Paul Hollywood’s White Bread & The Lesson’s Learnt | Vegan Recipe | Dairy Free | Step Wise

Hi all!

I’m back to a baking spree and I do not regret it at all!!!!! As a matter of fact I’m loving it, the entire experience of proofing the yeast and baking the bread is so captivating and I’m so much in love with my breads that I can’t stop admiring them. I’m like a self obsessed kid who just can’t stop praising herself..and for all this I must thanks Sharanya SL, who is reader of my blog and had requested me to post a tutorial on making a white bread.

With all the candor, I must confess that I have baked many breads till now but never  baked a whole white bread only for the simple reason that I’m not very fond of the processed flour. But a request is a request and I respected that and took it as an opportunity to learn new.

I’ve many books on bread baking in my collection and the recent addition to that is Paul Hollywood’s 100 Great Breads. I had read a mixed bag of reviews for this book and decided to buy it simply for the person behind it..Paul Hollywood, who is a baker’s son who went on to work as a baker for many leading hotels. He has also judged many TV shows. This particular book was awarded the ‘top bread and pastry book of the year’ for 2005 by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

 

When I started reading the book, I thought that’s it quite simple to understand and also realized that this man does not rely on big tools and machine and depends more on hand kneading, I thought suits me fine. It was only when  I started using the recipe in terms of ingredients and measures that I realized the problem of this book..the weighs & measures!!  The biggest difficulty was that the yeast measure was given in ounces and grams rather than spoons and he also insisted on using fresh yeast like most of all the famous bakers. Fortunately I had got hold of fresh yeast recently and I was more than willing to use it. But measuring fresh yeast in ounces was the trickiest part.. but somehow I sailed through the hurdle..

I tried to stick with the weighs & measures in the book but then I realized that the measure of salt was also high, so I decided to adjust it as per my understanding and expertise..

I decided to use my old OTG and not the microwave for baking.The bread turned out fine and rose well too, but it rose  much more than expected and the bread got stuck into the top heating rods of the oven. Fortunately, I was alert and I moved the bread to the bottom shelf but by then it already  had got a light burn mark  .. The book said that the bread would get ready in 35mins but mine was ready in 20mins, a pat on the top produced a hollow sound, indicating that it was done. I’m still to come across such tips in the book.. When I cut the bread and I looked at the cut slice, the word WOW came out instantly  and after eating the first bite I was a happy to see that it was light, moist and soft but I was also disappointed that the bread was very mildly yeasty, which also explained the bread hitting the top of the oven.. So, it confirmed that the yeast required should have been less and the measure probably is incorrect in the book, which even I had felt earlier, but since I was using the fresh yeast for the very first time, I did not take any chances. Due to which  my bread was not absolutely white..lessons learnt.

Preparation Time: 15mins | Rising Time: 2hrs | Baking Time: 20-35mins | Serves: 4 | Makes- 1loaf  | Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients

500g/ 1lb/ 2oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

1tsp salt

60ml/ 2fl ounce olive oil

15g/ 1/2oz yeast ( I thought less would be better)

270ml/ 9fl ounces water ( I used only about 200ml)

Method

Sift the flour, add the yeast, oil and spread the salt over the flour, avoiding direct contact with the yeast.

Warm the water slightly and knead the dough using that. The quantity of water required will vary from flour to flour. Knead the flour for about 10mins, till it’s shows a gloss on the top.

Shaping The Bread

Grease it lightly and leave it to rise for an hour, till it doubles in volume.

Punch down the dough and knead lightly.

 

Dust the kitchen platform floor with some flour and spread the dough.

Fold the dough slightly from the left and right side of the dough.

From the top fold the dough and start rolling it towards the bottom. Roll completely and shape.

Place the shaped dough in a greased bread tin.

Let the dough rise for about 40-45mins, till it doubles in volume.

Dust the dough on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 230C for 20-35mins till done. A baked bread sounds hollow when tapped on top.

Remove on a cooling rack. Slice and serve.

Sending it to my event ‘Only’- Cooking From Cookbooks guest hosted by Gauri.

