Chinese New Year is the biggest event in China and some Asian countries. This year it will fall on 1st February and usually it ends on the Lantern Festival, two weeks after CNY. This year the calendar aligns with the tiger zodiac of the water element which signifies strength. Like any holiday, Chinese New Year has many traditions such as dragon dances and fireworks displays as well as the food. Here are the 5 foods that are associated with Chinese New Year and its meaning. If you were curious about our selections of numbers. That is because in Chinese culture, the number 5 is closely related to Wu Xing. Wu Xing is a five element natural phenomenon; metal, wood, water,...
Kunyit or Turmeric is a flowering plant of the ginger family, Curcuma longa which is a plant native to India and Southeast Asia that perfectly grows in tropical climate. Curry and Jamu are identical with kunyit as their based flavouring and colouring spice due to its bright- deep yellow colour, this is why it is called The Golden Spice. Do you know which part of turmeric that we see on shelves and in spice cabinets is made of? Yup, it is from the ground roots of the plant. It has a warm, bitter taste which is frequently used in curry powders, mustards, butters, and cheeses. Turmeric owns the bright yellow colour thanks to its active ingredient, curcumin which is a powerful...
Have you ever wondered about all the hype over sea salt? How does it differ from table salt? The key differences are in the tastes, texture and process. Table salt is a refined salt that comes from salt mines that have gone through processes which usually contain iodine -an additive to prevent clumping. Meanwhile, sea salt comes from evaporated sea water and has limited processes without adding any anti-caking. Since it’s minimally processed, the minerals in it such as potassium and magnesium are still retained. This is one reason why it’s often considered more nutritional than table salt. Because getting enough sodium is important for fluid balance, hydration, and digestion. Sea salt is suitable to enhance both savory and...
Who doesn’t love desserts? Most of us love having it even after we are full. As one says “there’s always room for dessert”. Then, what’s your favourite dessert? Mine and most of humanity is chocolate, we love it to death. The age range doesn’t matter, it is loved by toddlers to elders. We swear on the smell and it's a sweet-bitter rich flavour of chocolate. But did you know your favourite chocolate devour mostly contains salt? Again, "a pinch of salt" is always added in dessert recipes, including chocolate. Even chocolate makers and chocolatiers are still adding salt to the chocolate as you will always find a Sea Salt bar in their assortments. It must be because salt pairs wonderfully...
Black garlic is a product of ageing regular garlic bulbs over the course of weeks or months, which requires strictly regulated temperature and humidity to achieve the perfect consistency and colour. The change in color is caused by the Maillard reaction. In short, it is a process of a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavour. Such as, the browning of various meats when seared or grilled, coffee roasting and the browning and umami taste in fried onions. Most people would assume it’s a caramelization process but it is not, even though the results can be similar to the naked eyes. In this particular Maillard process, it’s a fresh raw garlic that...
