HOW TO COOK BASMATI RICE WITHOUT THE PALAVER

THE EASY WAY TO COOK BASMATI RICE

Rinse off the rice thoroughly in cold water.  If rice is not rinsed off properly it tends to become mushy when cooked.

The ratio of rice to water is 1 to 2.  Salt is one LEVEL teaspoon per cup of rice.

So here goes

Preheat stove to HIGH
Rinse of one cup of basmati rice
Place in ALUMINIUM pot.
Add two cups of HOT water
One teaspoon of salt and turmeric. If you want yellow rice.
Let it boil for 10 minutes. Taste to see if soft.  If not check in two minutes. If it requires more than 15 minutes to cook the rice is old.
If the water has cooked away add more HOT water, not more than 1/2 a cup.

When the rice is soft drain off any excess water. Fluff up rice with fork.  Place clean cloth over pot opening, for a few minutes, to let it soak up any rising moisture for a few minutes.

Serve


 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RICE

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RICE ?

Rice is an  Excellent source of Fuel for our bodies.

It is Easily digested so that the energy it supplies becomes quickly available to the working muscles, brain and the heart and liver.

The fuel that rice provides is used for physical activity, brain performance, bodily functions as well as everyday growth and repair

80 grams of cooked white rice provides about 5% of the daily energy needs for an adult and about 6% if brown cooked rice.

Rice fits in well with the dietary recommendations for a balanced diet.  The energy (kilojoules /  calories)  is accompanied by nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre.

Nutrition experts recomment at least half the kilojoules / calories in a healthy diet should come from the carbohydrates which are provided by such foods as RICE.

RICE IS NOT ALL CARBS

Rice protein is considered one of the highest quality proteins.
It has 8 of the essential amino acids which are building blocks for making strong muscles.
Both white and brown rice contain essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, thiamin, niacin, zinc and phosphorous.
Brown rice also provides vitamin e,  magnesium, potassium and manganese.

160 grams of brown cooked rice contains about 2.4g of dietary fibre which equates to 8% of the average man's daily needs and 9.6% for the average woman's needs.
 

WHAT DOES RICE NOT HAVE

RICE         is low in fat,
                  is cholesterol free,
                 gluten free, the most non-allergenic of all grains,
                 preservative, additive and colourant free
                 very low in harmful saturated fats and trans fatty acids.

 

"DO I NEED TO EAT DAIRY PRODUCTS TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS"

 

"DO I NEED TO EAT DAIRY PRODUCTS TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS ?"

The short answer is NO.


WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS ?

A condition in which minerals and other substances are lost from the bones causing therm to become thinner, more porous and more easily broken.
Osteoporosis affects 20 to 25 million americans, primarily woman 45 years of age and older.


Vitamins and Nutrients needed for strong bone health

Calcium,    Protein,   Folate
Vitamin D,   Vitamin C,   Vitamin K,   Vitamin B6,   Vitamin B12
Magnesium,   Boron,   Silicon,   Ipriflavone.


What is in cows milk ?
 
Cows milk is made up primarily of Calcium, Vitamin D and Protein.


Could I get enough of all the nutrients including Calcium without consuming cows milk, yoghurt and cheeses ?

Yes.  Most studies done have shown that a large percentage of woman world wide who have not developed osteoporosis or are at risk for such do not consume or limit the intake of dairy products.


Plant foods as sources of calcium

All the dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, collard greens, lettuce and shredded cabbage.

Virtually all nuts and seeds especially sesame seeds.

Most beans such as navy, pinto, kidney, black etc.

Tofu particularly when it has been calcium precipitated. Meaning that calcium was used to help convert the soy milk into tofu.


Here are some other good sources of Calcium

                                                                          Amount                                 Calcium (mg)
Broccoli  fresh, cooked                                    150 grams (250ml)                       54
Pilchards tinned eaten with bones                    150 grams (2 medium)               495
Salmon tinned drained eaten with bones          100 grams                                   239
Sardines tinned drained eaten with bones          50 grams (2 large)                     191
Sesame seeds unhulled                                       20 grams                                     26
Spinach fresh cooked                                        180 grams (250ml)                     196
Watercress raw                                                   80 grams (250 ml)                       96


So in conclusion. The intake of calcium through dairy products alone will not give your body the necessary collaboration of vitamins and nutrients neccessary to ensure good strong bone health.

SOME MORE USEFUL KITCHEN TIPS

HANDY KITCHEN TIPS

1.     If you are making gravy and accidently burn it, pour it into a clean pan and continue cooking
        adding a little sugar at a time. This will cancel out the burnt taste. Avoid over sugaring it.

2.     Burned a pot of rice ?    Place a piece of WHITE bread on top of the rice for 10 mins to draw out
        the burned flavour.  Be careful not to scrape the burnt rice off the bottom of the pot when
        serving the rice.

3.     To make scrambled eggs or omelets taste rich add a couple of spoonfuls of  Sour cream,
        Cream cheese or heavy cream.  Beat together.

4.     If you want to reheat leftover pizza but dont want the crust soggy.  Pit it in a non stick pan on the
        stove, heat med low, and heat until warm.

5.     If you over salt a pot of soup or cassarole just drop in a peeled potato. The potato will absorb the
        excess salt.

6.     To warm biscuits, pancakes or muffins that were refrigerated, place a cup of water with them in
        the microwave. The moisture will keep the food moist and they will heat faster.

7.     Place a slice of bread into a bag of hard brown sugar. Within a couple of days it will be soft
        again.  I am also told a piece of orange peel also works wonders. (Have not tried it)

INDIAN SPICES - WHAT ARE THE ENGLISH NAMES

HERE IS A GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN INDIAN COOKING

Condiments and Spices

English                                                   Hindi

Asafoetida                                               Hing
Cardamon                                               Elaychi
Chilli                                                       Mirch
Cloves                                                     Lavang
Coriander                                                Dhania
Cumin                                                     Zira
Fenugreek                                               Methi
Garlic                                                      Lessan
Ginger                                                     Adrak
Mace                                                       Javithri
Nutmeg                                                   Jaipal
Oregano                                                  Ajwain
Tamarind                                                Imli
Turmeric                                                 Haldi


Cereals and grains

Millet                                                      Bajra
Barley                                                     Jay
Buckwheat                                              Kootu
Maize                                                      Makkai
Rice  - raw                                              arwa chawal
Rice - parboiled                                      usna charwal
Semolina                                                 Sooji
Wheat                                                      Gehun
Wheat flour                                             Atta
Wheat flour refined                                 Maida


I have included this because if you are like me I buy where I get the best prices, quality and range.
This sometimes entails going to an indian market and they cannot or wont tell you what the english name is.