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Green Beans Paruppu Usili/ Green Beans And Lentils

          Paruppu Usili, this is a very popular dish in South India, is basically a dish made with lentils that is soaked, ground and scrambled. Though I have used different vegetables to the usili, usually it's made with fresh green beans or cluster beans. This is a very healthy dish, good source of protein and makes a perfect combo with rice and moru kuzhambu..

Need To Have

• Chopped Green Beans - 3 cups
• Tuvar Dal/ Split Pigeaon Peas - 1/2 cup
• Dried Red Chillies - 6
• Urad Dal/ Husked Split Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Soak the tuvar dal for an hour and grind it coarsely with the dried red chillies, using as little water as possible.

          At this stage you can make balls with the ground mixture and steam it in a regular steamer ( idli cooker ). I have used the egg poucher used in the microwave oven, greased it, filled it halfway through and microwaved it for 1 to 11/2 mins. Repeat it with all the ground mixture, remove and cool it.

          Break the cooled lentil cakes into small pieces, take a small quantity in the blender and pulse it lightly. Repeat it with all the pieces.

          Remove and keep the lentil crumbles. Heat a little oil, add the chopped beans and salt and about 1/4 cup water, cover and cook it till done, remove and keep.

          Heat some more oil, add the urad dal, mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida and the curry leaves. Now add the lentil crumbs and a little salt and mix for about 2 minutes, on medium heat.

          Then add the cooked beans, mix for another 3 minutes, remove and serve.

Note
You can use just tuvar dal/ split pigeon peas or a mixture of tuvar dal and chana dal/ bengal gram.
As mentioned earlier you can use other vegetables like carrot, beets and cabbage.

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How to Approach Genuine Spices Manufacturer in India? (Ganesh Agro)

Different types of Indian spices such as cumin powder, turmeric, black pepper, etc. form an indispensable part of Indian cuisine. Spices or as they call in India 'masala', manufacturers, exporters & suppliers have a significant contribution in providing the taste to the Indian food recipes made across the globe. However, the main reason behind this success is the painstaking efforts made consistently by exporters to enhance the quality of product.
Spices form the heart & soul of Indian cooking and need to be of high quality for the general public to make use of it. There are very few manufacturers, who provide quality product and to find the genuine one, you need to consider certain essential aspects, which we will be discussing further.
Identifying the best Spices manufacturer in India and top Cumin Seed exporter is very important, especially if your business involves distributing or selling of variety of spices to commercial & high-end food industry whether in India or outside. From food chains, restaurants to households require high-quality spices like cumin powder, fennel seeds, etc. to add flavor, aroma and taste to the food. To discuss about all the important aspects, which should be considered to approach a genuine Indian masala exporter for your requirement:-
Quality
It is a very important factor and should be given top most priority, when it comes to condiments & other exotic spices. Also, consider how they are manufactured by making use of traditional methods. Does it undergo proper processing & packaging procedures? Ensure that Cumin Seed exporter offer the facility and the expertise to provide the most aromatic and high-quality ones for customer's requirement.

Natural
Check whether the product offered by Spices manufacturer in India have been processed with artificial or natural fertilizers. You should opt for product, which is organically grown. Ask the exporters from where they get the product and how it is processed. The proper understanding of the agro based products will give you a better understanding and give you confidence about the quality of product offered by the exporters.

Variety
First of all, list out the spices you are looking for. Certain exporters focus on particular kind of spices depending on which spice is best to sell during that particular season. Spices vary depending on geographical location in both taste and aroma. For this reason, it is important to approach specialist exporters, who are expert in selling those specific products.

Contact the supplier directly
In order to get the contact details of exporter, you can search for it in business directories. It is better to contact them directly to discuss with them your specific needs. Make sure to not get trapped by the intermediaries, who may lure you with sales tactics but in-turn sell you the products at marked up rate.

Thus, by considering these mentioned aspects, you can be confident of approaching the best Spices manufacturer in India for your specific requirement.

Processing ...

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Slowly Roasted Chicken - A Dish That You Can Never Forget

You might have tasted different varieties of chicken but slowly roasted chicken is a completely different dish. What makes slowly roasted chicken unique is its taste, flavor and color. The popularity of slowly roasted chicken could be evaluated simply by the fact that it is one of the most demanded dishes in hotels and restaurants all over the world. Here are the main ingredients required to prepare this dish.

