10 Things You Didn’t Know About Egg; Ande Ka Funda

My vegetarian mother loves egg and 3 out of 5 of my family members absolutely adore ‪#egg. It is amazing how many of us believe that ‪#egg is the easiest thing to cook and yet most of us cook it wrong unknowingly.

If you are a vegetarian who eats ‪#egg, you are an ovotarian.

Although there is a range in the types of eggs available, from ostrich and emu to even quail eggs. In this section I am talking about hen’s eggs, which are by far the most commonly available eggs in this country.

There are four broad categories in which our eggs can be divided.

Farm Fresh Eggs - Farm is an industrial unit with hens cramped up in cages. These are often artificially lit. Fresh means less than 21 days old.

Barn Eggs - Hens have a little more space and they are kept in pens.

Free-range Eggs - Hens have space to move around outdoors and feed on outdoor vegetation.

Organic Eggs - Hens are given organic feed.

It is better to buy free-range or organic eggs.

Buying Eggs

The best way to check for fresh ‪#egg is that it should feel well-filled and heavy. Egg is porous and stale egg will have a larger air sac, making it feel light and empty.

Contrary to popular belief an ‪#egg with a red spot or meat spot is actually a good quality egg. We know that because the red spot means it is fertlised.

Good Egg Test

To test the freshness there is a simple ‪#egg test that can be done. Take a bowl full of water. If the egg sinks in it, it's fresh else stale.

Freshness and Quality of Eggs

The US department of agriculture grades ‪#egg as AA with a firm yolk and white which doesn't spread when you break it.

As the grades go lower from AA to A to B ‪#egg tends to spread more and more when broken.

As a matter of fact, lower quality ‪#egg is more suitable for baking than fresh, firm eggs. So if you have old eggs, bake a cake!

Storage of Eggs

Eggs should be stored away from strong smelling foods and flavourings. The eggshell is porous and easily absorbs undesirable odour from food kept next to them. Ever wondered why your cake smells off today? Now, you know.

To maintain the quality of an egg store it 2 degree Celsius. Egg will lose its quality quickly, if stored at room temperature, especially in a warm country like ours.

How To Cook An Egg

Boiling – In the Shell

Have you noticed a bluish layer on the yolk when you overcook the egg? This layer that forms when a boiled egg is overcooked also tempers with the taste and odour of the egg apart from looking unappetising. To avoid this layer from forming it is important to know the right time for which an egg should be cooked in the shell.

To cook an egg in the shell, bring the eggs to room temperature by removing them from the refrigerator an hour before cooking or placing them in warm water.

Cold eggs are more likely to crack in hot water.

Take water with a pinch of salt in a pan. Since the shell is porous, the egg gets lightly seasoned when added in salt water. Bring the water to a boil, add in the eggs and then turn heat to simmer.

Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes for Soft cooked

For 5 to 7 minutes for half boiled or medium cooked eggs

For 10 to 12 minutes for hard boiled eggs.

Drain out the water and run the eggs under cold water before peeling.

For Hard Cooked Eggs, like the eggs we use in Egg Curry, we don’t drain the water after removing the eggs from heat but once it comes to a boil, cover and let it stand for 20 minutes before peeling.

‪#Didyouknow very fresh ‪#egg is difficult to peel when cooked in the shell, making poaching a better option than boiling eggs.

To peel the egg, crack it from the large end (where the air sac in present) and loosen the shell by holding it under running water. The shell will simply slide off.

Poaching

Fresh, high quality ‪#egg is best used in poaching.

Although poaching an ‪#egg gives a beautiful silken, delicate structure very few know how to poach an egg correctly.

To poach an ‪#egg simply fill inch deep water in a pan, add salt n vinegar and bring it to simmer. Break fresh, quality egg into the pan.

Remove the ‪#egg after it is poached for 3 to 5 minutes in simmering water, by using a flat, broad frying spoon, under the yolk base.

‪#egg can break while poaching if 1) the water is boiling vigorously or 2) the water in not hot enough for egg to coagulate immediately.

Scrambled Eggs

My favorite ‪#egg main dish is smoked salmon with creamy scrambled eggs, capers and a drizzle of herb oil.

To make scrambled ‪#egg creamy, beat and blend eggs then add 20ml cream for 2 eggs, add butter in a pan, when hot drop water to sizzle, add in the eggs and stir.

Cook scrambled ‪#egg over low heat stirring from time to time, don't stir too much or let eggs brown. Once set but still soft n moist, remove.

Once the scrambled ‪#egg sets, remove it right away, the warm pan can over cook the egg even after the heat is turned off. Add herbs to flavor.

Omelet

‪#Myth: Omelet should be cooked on low heat. ‪#Fact ‪#egg mixture should be added to a hot pan, high temperature sets the base of the omelet.

