Cooking Oil - OLIVE OIL

          Olive oil, as defined by the International Olive Oil Council: “oil obtained solely from the fruit of olive trees”. Sporting a very high level of monounsaturated fat - 10g/tbsp. called Oleic acid - it is considered one of the best heart-healthy oils.  The best grades of olive oil start with:
          EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - EVOO is the highest quality olive oil, with the least acidity - 0.8%. It is extracted from the first cold pressing of olives that is unheated, unprocessed, unrefined, 100% olive oil, with a darker color and stronger, yet delicate flavor. Its rich supply of polyphenols is known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoagulant actions. To be classified as EVOO, the oil has to apparently pass a chemical test, measuring less than 1% in acidity and be free of any chemicals, additives or defects.

          VIRGIN OLIVE OIL is slightly less perfect than EVOO. Although very similar in the chemical composition, it’s a little more acidic - 2%.
           A few other grades of olive oil including - LIGHT, 100% PURE, BLENDED, etc., are refined or a mix of refined and virgin oils. Refining involves use of chemicals and heat to extract the oil and remove impurities, thereby altering the chemical composition of the oil and reducing the flavor and aroma, but the good part is refining increases the smoke point, making it the perfect oil for deep frying. It is still good cooking oil, but with much less polyphenols and vitamin components.

          COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL
         
          Traditionally EVOO is used as is, on salads or as a dipping sauce to reap the full nutritive potential of this delicate oil. Heating the oil, any oil for that matter, past its smoke point (when you start seeing smoke) incurs chemical changes that results not only in reduced flavor and nutritional value but also generates harmful cancer causing compounds. EVOO (and any other unrefined oil) has the lowest smoke point of all oils – 220°F, in comparison to the 400-450°F for any refined oil. Indian cooking generally starts with heating the oil for tempering!!  Mustard seeds never splatter until the oil is smoking hot. A few adaptations to our traditional cooking methods can still render all the goodness of EVOO. The one basic step to keep in mind is DON’T LET THE OIL GET HOT, at any point in the process of cooking. It can withstand medium temperatures for a reasonable time, say 10-15 min. EVOO is an expensive fare, but the benefits definitely outweigh the cost - as long as we reap the full potential of it. There is no point in letting all that expensive goodness evaporate in the heat of cooking‼

          DO’S:  

1. Start with a dry pan and dry roast the tempering ingredients on a low-medium setting. Takes a longer time, but it gets the job done. Don’t get the pan very hot (especially non-stick).
2. If it is just tempering, then turn the flame off and then add the oil, and transfer the tempered oil to the rasam or chutney immediately.
3.  Add a very small amount of oil just to coat the initial ingredients. Add oil in steps to reduce the length of time the oil sits in the cooking food.
4. Add as many layers as possible before adding more oil. This way there is less chance for the oil to touch the hot base of the pan. Dry roasting onions and sweating it a little bit before adding oil, gives a great flavor.
5. Traditionally Nallenai is added at the end of cooking in a lot of Puli kulambu varieties. Can do the same with EVOO – add most of the oil after turning off the stove. I usually do this with kormas or gravies which typically take longer to cook or reduce.  The aroma (it takes time to get used) of EVOO is usually suppressed by the greater aroma of spices.
6. Invest in a good Oil sprayer. Rotis can be sprayed with EVOO after transferring to a plate.
7. Using a combination of oils is another way to sensibly use EVOO.  Use refined olive or Canola oil for the hot part of cooking and finish it with EVOO. Refined oils have higher smoke points, up to 450°F, and can withstand a lot more heat than EVOO.

         DONT'S

1. NEVER deep fry using EVOO. Or any other unrefined oil. The smoke point of unrefined oils is very low, about 225°F. Average deep frying temp is 350-375°F. These delicate oils get unstable at higher temperatures and start generating cancer causing compounds.
2. Do not keep EVOO exposed to direct sunlight/heat source, or in an open container. Not beside the stove, above the fridge or closer to a vent. Oil starts deteriorating in quality. Pantry or cupboards work best.
3. Avoid storing in clear containers.Darker the containers, lesser the light exposure.
4. Don’t buy in larger containers, unless you consume opened cans quickly.
5. Avoid using it directly from the original can. Transfer it to a smaller container.

