Tag: ingredients
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Dragon Fruit
Commonly know as Dragon fruit, the Pitaya is a relative of the cactus and native to the Americas. They are now grown further afield and are relatively expensive. Their common name comes from the external scaly look of the fruit. Cut open they have a firm, slightly sweet white or pink flesh dotted with tiny…
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How Do I Use Cloves
Cloves are a must-have in your spice collection. They are the dried buds of a tree that originally only grew on a few islands in eastern Indonesia. Cloves are very aromatic and impart a slightly sweet but tangy earthy flavour. Note though that a few go a long way. Cloves have been traded up to…
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Baking Powder Vs Baking Soda
Baking powder and bi-carb soda (also called baking soda) are frequently used in cooking and baking. Although they look similar you don’t want to use them interchangeably! Baking Soda Baking Soda is a salt called sodium-bicarbonate. It is used in baking for its leavening (rising) effects as it makes carbon dioxide bubbles when combined with…
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices. It is the dried bark of the cinnamon tree and is amazingly aromatic and imparts a warm, spicy and earthy flavour. Long strips of the tree’s bark are sliced off and allowed to dry. These cinnamon ‘quills’ or sticks are then cut to size and sold as is…
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Chili Pepper: Black Pearl
This has to be the most attractive chili plant I have in my collection. Despite the fruit’s small size they pack a real punch and the plant is a heavy producer. The fruit starts off as deep oxblood colour that ripens to a rich red. So if you’re into landscaping with beautiful, unique plants, or…
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Paprika Chilli Powder
Ground paprika is made from several types of mild, sweet chilli peppers. It is a very versatile ingredient that adds an earthy flavour and a deep red colouring to any dish. Different chilli cultivars make for sweeter or spicier paprika blends, You can also buy blends with a smokey flavour. I use paprika in everything…
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Kashmiri Chilli Powder
Kashmiri Chillies add a warm, earthy flavour and a deep red colouring to any dish. Known for their mild spiceyness they are a versatile ingredient like their cousin paprika. Enjoy, PK Check out some of the dishes I use them in and some more herbs and spices:
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Cheese: Italian Piave
The most famous of all Italian cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano, has a little brother called Piave. Named naturally enough after the river and region of northern Italy where it is made. It is every bit as versatile and tasty but because it is aged for less time the flavours are milder and easier on the bank account. Milk…
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Cheese: Sottocenere al Tartufo (truffle)
Sottocenere al Tartufo is a semi-firm, smooth vaccino (cow milk cheese) that hails from northern Italy. As you can see it is studded with black truffle shavings and is coated in an inedible ash rind infused with herbs so as to flavour the cheese pate. This cheese is full of flavour with a creamy umami…
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Cheese: Grana Padano
Grana Padano is a hard cow milk cheese that hails from northeastern Italy. Like Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano is aged and is similarly grainy in texture and flaky. Indeed, grana in Italian means grain. It is full of flavour with a distinct but pleasant bight. As such it is the perfect table cheese and can also…
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