Cinnamon in the Cupboard Real or Imposter

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I have a bone to pick about cinnamon. How many of you really know what spice you have in your cupboards. Are you sure it really is cinnamon.

We in the U.S. are having the wool pulled over our eyes about cinnamon. What we commonly know in the U.S. as cinnamon is actually Cassia (cinnamomum aromaticum). It is a relative of true cinnamon, but not the real thing. The rest of the world uses true cinnamon (cinnamomum verum), in their cooking or baking, yet here we are sold something completely different.

As background, I first found out how much difference there was between these two spices when I lived in Guatemala. The cinnamon there tasted very different from what I knew growing up in Ohio; making things like an apple pie or apple crisp just tasted different. They were very good, but didnt taste like what had known. I chalked it up to differences in quality of product, or maybe my baking skill was inadequate. Any typical Guatemalan foods I ate or made with cinnamon tasted just fine of course, with nothing to compare.

That was back in the 1970s, and it wasnt until much later, when once again living in the U.S., I tried making a Guatemalan dish, Platanos en Mole (Plantains in Mole Sauce), using the cassia available. The dish just tasted wrong. I couldnt understand it. I had made this dish many times in Guatemala. I had a lot more cooking and baking skill by this time. What was wrong? I started checking into spices in general, with an eye to those things I knew were different, and discovered that we in the U.S. are being marketed a completely different product.

Cassia cinnamon is a very good spice, of course. I do not for a second propose we do away with it! What would our apple pies taste like without it. It is a wonderful spice, worthy of the space in our cupboards. However, I propose that true cinnamon have an equal place.

Cinnamon of either kind is the bark of the tree. The bark is peeled off and dried, curling into what are known as quills or ground into powder. This is where the similarity ends. Cassia quills are very thick curls, strong and sometimes even hard to break. It has a stronger taste, warmer and more potent. There is some very good quality cassia to be found these days, such as Korintje AA. A lovely spice to perk up anything you commonly make with cinnamon here.

For my cooking classes I always take both types of cinnamon: a high quality cassia quill and ground Korintje AA cassia, alongside true cinnamon quills and ground cinnamon. True cinnamon quills are curled and layered together in a tight roll, are very thin and easily crushed. The flavor is lighter and more delicate, with a somewhat lemony quality. I set the quills side by side and demonstrate the differences, first breaking a cassia quill, with the ensuing loud snap when it breaks. Then I show the cinnamon quill, layered together, and how very easily it breaks and crumbles. With the ground version of each side by side, I ask the class members to smell the two; first the cassia that is the most familiar, and then the cinnamon. The startled reactions when they realize exactly how big a difference exists between these two spices, is quite rewarding.

I would liken this before the U.S woke up and smelled really good Arabica coffee. Once we found out about good coffee, the tide turned. I believe this country is in the process of bringing true cinnamon into the light. It is found in most any Mexican grocery section these days. Good quality spice shops carry excellent quality cinnamon and also excellent quality cassia. If you want to make any ethnic food from anywhere else in the world, or just become familiar with a new flavor go for true cinnamon. Its worth the effort.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. You will find many more recipes and helpful tips on my web site. I am on Facebook at A Harmony of Flavors and share a recipe or tip each day to the fans that have liked my site. I hope to see you there soon.

Foods Eaten in Nigeria and how to make fried rice.

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There are lots of foods eaten in Nigeria and I want to list the few popular ones and then a detailed guide on how to make fried rice – one of my favorites.

Are you married to a Nigerian man and finds yourself in a tight corner when it comes to making foods for him or worried about his appetite or yearning for home made foods, do you find it confusing that Nigerians in Diaspora often feel excited when they find Nigeria foods? The reason is simple; we used to say that – there is no place like home or home made food.

Most foods eaten in Nigerian are easy and often straight forward to make. The most popular food in Nigeria is Eba popularly called (garri). Eba goes with any of the many Nigerian soups and could be substituted with fufu, semo, amarla or wheat meal.

Eba and fufu are by-products of cassava, while fufu is made by fermenting cassava for 3 to 4 day and sieving out the chaff, eba is often simpler in making. Eba which is also called (garri) is made by peeling off the back of cassava, then grounding and frying on a dry hot pot.

There are lots of soups eaten in Nigerian that can go with eba, fufu, or semo. The most popular Nigerian soup is the egusi soup (melon) it is often very easy to prepare or at least very easy for me to prepare. Egusi soup can also be eaten with white rice.

That’s just about few of the Nigerian popular foods I just want to focus specifically on how to cook fried rice – The most popular Nigerian recipe. Fried rice takes about one to two hour to prepare and the real work is the preparation of things used in making fried rice instead of the actual cooking.

Ingredients include:

3 cups of rice
1 to 2 table spoon-full of curry powder
2 ball of onions
Medium sized cabbage
2 to 3 medium sized carrot
11/2 cups of chopped green beans
About 1/5 kg of liver
Meat of choice (beef, turkey, chicken) most people prefer chicken in Nigeria
2 to 3 cubes of maggi
green peas (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste.

The preparation:
Parboil the meat with meat ingredients (curry/thyme powder, 1 maggi cube, 1 ball of onions and salt) for about 10 to 15 minutes. It is often necessary to parboil this meat with these ingredients just to end up with a tasteful meat.

