- About Corn
Corn was first cultivated on the South American subcontinent some six millennia ago by Native American peoples. Since then, maize, which is what they called it, has become an ubiquitous, if often invisible, part of our world. It fattens the meat and poultry that land on our plates, its extracts go into plastics, adhesives, glazes, even insecticides. read more.....
- About Star Anise
Native to China , star anise comes from an evergreen tree that is related to the magnolia family. Dark brown in color, an oval, light brown, shiny seed is contained in the centre of each of its eight petal-shaped pods. read more.....
- About Wolfberries
We see them so often- in soups, teas, desserts and even stir-fries-that we tend to forget the rice nutritional value of these small bright-red dried berries.Wolfberries are the fruit of the matrimony vine, or Chinese boxthorn. Hence, they are also known as boxthorn fruit. read more.....
- About Yam
Depending on the variety, a yam's flesh may be various shades of off-white with purple streaks. Two varieties of yam are commonly found in Asian markets : the oval-shaped variety and another one that is long. Comparing the two, the long variety tends to be more purplish compared to the oval ones. read more.....
- Butter
Butter, like any fat, acts as a tenderizer in baked goods. It forms a coat around flour proteins, preventing them from linking up with each other to form elastic, rubbery sheets of gluten that would make a cake tough and chewy. Fats that are liquid at room temperature, like oils, do this better than fats that are solid, which is why cakes make with oil are so tender and moist. read more.....
- Essential Oils
As a general rule, fat and oil intake in a balanced diet should not exceed one third of our daily calorie intake allowance. Given the myriad of brands and types of cooking oil available in the market, selection could be intimidating. Knowledge of some oil basics is thus, useful. read more.....
- Essential Oils - Oil Types
Listed various types of oil that most commonly used. read more.....
- Extracting Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is an extremely important ingredient in Indonesian cooking. However, extracting coconut milk is not entirely familiar for some. Here are some facts and knowledge. read more.....
- Honey
Originating from the heart of flowers, raw honey, or nectar, is collected by honeybees into a special honey stomach and mixed with secretions from their glands. This is then deposited into honey cells in the beehive, where it ripens into honey. read more.....
- Mint Condition
References in old writings, including early medieval list of plants, prove that mint leaves have been universally esteemed for centuries, both for its medicinal and culinary values. In the old days, before the advent of smelling salts, mint was used as a restorative. read more.....
- Nutmeg Cooking Tips
A very old spice indeed, nutmeg has been part of Indian a Arabic herbal medicine for over 1000 years, and has been traded around the world for about half that time. Native to Indonesia , nutmeg trees have since been transplanted to other countries, notably Grenada , whose nutmegs are considered the world's best. read more.....
- Tips on Choosing & Storage of Eggs
Fresh eggs usually come with shells of rough texture and sheen pastiness. The egg yolk should be full and lustrous with its egg white coagulating and firm. Eggs that are no longer fresh will have shells that appear dull with smooth texture and emit sounds when shaken. read more.....
- Tips On Cooking Eggs
Always break the eggs only before cooking to preserve the resilience of the egg white. A rotten egg will ruin the other eggs in the dish. Thus break the eggs separately into bowls to ensure freshness for all. read more.....
- Tofu - Smooth as Silk
Whip up a light and healthy meal using tofu or soybean curd. Made from soybean milk curd, this delicate delicacy is low in calories, but rich in calcium, iron and vitamin B1, B2 and B3. Believed to have first been made in China around 150BC, tofu is also one of the first solid foods traditionally fed to babies in both countries. read more.....
- Types of Corn
What has not changed much over the centuries is how corn is cooked. Native Americans, for whom corn had and has immense religious, culinary and cultural significance, have always cultivated corn, beans and squash together; they also cook them together in the same pot with a pinch of ashes, a combination that, consciously or not, shows excellent nutritional sense. read more.....
- Understanding Tofu & Cooking Tips
Silken tofu has higher water contents and a very soft texture. It is most suitable for cooking steamed, soup and cold dishes. Extra silken tofu is also available in supermarkets and it is best used for steaming and cooking in soups, especially as condiment for steamboat. read more.....
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