Once the ‪#egg base sets at the base due to high heat, the heat is lowered & the uncooked egg is scrambled on top to create volume in omelet. A common mistake made while making an egg is trying to froth up the egg for a fluffy omelet. This is not necessary. The procedure below shows how to make a fluffy omelet without frothing up the egg.

French

To make a French Omelet

Beat 2-3 eggs in a bowl. Just mix the eggs with a teaspoon of milk with a fork, don’t froth it up. Add in some salt and pepper.

Heat oil mixed with butter in a pan, allow the pan to heat up. Once the pan is hot add in the egg mixture. The egg will set at the base and on the sides.

Now, shake the pan with one hand and stir the egg in the pan with the back of a fork. Be sure not to scrap off the base, this stirring round and round will make the omelet fluffy. Once the egg sets but is still moist turn off the heat.

Loosen the sides and slide the egg to one side. Fold in both sides into the center. A filling may be added in the center before folding both the sides. Bring the corners together to seal the omelet completely from all sides, forming a crescent shape. Slide the omelet onto a plate.

Spanish

For a Spanish omelet

Slice roundels of potatoes and Onion rings. Heat butter in a pan, cook the onion and potato in the pan until the onion is brown and potato is cooked all through. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the mixture.

In a bowl, mix 2-3 eggs with a spoon of milk along with the cooked onion and potato roundels with a fork.

Heat oil and butter in a pan, once the pan is hot, add in the egg mixture. Once it sets at the base, stir a little and take it off the heat.

Now, place this pan with the Spanish omelet under heat in the salamander and allow the egg to set with the heat from top.

You may add green, red and yellow bell peppers to a Spanish Omelet if you like.

Frittata

The vegetables, meat and flavourings are mixed with the egg and added into a hot pan. Once the base sets, the top in cooked by placing the pan under heat in a salamander.

Vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, flavourings such as garlic, pepper and meats like sausages, bacon can be mixed with egg for a frittata. A frittata is a thick omelet.

Masala

Masala Omelet is essentially a French omelet with a indian-style masala filling. An Indian Masala filling is a mixture of chopped onion, tomatoes, green chili, coriander leaves, salt, red chili powder and at times chaat masala.

Masala omelet is usually browned more than French omelet.

Indian Style Scrambled egg with Masala is- Akuri

Uses Of Eggs in Cooking

Clarifying

Egg proteins coagulate when exposed to heat, they form a protein network along with impurities in a stock resulting in a clarified soup such as a Consomme.

Binding & Coating

Egg is used for binding in meatballs, patty and as such for holding the ingredients together.

Due to its sticky nature it is also used to coat a patty, steak or escalope to make breadcrumbs or other dry ingredients stick to form a crust.

Emulsification

In sauces such as Mayonnaise or Hollandaise, the egg helps in combining the water and oil molecules together, making an emulsification necessary for these sauces.

Baking

Volume – incorporates air and adds volume to cakes and other baked goods. It is increases volume and makes the product light and fluffy.

Enriching – It enriches the product and also acts as a moistening agent in brownies, cakes and cookies.

Aeration

Egg White froths up and is capable of increasing the volume of a product with the incorporation of air. It makes a product light and fluffy. This property of an egg is used in making Souffles and Meringues.

Souffles – A béchamel sauce base with flavouring like cheese, vegetables or meats is combined with frothed eggs to create light savoury or sweet soufflés.

ZodiacGrill in Taj Palace ‪#Mumbai is known to serve a famed Cheese (Camembert) Souffle beautifully aerated with ‪#egg white.

Meringues – Beaten egg white to soft, medium or hard peaks is used as a topping on desserts, in topping cakes. A meringue base is also used to make marshmallows and macaroons.

Garnish

While hard boiled eggs are also used as garnish on entrees or served as appetisers. They are frequently used as centre garnich when making cold cuts. It is common to find slices of terrine studded with hard cooked eggs inside it.

Meringues are used to top desserts.

Also Read; Stress Free Hens produce Tastier Eggs in Bangalore, Happy Hen Farm

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=10&contentid=201109252011092520531325485d6b400

Reference Articles

http://poultry.allotment.org.uk/advice/eggs

http://www.helpwithcooking.com/egg-guide/guide-to-eggs.html

5 Things I Hate About Silver Beach Café, Juhu; Confessions of a Tortured Tongue

Name: Silver Beach Cafe

Location: Juhu

Date of Visit: 8^th September, 2012 (Dinner hour)

I rarely use the word ‘hate’ for a restaurant so let me fully explain why I came about using this word for Silver Beach Café. Silver Beach Café is the perfect example of ‘All that glitters is not gold’. When I entered this dimly lit, cosy little café I was surprised to see such few tables occupied on a Saturday evening. ‘What could go wrong with a place like this?’ I thought to myself, hoping to not find the reason in their food. Everything, every single thing can go wrong in a place like this. Alas! I did not know this before I visited, else I would be saved from the strange things that they call food.