Did you know: Olive trees are evergreens and live for more than 600 years! The goodness starts from the tree I guess.

Brown Aval(poha) Upma

          Aval is the lightest of the Upma varieties. Try this Brown Aval, made out of red rice, for extra flavor.

          Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown aAval
• 1 small red onion
• 10 chopped walnuts or peanuts
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds & urad dhal for tempering
• 2 red chillies broken
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt, 1/4 cup of warm water
• curry leaves, chopped cilantro

          Mix 1/4 tsp salt to the warm water and sprinkle over the Aval. Gently mix, to wet evenly.

         

          In a wide pan, heat the oil and temper it with mustard, urad and curry leaves. Add the onions and sautee until the onions are translucent. Add the chillies and then the nuts and toast it lightly. Add a pinch of  salt, mix well. Reduce the flame and add the wet Aval, spoon over the lemon juice and toss gently so as not to mash the Aval. Garnish with chopped cilantro. It is ready to be served with a chutney of your choice. 

      

Spicy Roasted Salmon

          The biggest health buzz right now is Omega-3. A lot of food products are fortified with Omega-3 and is available in supplement form as well. Still the main source of omega-3s are fish. A 3oz serving of Salmon has anywhere from 1-1.5 gms of Omega-3 fats.
          Salmon Steaks are the best choice, as they hold the bone(calcium) & skin(fat). I prefer wild caught salmon steaks, fresh or frozen. Fillets with skin are a good choice as well. Not all fish mongers are friendly enough to thin slice fish steaks, but give it a try. Or just use a sharp serrated knife and saw through the center bone slowly, and you've got  a perfect thin steak.

           DO NOT defreeze frozen fish in the microwave. Salmon is very tender, and will get cooked. Leave it in the fridge overnight. Rinse the fish and dry it completely with a paper towel(s).

          Ingredients:

• 4 thin salmon steaks - about 1"
• 1tsp salt
• 2tsp red chilli powder
• 1tsp roasted powdered cumin
• 1/2tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• juice of 1/2 lemon

          Mix the dry spices together and sprinkle it evenly over the dry salmon. Pour the lemon juice and rub it in slightly. Let it marinate for a few hours. (the longer it marinates the better it will taste)

          Heat an iron skillet or griddle and spray a thin coat of oil on the griddle. Roast the marinated steaks 5-7 min. on each side, on a medium flame, flipping only once. If you use fillets, roast the skin side first. As the fish roasts, oil from the skin oozes out and helps cook the other side without extra oil. Transfer it to a plate immediately. Cooking longer dries up the fish and makes it hard.This quick roasting method gives a slighlty crispy outside and a very juicy inside.
          Enjoy the fish with more lemon juice or a slice of raw onion !!

Did you know: Ocean fish tend to accumulate mercury under their skin, so always discard the skin.

South Indian Filter coffee - Latte style

       Just recently, I have become a coffee addict; after one Latte !! I got so addicted, that I tried all kinds of coffee makers to get the perfect brew. (Except those fancy espresso makers - $$$$ !!!) Guess who the winner is - The good old south Indian stainless steel filter.

          The Automatic coffee maker doesn't get a strong brew, without wasting too much coffee powder.
          The French Press holds the brew for too long and makes it bitter.
          The Italian manual espresso maker was close enough in taste. But the problem is, seasoning and maintenence of the whole assembly. And can be used only with expresso grinds.

