boil over medium heat.

2. Once it starts boiling, reduce the fire to low heat. 

3. Let it simmer for 30-45 mins. Stir occasionally in a gentle manner. Temperature of the jam should be over 205F.

4. Let it cool. Store.

SENSORY EVALUATION:

 The jam has a nice deep red wine colour. While cooking the jam, you can smell the scent of rhubarb with the strawberry and the sweet scent coming from the sugar. The taste of the jam is well balanced. You can taste the tartness of the rhubarb that complimented well with the sweetness coming from the strawberry and sugar. Overall, I think it was a success. My friends and I loved it. Perfect for toast, vanilla ice cream or yogurt. It is a nice twist to your normal strawberry jam. 

References:

[1]Rhubarb. Retrieved from: http://tenrandomfacts.com/rhubarb/

[2] Rhubarb: Retrieved from: http://www.foodreference.com/html/frhubarb.html

[3] Sheryl. (May 2016) Fun and Interesting facts about Rhubarb. Retrieved from: https://floweryprose.com/2016/05/25/fun-and-interesting-facts-about-rhubarb/

[4] Photo credit. White, A. (May 2019). How to Cook and Use Rhubarb in the Kitchen. Retrieved from: https://foodal.com/knowledge/paleo/rhubarb/

[5] Recipe inspiration: Kyliee. (May 2020). SMALL BATCH STRAWBERRY JAM (NO PECTIN REQUIRED). Retrieved from: https://www.kyleecooks.com/small-batch-strawberry-jam/

[6] Pictures under recipe: All taken by me.

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Kimchi

Korean food....What can I say? I think almost everyone loves it. I’ve always been into it every since I tried it. I love the flavour of the dishes and how the banchan’s compliment them. Banchan is the term used referring to the small side dishes. Usually, you could eat it with rice. One of my favourite kind of it is Kimchi! 

Kimchi is done through a process called wild-fermentation. It is done by salting the main ingredient for hours and mixing it with a spicy paste. It is a very versatile dish and there are various varieties that you can make with it. According to the site, bibigo, Kimchi reflects the Yin-Yang philosophy and the five elements theory. The flavours and balance of it fills every face of the Korean life. [3] I decided to make the most common and the traditional Kimchi, Tongbaechu-kimchi, or also known as Napa Cabbage Kimchi. One of the things I love about Kimchi is that It lasts for months!

Here’s how to make it!

Maangchi’s original recipe:

Yield: 8 pounds

Ingredients

Makes about 8 pounds (3.6 kg) of Kimchi For salting cabbage:

6 pounds (about 2.7 kg) napa cabbage

½ cup Kosher salt (2.5 ounces: 72 grams)

For making porridge:

2 cups water

2 tablespoons sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (brown or white sugar)

Vegetables:

2 cups radish matchsticks

1 cup carrot matchsticks

7 to 8 green onions, chopped

1 cup chopped Asian chives (buchu), optional (substitute with 3 green onions, chopped)

1 cup water dropwort (minari), optional

Seasonings and spices:

½ cup garlic cloves (24 garlic cloves), minced

2 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 medium onion, minced

½ cup fish sauce

¼ cup fermented salted shrimp (saeujeot) with the salty brine, chopped

2 cups hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)

I had to made few adjustments for my Kimchi because I used only a little cabbage and didn’t buy some greens that are in the original recipe.

My recipe based on Maangchi’s: 

Ingredients

Makes about 2lbs of Kimchi For salting cabbage:

2 Lbs napa cabbage

1/4 C Kosher Salt

For making porridge:

1 cup water

1 tablespoon sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)

1 tablespoons white sugar

Vegetables:

1 cup radish matchsticks

1 cup carrot matchsticks

7 to 8 green onions, chopped

Seasonings and spices:

 cup garlic cloves (24 garlic cloves), minced

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1/2 medium onion, minced

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/8 cup fermented salted shrimp (saeujeot) with the salty brine, chopped

1 cup hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)

Directions:

Prepare and salt the cabbage:

First, Cut the cabbage into half and wash it thoroughly in cold water. Make an incision/slit at the bottom/core of each half, about 2 inches. 

Sprinkle the salt between the leaves by lifting up every leaf and getting salt in there. You have to use more salt closer to the stems, where the leaves are thicker.

Let the cabbages rest for 1.5- 2 hours. Turn over every 30 minutes to make sure eveything is well salted.  

While the cabbage is salting, and in between the times you’re turning it over, you can make the porridge:

Combine water and rice flour in a small pot. Mix well and cook it over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add sugar and cook a little bit more for about a minute, stirring. Remove from the heat and set aside in a bowl let it cool.

