HOMEMADE SODA BREAD

HI....TODAY I AM POSTING A RECIPE OF A VERY QUICK AND EASY BREAD..THIS IS A HOMEMADE SODA BREAD.TRADITIONALLY ALSO KNOWN AS IRISH SODA BREAD.THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS BREAD IS THAT YOU CAN WHIP IT UP IN A JIFFY.THERE IS NO TIME TO BE SPENT IN WAITING FOR IT TO RISE BEFORE BAKING. THIS BREAD USUALLY HAS A HARD OUTER CRUST BUT IS NICE AND SOFT INSIDE. I RECOMMEND BUYING A BREAD KNIFE TO SLICE IT. ONCE YOU MANAGE TO MAKE YOUR FIRST LOAF OF BREAD,BE IT WHITE ,WHOLEWHEAT OR SODA BREAD, YOU HAVE ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIMENT AND CREATE...BY ALL MEANS ADD FRESH ROSEMARY,SUNFLOWER SEEDS,SUN DRIED TOMATOES GRATED CHEESE ETC ETC ETC TO ALL FUTURE LOAVES.......I HAVE TO SAY,NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN HOMEMADE BREAD BAKING AWAY AND INFUSING YOUR HOME WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF SMELLS.......SO START BAKING AWAY AND EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC THAT I DID...............HERE GOES THE RECIPE..

HOMEMADE SODA BREAD

INGREDIENTS(DRY)

1)400 GRAM WHOLEWHEAT FLOUR/ATTA

2)75 GRAM PLAIN FLOUR/MAIDA

3)75 GRAM OATMEAL

4)1 TSP SALT

5)3/4 TSP BICARBONATE OF SODA

(WET INGREDIENTS)

6)1 EGG

7)1 TABLESPOON SUNFLOWER OIL

8)2 TEASPOON HONEY/SOFT BROWN SUGAR

9)425 ML/3/4 PINT BUTTERMILK OR ADD 2 TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE TO 600 ML MILK(1 PINT)

SMALL AMOUNT OF OATBRAN FOR GARNISH

EQUIPMENT

1 LB LOAF TIN WELL BUTTERED

METHOD

1)GREASE A LOAF TIN WITH BUTTER/OIL .PREHEAT OVEN TO 200 DEGREE CENTIGRADE.

2)PUT THE FLOURS ,OATMEAL,SALT AND BICARBIONATE OF SODA INTO A BOWL AND MIX WELL.MAKE A WELL IN THE CENTRE TO BE READY FOR THE THE WET INGREDIENTS.MIX WELL

3)WHISK THE EGG AND ADD IT TO THE OIL,HONEY AND THE BUTTERMILK.POUR THE WET INGS INTO THE DRY INGS AND USING YOUR CLEAN HANDS,MIX WELL.THE DOUGH WILL BE VERY STICKY.

4) GREASE TIN WITH BUTTER AND SPRINKLE FLOUR LIGHTLY OVER THE BASE AND SIDES AND THEN SPRINKLE SOME OATBRAN FLAKES ON THE BOTTOM.

5)POUR INTO LOAF TIN,FLATTEN DOWN WITH A SPOON THE SHAPE AND CLEAN LOOK YOU CREATE NOW IS WHAT WILL COME OUT.

6) NOW COVER TIN LOOSLY WITH FOIL

7)BAKE FOR 20 MINS IN THE BOTTOM RACK.

8)NOW TAKE OUT FOIL AND BAKE FOR ANOTHER 15 MINS.

9)TO TEST,TAKE IT OUT OF ITS TIN AND TAP THE BOTTOM.IF ITS COOKED,IT WILL SOUND HOLLOW.ALLOW TO COOL ON WIRE RACK BEFORE EATING.....

CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE

CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE RECIPE(GREAT ON PASTA OR AS A CHICKEN BAKE OR WITH POTATOES IN THE OVEN)

INGREDIENTS

2 CUPS CREAM(HEAVY)

1/4 CUP COLD BUTTER

1/4 CUP PARMESAN CHEESE GRATED

SALT AND PEPPER

PASA(PENNE,FETTUCINI TORTELLINI ETC)

FRESH PARSLEY,CHOPPED

EXTRA PARMESAN

METHOD

1)HEAT A LARGE SAUCEPAN OVER HIGH HEAT UNTIL VERY HOT.NOW ADD JUST ENOUGH COLD WATER TO COVER THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.IT WILL DO THIS QUICKLY BIUT MAKE SURE THERE ARE A FEW DROPS IN THE PAN.THIS WILL KEEP THE CREAM FROM SCORCHING AND BURNING.REMOVE PAN FROM HEAT.

2)ADD CREAM TO PAN AND RETURN TO HEAT.WHEN THE CREAM COMES TO A BOIL,REDUCE HEAT TO MED AND BOIL TILL IT IS REDUCED BY HALF.

3)IN THE MEANTIME BOIL PASTA TILL AL DENTE.DRAIN

4)WHEN THE CREAM HAS REDUCED,REMPOVE FROM HEAT AND ADD BUTTER 1 TABLESPOON AT A TIME AND WHISK IT IN

.THE CREAM SHOUL BECOME THICK AND GLOSSY.ADD THE CHEESE.ADD THIS TIME YOU CAN TOSS THE PASTA AND SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER.GARNISH WITH PARSLEY.SERVE AT ONCE WITH SOME EXTRA PARMESAN CHEESE ON THE SIDE.

SUSHI RICE AND CALIFORNIA ROLL

                                              


HI GUYS.....I AM EXPERIENCING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WEATHER.BLUE SKIES,NIPPY TEMP AND A FURTHER DESIRE TO LEARN.YESTERDAY I MET CHEF NARIMAHATO.HE IS HEAD CHEF OF A TOP JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND I HAD THE LUCK OF HIM PERSONALLY TEACHING ME HOW TO MAKE SUSHI RICE AS WELL AS THE ALL FAMOUS CALIFORNIA ROLL. I ALSO LEARNT NIGIRI WHICH IS BASICALLY A BALL OF SUSHI RICE SHAPED INTO AN OVAL SHAPE WITH AIR POCKETS CREATED IN THE RICE AND TOPPED WITH A SLICE OF SALMON WHICH HAS BEEN PAINTED WITH A THIN LAYER OF WASABI AT THE BOTTOM.ILL BE PUTTING DOWN BOTH RECIPES WITH A STEP BY STEP LINK TO THE CALIFORNIA ROLL. PLEASE DO GET YOURSELF A SUSHI MAT IF POSSIBLE AS IT IS IMPERATIVE TO THE ART OF ROLLING SUSHI.YOU MAY NOT GET THE PERFECT ROLL AT FIRST TRY BUT IF YOU ARE STUBBORN AND KEEP TRYING,IM SURE IT WILL FINALLY TURN OUT AMAZING.SO HERE GOES THE RECIPES TO THE MOST ROCKING AND ROLLING SUSHI EVER...THE ALL TIME FAVORITE:CALIFORNIA ROLL.......

SUSHI RICE

INGREDIENTS

1) 180 ML OF SUSHI RICE
2)2 TSP CASTOR SUGAR
3)HALF TEASPOON SALT
4)45 ML VINEGAR
METHOD
1)WASH 180 ML OF RICE AT LEAST 10 TIMES TO GET THE WATER TO BE CLEAR. NOW LEAVE IN POT OF 20 MINS.THE RICE WILL FLUFF UP A BIT.
2)PUT THE RICE ALONG WITH EQUAL AMOUNT OF WATER EG 1 CUP RICE AND 1 CUP WATER (COLD) IN A DEEP POT WITH A TRANSPARENT COVER IF POSSIBLE.TURN ON FULL HEAT.PUT THE LID ON THE POT AND LEAVE UNTIL THE RICE STARTS TO BOIL.
2)WHEN IT STARTS BOILING,TURN DOWN THE HEAT AND SIMMER UNTIL WATER HAS BOILED AWAY.
3)NOW TURN OF THE HEAT AND LET THE RICE STEAM FOR 15 TO 20 MINS.
4)PUT THE RICE IN A DEEP BOWL AND MIX WITH SALT SUGAR AND VINEGAR.MIX WITH A WOODEN SOPATULA AS IF YOU ARE SLICING THE RICE RATHER THAN MIXING IT IN A CIRCULAR MOTION.KEEP FANNING THE RICE IF POSSIBLE TILL COOL.