          Coffee Powder:   Most commercial brand Coffees are good. Mild to medium strength Arabica bean coffee works best. Columbian beans are good for mainly black coffee.
          Espresso style coffee powders are fine ground and uses less powder per cup of coffee, but takes longer to brew. (pack it in the filter as loose as possible) Choose regular to medium roast, rather than dark. Unlesss you really love dark roast, stay away from it.
          My personal favorite is Melitta,classic blend,(xtra fine grind). Gives an amazing kick. A regular coffee powder with all the goodness of expresso.
          Water:   The water temperature should be just before boiling. Don't let the kettel whistle. Boiling water gives a burnt smell in the coffee.

          Use 3.5 tablespoons (not coffee scoop) of powder per 8 oz cup of coffee. (3 tbsp, if fine ground) Pack the filter based on the grind.  Make sure to press the coarse grind and not pack or press the fine grind.  Because coarser grind lets the water pass through quickly leading to a lighter brew and vice versa for fine grind. The brew time does alter the taste a lot.

          Use 4 oz of hot water in 2 batches. Wait for the water to brew down completely before adding the second half.  In the meantime boil(over) 5 oz of milk. Add sugar to taste and aerate the milk by pouring it back & forth between 2 cups. Creates a good foam on top.
          Make sure the milk is hot enough to your liking, before you add the brew. Pour the brew into the milk, not the other way. Mix it lightly and enjoy.


Did you know :  Filter coffee has a nickname "METER COFFEE". To denote the distance between the pouring and receiving cups, when aerating the mix.


Update :  Actual Espresso coffee (like Illy & Lavazza) are much lighter in flavor and color and I personally woudn't recommend for a latte. They are good just as plain Espresso.

Potato Fry - Healthified

          King of Fries - Potato is yummy in any way, shape or form! It’s such a quick treat; you don’t need an actual recipe – just potatoes & oil in a hot pan, makes a fry. Not a big deal! Well, I wanted to come up with a HEALTHIFIED version, by minimizing the oil. And it did turn out Very Crispy!!! Try it out.

          Ingredients:

• 1 lb potatoes (I used yellow & purple fingerling potatoes)
• Salt, turmeric powder, Chilli powder – to taste
• 1-2 tsp of oil

          Pressure cook or microwave whole potatoes till just cooked.  Use less water when pressure cooking, to avoid soggy potatoes. Cool completely before peeling & cubing, to retain the shape, as hot potatoes break easily. 
          Toss in the remaining ingredients and let them sit for 1/2 hour.

          Set the oven to Broil-high. (about 500 degrees F). Spread the potatoes in a cookie sheet and place it in the second rack. (Avoid using aluminum foil or any kind of trays - they do not distribute heat evenly, so the potatoes don't get as crispy- flatter sheets give better crunch)

          Broil for 15 min, turning twice in between.

          Turn off the oven and let it sit in, until ready to serve, (upto 1/2 hour)  to keep the potatoes hot and crispy. 

Variations: Try adding 1/2 tsp of garlic powder for a slightly different taste. 

Tips: Storing in a covered dish immediately, makes them soft.        

Spice Mill

                     

          Coming from the WET GRINDER CITY myself, I am amazed at the possibilities of these little dry grinders.  Especially for those of us who did not have the foresight to bring the Indian Kitchen King - "Mixie".  Nothing beats the small, all-purpose jar of our Indian Mixie. The spice mill comes very close to fulfilling that void! 
          Available at most retailers, in different sizes, this is an inexpensive gadget.  Invest in a reasonable size. Smaller ones hold very little at a time and the bigger models takes longer to get the job done. 
            A few tips to successfully use this mini mill to our advantage-
1.    The spices need to be warm to hot.
2.    Do not fill to the top. Needs room to spin around.
3.    Give it a couple of shakes and few taps on the lid as it is ground. Gives an even grind.
4.    It can take very little moisture - like a few flakes of garlic, a couple of green chillies or a tsp. of coconut, but only with other dry spices. Add the moist item in the end and run it a few seconds.
5.   When grinding in bulk, give enough breathing time. These mills are not designed to run for longer periods.
          As with any appliance, follow the manufacturer's instruction.  Clean with a damp towel before storing away.