WHAT'S COOKING
SUNDAY
I came across this hint in one of the books, and I thought it rather strange, but I tried it, and it actually worked. Firstly, you must remember to keep a spoon (preferably stainless steel spoon) on your bedside table always. When you wake up at night with a terrible cramp on your legs, take the tea spoon, and keep rubbing the back of the spoon on the affected area, and the pain will disappear !
MONDAY
Why is salt added to cake recipes? It makes the gluten in the flour more elastic, and so helps the mixture to rise well.
TUESDAY
Why is lemon juice added to Puff Pastry? To strengthen the gluten content in the flour, making it more pliable, and better able to retain layers of fat during rolling.
WEDNESDAY
Pickled Stuffed Olives. You need mature olives (Veralu) for this. They should be about to ripen. Slit olives on one side. Drop them into boiling salted water. Boil for about 5 or 10 minutes. Olives will rise to the surface. Remove seeds while hot, pressing them with your fingers. Fill with a mixture of minced dates, boiled with salt, vinegar, and chilli powder. Place veralu in bowl. Pour hot mustard gravy over (ground mustard boiled with sugar, chilli powder, salt and vinegar.) Leave 24 hours. Bottle and refrigerate. (P.S.IT is rather time-consuming, so I would suggest you get a friend to help you).
THURSDAY
Worried because your custard or mayonnaise has curdled? Don't let it upset you.put it through the blender and it will miraculously become smooth again.
FRIDAY
A tip on gelatine. When a recipe calls for gelatine, always put in the water first into the pan, and then sprinkle the gelatine. Let it soak a couple of minutes before you dissolve it on the fire. (on a low flame).
SATURDAY
"The nicest place to be in is in someone's loving thoughts, the safest place to be in is in someone's prayers, and the best place to be in is in God's hands".
By the way, this is my 450th installment of "What's Cooking". I started this in October 2005. I take this opportunity to thank all you readers who ring me or write to me to say they have benefited by my articles.