Add more water to the meat and cook until it is soft for consumption. then pick out from the water and deep-fry in groundnut/vegetable oil (leaving out the meat water on the pot)

Chop the carrot, cabbage, green beans, green pepper, and liver then set aside on different bowls.

Then parboil the 3 cups of rice and cook white till it is about 75% done.

How To Make Fried Rice:

Like I stated initially that the cooking of fried rice in Nigeria is quite simple, the most tedious aspect is the preparation of things used in cooking it.

Set your cooking pot on fire, allow drying before adding groundnut/vegetable oil (the one used in frying the meat would do) use about 15 to 20 cl of oil, allow to heat then add the chopped carrot and green beans.

Fry for two to three minutes and add the peas (optional), add the curry powder to get a very yellowish mixture. (the curry powder actually give Nigerian fried rice its yellowish color.

Add the chopped cabbage, stir and add the liver and green pepper. Pour in the left over water from the parboiled meat, add maggi/salt and pepper to taste, make them a bit in excess because the rice will absorb most of the ingredients.

At this point you are almost done. Add the white rice, stir/turn very well, cover your pot and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with the fried meat and soft drink of choice.
This is how to make Nigerian fried rice; I told you it is easy.

How to to Cook Biskuti Ya Nazi Recipe

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Those who love dessert recipes will agree with me that Biskuti ya Nazi is one the best dessert recipes in Kenya. I have tasted and enjoyed it and I wish to teach you how to make it.

Some of our African recipes are less known by the outside word and for that matter we see it as our responsibility to show the world how to make these Africa recipes.

In a place like Mombasa and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania Biskuti ya nazi is highy regarded as the best food to serve your guest and on this page we will give you the engredients and methods to make it.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE BISKUTI YA NAZI

Three egg whites

One cup granulated sugar

Two and a half cups desiccated coconut

One cup macadamia nuts or cashew nuts, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE BISKUTI YA NAZI

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

3. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat egg whites into soft peaks.

4. Gradually add the Sugar, beating after each addition until peaks are glossy.

5. Fold in the coconut and nuts.

6. With wet hands, roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into rounds and set on baking sheets.

7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden.

8. Cool on racks and store in an airtight container.

Though it may sound strange to you if you are not from East Africa, Biskuti ya Nazi recipe is one of the food recipes you should learn to make for your family.

Who said that you dont how to cook? Having been born from a family of many girls, I was not supposed to cook when all my sisters are present but when I joined work and start to live on my own, thats when cooking lessons became a reality.

Of course not every person like cooking but for those who enjoy to explore new foods and have the taste for delicious yummy yummy, this recipe in a must not miss.

Cooking for Coeliacs Ten Top Tips

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Cooking for someone with Coeliac Disease, which means they are intolerant to both wheat and gluten, can be a daunting task. As you will find from reading this article, if you are well prepared then cooking them need not be scary, nor should it compromise your ability to cook a great tasting and healthy meal.

1.Probably the most important thing to remember is to always check the labels of any food that you are using, to make sure that the food does not contain any hidden gluten. It is vital to remember that hidden sources of gluten include preservatives, additives and stabilizers found in processed food. A great way to combat this problem is to cook only with basic ingredients that you are sure do not contain gluten, omitting products such as pre-made sauces and dressings.

2.As mentioned before, using good, fresh foods is one of the best ways to ensure that whatever meal you are cooking will be suitable for Coeliacs. So look for dishes that include fresh meat, fresh fruit & vegetables, fresh herbs, egg and dairy products and pure oils and vinegars. Knowing this gives you a large scope to be able to cook a variety of delicious dishes, without having to worry about using any ingredients that are not safe.

3.If you have your heart set on using ingredients, such as flour, that are not suitable for Coeliacs, there are a large range of alternatives that are gluten free. Instead of using ordinary flour you could instead use any of the following rice flour, potato flour, corn flour, cornmeal, soya flower and buckwheat flour. With these substitutes you can cook many dishes that would not normally be suitable.

4.Whilst it is gluten that gives things like bread their elasticity and cakes their spring, this does not exclude you from baking either of these items when cooking for a Coeliac. Gluten-free cakes actually work very well. You can use flour alternatives such as ground cornmeal or a mixture of rice flour and ground almonds to create light and delicious gluten-free cakes. A great tip when doing so is to use a mixture of flours along with ground almonds so the cake remains moist when baked.

5.When purchasing the ingredients for your meal, do not forget to check out the specialist sections in health stores and most big supermarkets. These sections will include a plethora of wheat and gluten free products that you can use in your meal, safe in the knowledge that they have been properly tested and are safe to be eaten by Coeliacs.

6.Remember that for some people even the tiniest trace of gluten or wheat in their food could lead them to become very ill. With this in mind make sure that your food preparation areas, including any chopping boards and knives used, have been thoroughly cleaned before use. Do this to ensure that no traces of wheat or gluten from previous meals remain on the utensils and are transferred into your otherwise safe dish.

7.If you are unsure about any products or ingredients that you plan to use in your meal, there are many great online resources for finding out if they are safe. Simply Google Coeliac food directory for more information.