After it is cooled, Add garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce, fermented salted shrimp, and hot pepper flakes. Mix well with a spoon until it becomes a paste. Add the carrots, radish, and green onions. Mix well.

After 1.5- 2 hours, Wash the cabbage a few times in a running cold water to remove the salt and dirt. As you wash them, you can split the cabbages into quaters by just pulling the incision you made before salting. Remove the core and drain it well. 

Make kimchi:

Spread some of the spicy paste into each cabbage leaf. Wrap it around itself to make a small packet. Store it in a container. Let it sit for a few days or you can eat it right away. 

According to Maangchi, the kimchi will start its fermentation in a day or two at room temperature. Humidity is also something we have to consider. The more humid the place is, the faster the fermentation occurs.  Once it starts to ferment it will smell and taste sour, and pressing on the top of the kimchi with a spoon will release bubbles from beneath.Once the fermentation starts, you can place it inside the fridge to make the process slower and would make the kimchi sour as time pass by. 

SENSORY EVALUATION:

I asked my friends, Chrisline and Kim, to try the kimchi I made. I made them try it on the day, three days after and a week after i made it. Here’s what they said:

1. On the day: The crispiness of the cabbage is on point, the saltiness is perfect, still have the sour taste to it, doesn’t have the sour smell yet, of course, , the look of it is appetising and overall, the flavour is well balanced.

2. Three days after making it: The crispiness of the cabbage is still there, the saltiness is still perfect, sour notes and smell are there, it still looks appetising and the flavour is still well-balanced and delicious.

3. A week after: Cabbage is still crispy, the sour smell and taste is more noted, the look is still perfect and everything is still delicious. 

I always thought that making Kimchi would be so hard and surprisingly, it isn’t! If you’re craving for it, you can easily make it and do other things at the same time. I had to adjust the recipe because I only used a little amount of the each items. I would probably say that I was lucky that I was able to buy everything I needed in one store. I had a little extra paste and I used it to make cucumber kimchi as well. 

References:

[1]Recipe: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/tongbaechu-kimchi : Retrieval date: February 23, 2020

[2] All Photos and Videos (GIF): Taken by myself. (Retrieved 3/11/2020)

[3] Kimchi: http://www.bibigo.com/en/korean-food-story-kimchi : Retrieval date: March 11, 2020

[theoryoffoodblog]

SOUP-rise!

Hi! WELCOME TO MY BLOG #2

For today’s blog, I will be showing you how to make one of my favourite soups, French Onion soup. Back in 2013, I went to Intercontinental Manila, a 5-star hotel in Makati City, Philippines and that was the first time I ever tried a restaurant-made version of that soup. When I tried it, I was blown away by the taste of it. The flavourful broth that compliments with the sweetness of the caramelized onions and the saltiness of the cheese was so perfect. So now, I will try to recreate it just to bring back some good old memories. 

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT:

 Gather the following ingredients:

Yield: 5-6 servings. Recipe retrieved online (See references [1]) 

1/8 cup unsalted butter

5 medium sized sweet onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

6 cups beef stock

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12 (3/4-inch-thick) French baguette slices, toasted

1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

First, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat.

Add onions. Cook until deep golden brown and caramelized. You have to stir it often.

Add in garlic until fragrant.

Stir in wine to deglaze the pot. 

Stir in beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. And then stir in white vinegar, season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to broil.

Place toasted baguette slices on top of the soup. Put cheese on top. Place into oven and brown until the cheese is golden brown and melted.

Serve.

SENSORY EVALUATION

I asked my roommates to evaluate and taste the soup that I made. The following judgements were made:

The colour of the soup is beautiful and on-point. The browning of the cheese can be improved.

The body of the soup has a rich mouth feel.

The flavour of it is well-balanced. You can taste the sweetness of the onions, the a little sourness from the vinegar and the saltiness from the cheese. 

The aroma of the food when it was just made gave us an idea of the taste of it. 

Was I successful in making this soup?

I would like to say YES! When I tasted it, it took me back to 2013 when I first tasted it. It was super easy to make and you can easily gather the ingredients if you are craving for it. I would definitely make this for my family. If I have to do it differently, I would want to try to use red onions and/or use red wine in the soup. I would want to know the difference that it would make with the texture, body and flavour of the soup.

What did I learn from this experience?

Consistency of the cuts matter. You would want to cook the food evenly at almost the same time with them having same colour. Also, do not be afraid in trying making the food that made you happy just because you thought it was expensive. Trying new things will help you gain more knowledge and experience plus it is fun!! 

References:

[1] Recipe: https://damndelicious.net/2019/01/04/classic-french-onion-soup/: Retrieval date: January 27, 2020

[2] All Photos and Videos (GIF): Taken by myself. (Retrieved: 02/08/2020)