Chicken 1.6 kgRoasting potatoes 1 kgGarlic heads 2White wine 100 mlChicken stock 100 mlRosemary 2 stemsBay leaves 6Lemon 1

How is slowly roasted chicken prepared?

First of all, heat the oven to 160 degrees. Take the butter and slowly rub it all over the roasting tin. Rub the skin of the chicken with butter as well. Then, put the chicken in the tin and place the potatoes around it. Add the half cut garlic heads into the tin. Along with it, pour in the white wine and stock. After that, properly cover it with foil and put it in the oven. Cook it well for 1 hour and then get rid of the foil. Then shake the potatoes. Include the bay leaves and the lemon wedges and cook it for another fifty minutes. This time, cook it without covering it. After that, slowly turn the heat up to 220 degrees. Then cook it for 30 minutes. Then, take the bird and potatoes out of the pan. Again, cover it with foil. Allow it to set for 10 minutes. Then, start carving it. Keep the potatoes warm. Now, the slowly roasted bird is ready to be served.

Slowly Roasted Garlic Chicken

Slowly roasted garlic chicken belongs to the slowly roasted family. The only difference is that here garlic is the main ingredient. Ingredients necessary to make this dish are:

Chicken 1 (5 pounds)Kosher salt 2 tablespoonFreshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoonGarlic 4 headsOlive oil 2 tablespoonLemon 1Yellow onion 1Low sodium chicken broth 1 cup

How is it prepared?

Compound the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Take the bird and wipe it lightly with a garlic head. Then, wipe it with oil as well. Add salt and pepper as per your taste. Put a garlic head and the half cut lemon in the bird cavity. Arrange the bottom of the baking dish with the leftover garlic, lemon and onion. Place the bird on top of these and introduce the broth to the baking dish. Then cover it with foil properly. Roast the chicken for one hour. Then take the foil off and slowly rub the bird with the pan juices. Slowly raise the temperature up to 450 degrees F. Continue the process of roasting. Bask the chicken at regular intervals while roasting it. Make sure that the juicy part is completely removed. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes. The skin becomes golden brown in color when it's ready. Allow it to cool. At the same time put the pan juices in a saucepan and boil them for 7 to 20 minutes under medium heat until they become thicker. Season them as per the need. Then, carve the chicken carefully. It would be ideal if you serve it with a garlic head and the pan sauces. This adds to the taste of the dish.

The appealing taste and the irresistible flavor of the slowly roasted chicken can definitely win anyone's heart.

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Get Better In The Kitchen With This Set Of Rules (Kim Valerio)

Learning how to cook is like learning how to dance. It takes plenty of study, hard work and dedication. The tips we've put together in this article should help you determine the types of things you should focus on mastering in order to become the cook you've always wanted to be.

Make soup stock in large quantities. Soup stock can be used in many different recipes. If you make a large portion of it once, it is easy to store for later use. Just put it in baggies that can be sealed. Put it in the freezer and thaw it out when you need to use it.

If you want your food to come out as good as it can when you are cooking with oil you should be sure to add the oil to the side of the pan so it is hot once it reaches the food. This helps to boost the food's flavor when it is done.

A good thing to remember regarding cooking is to store your ingredients and spices in a cool dark place and not on top of your stove. This is because humidity and light tend to cause spices and herbs lose their flavor. This is one of the things new cooks tend to forget.

Mushrooms discolor fast and they don't look too appetizing when you serve them. You can prevent discoloration by following this technique. Squeeze the juice of a quarter lemon onto a paper towel and wipe the cap of each mushroom with it. This cleans the mushroom and prevents it from changing its original color.

Leave the bone in a roast to speed up cooking. By leaving the bone in, heat moves to the inside of the meat faster, speeding up the cooking process. Because the bone transmits heat, the entire roast cooks more evenly throughout the cut of meat by leaving it in rather than removing it.

You want to cook healthier meals, and one place to consider with regard to changing your menus is in sauces and dressings. Rich, creamy dressings and sauces tend to be extremely unhealthy. You do not need to eliminate these meal-toppers entirely; simply learn how to make lighter, healthier alternatives. Healthier sauces and dressings can go a long way towards making your entire diet healthier.