Reason 1 – I’m torn between spitting it out and swallowing these potatoes with water.

Their service staff recommended a potato appetizer. I think their tongues must’ve gotten numb from tasting unappetizing food for a long time. It was confusing to me; first, why the appetizer was brought to our table after one of the main dishes was served. Secondly, I was extremely confused about what they were trying to achieve when they designed this dish. It was unwashed, unpeeled and undercooked medium sized potatoes, cut into half smeared with coriander paste and served on a bed of very sweet tomatoes. It’s indecent to spit the food, so I gulped it down with water.

Reason 2 – Offensive Service

The service staff was rude, and they did not know what they were doing. I asked the gentleman (sorry, rude man) serving us whether it would take much longer to bring the food to our table. He did not look at me, he did not stop to listen to what I wanted to say, he simply passed me by while my head turned to follow him, when finally he spilled out the words, ‘5 minutes!’ To tell you the truth I almost felt privileged at that moment when he replied. Thank you Mister, no tip for you. He mustn’t be worried about that, they charge a pretty good sum as service charges. Clearly, the restaurant owners know about the bad service and yet don’t wish to loose tip money.

Reason 3 – It feels like being in Jail.

Have you ever thought what it would be like to be handed food in Jail? Well, here is your chance. The service staff is doing you a favour. They don’t look at you, or smile or bother for a kind word to their paying customers. They also bring your food, as it is prepared, not all together. If you want to eat together, everyone must order the exact the same dish. No, that won’t help either. They don’t understand that people have come to a restaurant to enjoy a meal ‘together’. Live with it!

Reason 4 – Which Jerk Made this Jerk Chicken?

Or should I just call it what it really is, a rubber chappal? When I put this chicken in my mouth, I could visualize the cook tormenting that stale chicken breast. Whatever juices were left of it, were pressed on a hot grill and forced out to yield rubber on my plate. Like a Punjabi mother crisps up parathas. It’s a pity chicken breast wasn’t treated differently. The sauce couldn’t mask the chappal. Yet, somehow that wasn’t the worst part. The cook managed to make it worse. Cook a cup of rice in half a bottle of vinegar, bad quality vinegar and you’ll know what the accompanying rice tasted like. It was hard to tell whether the rice was stale or not, because all I could taste was vinegar. Don’t ask me how I finished this dish, let’s just say, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

Reason 5 – How can you go wrong with cream based pasta?

I don’t think I will ever be able to answer this question; you may try if you will. The spaghetti was what I call ‘Blue Bird’ quality pasta. It was stick, soggy and broken all through. Spaghetti was obviously over cooked. The cream was in lumps and not properly mixed before it was added. It was edible, like the spaghetti I must’ve cooked when I was eight. No, I was never this bad. The quantity was pretty good, but that would have mattered more if the pasta tasted better.

The ham and chicken pizza they served even before the appetizer tasted okay.

This meal was in many ways a writer’s dream and a nightmare. Dream because I enjoyed telling you about it, a nightmare because I had to eat it before I told you about it. With dark wood furniture set in a cosy almost cramped space, a cigar selection and a variety of wines to choose from don’t be deceived by the appearance of this place. It is not worth anyone’s time. No wonder it was sparsely populated even on a Saturday evening. That thing about this place is that they carry a selection of cigars.

Ambience: 6 Average

Value For Money: 5 Below Average

Menu: 6 Average

Food: 3 Poor

Service: 3 Poor

That Thing About This Place: 7 Good

Average Ambience + Below Average Value For Money + Average Menu + Poor Food + Poor Service + Good That Thing About This Place = Below Average

Rating: 5 on 10

Lights. Camera. Chutney; the Misunderstood Condiment

Enjoy a samosa and kachori or idli and wada, even with momos we Indians cannot do without chutney. Yet, chutney has not got due recognition in our diet. Often Chutney is misunderstood as being a simple condiment like Tabasco or mustard sauce. This characterisation has led us to believe that chutney is just a flavour enhancer, however, other functions of chutney are often neglected. #chutney not only adds to the taste and nutrition of our daily meals but also helps in digesting our food. #foodmantra

Chutney is one of the best ways to eat fresh and healthy food. Most chutneys, as a rule are made with fresh, raw ingredients. The ingredients are uncooked and therefore provide the nutrients that are destroyed by heat. Dietary fiber present in ingredients like coconut, coriander and tamarind, frequently used in making chutney, aid proper digestion.