CALIFORNIA ROLL RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1) 1 SHEET OF NORI(SEAWEED) CUT INTO HALF
2)11O GRAM COOKED SUSHI RICE
3)2 SLICES AVOCADO
4)15 GRAM FRESH CRAB MEAT OR CRAB STICK GRATED
5)TOBIKO(JAPANESE CAVIAR) IF YOU CAN GET OTHERWISE YOU CAN USE BLACK JAPANESE SESAME SEEDS

YOU WILL ALSO NEED
1)A SUSHI ROLLING MAT
2)A DAMP COTTON NAPKIN
3)A SHARP KNIFE

METHOD
1)PREPARE THE DAMP NAPKIN AS IN PICTURE

2)PLACE 1/2 SHEET OF NORI(THE PIC ONLY HAS A QUARTER

AS I MADE A SMALLER AMOUNT.PLEASE CUT HALF)SHINY 
SIDE DOWN ON THE CENTRE OF THE DAMP NAPKIN(HORIZONTAL LINES ON THE SHEET SHOULD FACE YOU.
3)NOW SPREAD THE SUSHI RICE ON THE SHEET WITH DAMP FINGERS EVENLY.
)SPREAD THE TOBIKO OVER THE RICE ANDFLIP THE SHEET SO RICE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE AND THE SHEET IS FACING YOU WITH ITS HORIZIONTAL LINES.

PLACE AVOCADO IN CENTRE AND LINE WITH CRAB MEAT 
4)TAKE THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE SHEET WITH BOTH FINGERS ON EACH SIDE AND ROLL OVER THE TOP OF CRAB AND AVOCADO LEAVING ABOUT 1 CM OF NORI PROTRUDING OUT.ROLL AGAIN SO THE JOINT IS NOW AT THE BOTTOM.

PLACE THE ENTIRE ROLL BACK ON THE CENTRE OF THE NAPKIN AND ROLL THE NAPKIN FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE OVER THE ROLL..

PLACE THE TOP HALF OF ROLLING MAT OVER THE NAPKIN AND ROLL.
5)USING THE THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER,PINCH SIDES OF ROLL WHILE APPLYING EVEN PRESSURE OVER THE TOP OF THE ROLL WITH THE INDEX FINGERS.
6)WHILE LIFTING BOTH THE MAT AND NAPKIN UP BY THE CORNER,GENTLY ROLL THE ROLL THROUGH A 1/4 TURN SO IT IS LYING ON ITS NEXT SIDE,REPLACE NAPKIN AND MAT AND REPEAT THE PINCHING PROCESS AS DESCRIBED EARLIER.





















7)REMOVE MAT AND UNFOLD NAPKIN AND REPLACE ROLL IN CENTRE AGAIN.
8)CUT ROLL IN HALF WITH A SLIGHTLY DAMP SHARP KNIFE WITH A SAWING ACTION.LINE UP TWO HALVES AND CUT AGAIN INTO THREE PIECES OF EQUAL SIZE,LEAVING YOU WITH SIX EQUAL SIZE PORTIONS.SERVE THE CALIFORNIA ROLL WITH WASABI,SOYA AND GINGER. ENJOY




TIPS:1) NEVER PUT THE SUSHI RICE IN THE FRIDGE.YOU WILL RUIN THE CONSISTENCY
2)ALWAYS TRY CONSUMING SUSHI ON THE SAME DAY
3)ALWAYS WET YOU HANDS SLIGHTLY WHILE HANDLING SUSHI RICE OR IT WILL STICK TO YOUR HAND
4)AS YOU GET BETTER,EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR OWN CHOICE OF INTERESTING FILLINGS
5)THIS SUSHI TASTES GREAT IF TOPPED WITH A SMALL DOLLOP OF CHILLI MAYO(1 TABLESPOON MAYO MIXED WITH 1.4 TSP OF CHILLI GARLIC SAUCE)

SUSHI RICE AND CALIFORNIA ROLL(STEP BY STEP PICTURES)