You should use your freezer bags more than one time. You need to store your meats or vegetables in regular storage bags and then place them into freezer bags so that you can use them repeatedly. Freezer bags are very expensive and this will cut back on your costs each month.

No matter what kind of cheese you may have in your refrigerator, be sure that air cannot enter it by wrapping it tightly. Air contributes to mold growth on cheese. If your cheese does happen to have a little bit of mold on it, you can still use it by just cutting off the part with mold.

Just like a dance, you are never done with learning how to cook. There is always a new style for you to study and master. Take these tips and learn to incorporate them into your everyday cooking. Always remember that you are never done learning about the art of cooking.

If you are looking for healthy cheap meals, there are a lot of ways to find one. You can find some delicious and healthy meal ideas that are very cheap as well. You can find some recipes on the Internet.

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Key Steps For Choosing Your Cookery Lessons in London

We have all been there: we want to have cooking lessons in London and leave behind the usual curry delivery or frozen Chinese dumplings, but just the idea of preparing a meal from scratch is daunting.

We might even have considered in the past giving cookery lessons as presents to family and friend, but then again we do not want to lose the friends because they might feel unprepared and end up taking the gift as a curse.

And even if could master enough self-confidence, how would we choose from the myriad of suppliers of cookery lessons in London?

Our suggestion: go for a provider of cooking lessons at home. Rather than having to go somewhere in the middle of nowhere at a set time and fight for the attention of the chef while trying to make sense of recipes you would never cook again, agree the menu and timing beforehand and have the chef and ingredients dispatched to your kitchen.

Too good to be true? Not at all. These type of cooking lessons in London are not yet as popular as the "group lessons", but are extremely interesting. Price is not so outragious as someone might think and the convenience is extremely high, as well as the learning arising from the experience.

In any case, they need to be chosen carefully. There are many weird cookery lessons in London, and finding the right one might be an issue.

Check for how long the company has been in business, and always give them a call beforehand. You want to be sure they know what they are talking about. Ask for a few references and about the chef's history. Having the right person on board is key for a good outcome. You can also check out gift and voucher providers. They usually have plenty of cookery lessons in London and UK on offer. But be careful. Of course they need to make some profit, therefore the price is higher than the one you might find on the individual website of the lesson provider. You might end up with a free pizza at your favourite deli if you decide to go direct.

Learning Best Cookery Lessons In London is a very good option to enhance your cooking skills . It is nothing complex but one need to practice every day to let others say Invite Me To Dinner.

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Eggless Jam Swirled Muffins

           I am not able to blog more frequently these days, in the middle of so many things, hopefully everything will settle down in a month's time. I didn't want to miss the challenge for the Eggless Baking group, somehow managed to do it. We had to do an eggless version of these Jam Swirled Muffins, I have used flax seed powder in the place of eggs, and used strawberry preserves for the jam. The muffins turned out superb, perfect for a light breakfast or an evening snack..

Need To Have

• All Purpose Flour - 1 cup
• Yogurt/ Curd - 1/3 cup
• Powdered Sugar - 1/3 cup
• Strawberry Preserves - 1/3 cup
• Flax Seed Powder - 1 tablespoon
• Oil - 1/4 cup
• Hot Water - 6 tablespoons
• Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Baking Soda - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/8 teaspoon
• Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

Original Recipe here

Method

          Add the flax seed powder to 3 tablespoons of the hot water and leave it for 10 minutes, then beat it nicely. Then add the yogurt, oil, salt, vanilla extract and the remaining 3 tablespoons of hot water and mix well. Add the sugar and mix it nicely.

          Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Then add it to the wet ingredients and mix it lightly, finally add the strawberry preserves and just swirl it in very lightly.

          Pour it into greased muffin pans and bake it at 190 C for 25 minutes, cool and remove it.

Note
After pouring it in the muffin pans, I added 1/2 teaspoon of the strawberry preserve on the top and lightly mixed with a knife.
You can use any fruit jam or preserve of your choice.
I refrigerated the muffins, just warmed them in the microwave before serving, they tasted good.
I got 8 medium sized muffins.

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