Different chutney is eaten with different food, from wada-pav in Maharashtra to idli in Tamil Nadu, from aloo-tikki in UP to dhokla in Gujarat. The sweet, sour or spicy flavours in chutneys not only compliment Indian snacks but also act as a moistening agent to dry snacks. In modern times making chutney requires a simple spin in the blender as opposed to hours of hard work that our ancestors put in making them. This is a boon now that fresh chutneys can be prepared everyday in a matter of minutes.

The ingredients in chutney, the flavour balance and its nourishing properties can be altered according to individual preference or specific requirements of the body. Eating different chutney for ailments or specific requirements of the body to maintain good health is a practice adopted by Ayurveda practitioners. For instance using dates, which is a gentle laxative in chutney will ease constipation on the other hand, using fennel seeds (saunf) as a flavouring agent in chutney cures an upset stomach.

Types of Chutney

Dry Chutneys have a longer shelf life. They are often prepared and kept for several months due to their good keeping quality. They can also be carried along during travel to be eaten with Indian breads or idlis.

Gun Powder is a dry mixture of roasted pulses ground together along with chilly and spices. It is a common part of the diet in South Indian states. There are many recipes of gun powder, in fact, it is said that each village has a unique recipe for their gun powder.

Peanut Chutney is made with red chilly, garlic and peanuts.

Coconut Chutney is made with dried coconut, garlic and red chilly.

Wet Chutney

These freshly prepared chutneys cannot be stored for long periods. They provide nourishment as well as flavour with uncooked ingredients.

Date- Tamarind

One of the best #chutney I have recently learnt about is dates-tamarind chutney. It has the goodness of both and the sweet n sour flavour.

Dates-Tamarind #chutney #twecipes soaked tamarind + Black Salt + Cumin Seed powder + Dates + Jaggery + Red Chilly + Mint (Optional) Great for the stomach #foodmantra

Try it with samosa, dhokla or kachoris.

Dates are a gentle laxative, rich in iron, potassium and calcium. Tamarind, which is used in equal proportion with dates contains dietary fiber which helps in easing digestion. Save the recipe to cure constipation.

Coriander-Mint

The refreshing aroma of mint, coriander and lemon in chutney, add green chilly and it’s heaven on earth. This chutney can brighten up any dish you care to serve with it. I love using this chutney on boiled potatoes, with aloo-tikki or in bhel.

Coriander leaves + Mint leaves + Green Chilly + Rock Salt + Lemon Juice

In the summer I like to use raw mango in place of lemon juice to add the a new zing to the chutney.

In Coriander-Mint #chutney, both the herbs help in digestion. Lemon maintains immunity with Vitamin C and along with anti-oxidants in green chilly is good for the skin.

Tamarind-Ginger (Sonth)

This chutney is bursting with flavour, it is tangy and vibrant, the sweet, sour, spicy flavours of this chutney will blow your mind. The tamarind and jaggery are cooked together for a few hours to thicken and reduce.

Soaked Tamarind + Jaggery + Ginger + Roasted Cumin powder + Black salt + Red Chilly + Garam Masala powder

Tamarind, ginger, cumin and black salt are all beneficial to the stomach and ease the digestion process.

Coconut

Across the world, chutney is most frequently identified with the presence of coconut in it. Coconut chutney can be made in combination with a variety of ingredients such as coriander and green chilly, sesame, garlic and red chilly, ginger and as such. In this section, we are looking at a simple coconut chutney which blended together with salt and a little coconut water to make a smooth paste.

All coconut chutney are then tempered with some hot ghee, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Urad dal and green chilly can also be added to the tempering.

Coconut #chutney for instance provides dietary fiber, beneficial fats for the body and boosts energy levels.

Groundnut (peanut)- Sesame

This chutney may or may not be tempered with ghee, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Roasted Peanuts + Sesame + Garlic + Red Chilly + Salt

Peanut #chutney for instance helps increase 'good' cholestrol or LDL and decreases bad cholestrol in the blood. Garlic boosts immunity and is also an anti-carcinogen.

Tomato

There are two types of tomato chutneys. The one mentioned below is the fresh tomato chutney which can be eaten with onion fritters or paranthas. The other style is the Andhra-style tomato chutney that is made with cooked tomatoes, mustard seeds and tamarind and can be pickled and stored for several months.

Tomato + Coriander leaves + Green Chilly + Salt

Tomato chutney can be tempered with ghee, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Fresh tomato chutney helps prevent some cancers, known to prevent prostrate cancer. #foodmantra

There's a reason grandma gave us ginger, tamarind #chutney with kachoris, she knew we'd love it and we couldn't digest kachoris without it. We are taking Indian Cuisine across the world and yet the significance and importance of chutney in Indian Cuisine has not been recognised as it should be. Let’s bring this ‘star’ of the kitchen into the spotlight.