Sunday, December 14, 2008

Instant Oats Idli



I tried Usha's Instant Oats idli and it was a success. I will definitely make it again and again. Check out her recipe here.

Makes 12 idlis

This is what I used:
Instant oats-2 cups
Semolina(sooji/rava)-1 cup
Salt
Hing-a pinch
Coriander leaves-chopped 1 tsp
Yogurt-3 cups
Baking soda-1/2 tsp
Some water(if necessary)
Oil to grease the idli plates

Method:
Dry roast oats for a minute and set aside.
Dry roast semolina for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
Grind the oats to a fine powder.
Mix oats powder with rest of the ingredients and make a batter.
Add some water if necessary. The batter should be very thick. Not like idli batter. It should be somewhat like cookie batter.
Grease the idli plates with little oil.
Pour the batter on idli plates with a laddle.
Steam for 10 minutes.
Cool for a couple of minutes.
Check if the idlis are cooked. If not, steam for 1 or 2 minutes.
Serve hot with sambar or chutney.

Usha says, once the oats powder and rava are mixed with yogurt, the batter should be used immediately for best results.

I did not season the batter as I wanted the idlis to taste like regular ones.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Creamy Braided Bread

These are the super soft yet tasty bread as it's produced by the cream, milk and butter. I know it's a bit unhealthy as its contain lots of fat in there. Well, I've promised to myself will not make this so often. I've given away a loaf for my friend and left one for our breakfast.
This was my first attempt on making a braided bread, it looks very ugly. Unlike the one I read from the recipe book of 孟老师的100道面包. But, I'll try to make better next time if I found a chance to give away a loaf again :P
Other than the appearance, it taste really good with the soft texture and buttery flavour.
Recipe:
(A) 200g bread flour / 30g sugar / 1/4 tsp salt / 18g egg yolks / 3g yeast / 100g cream / 40g milk / 20g butter
(B) For the crumble toppings: 30g sugar powder / 50g plain flour / 5g milk powder / 40g cold butter
How I made it:
  1. Mix ingredients (A) except butter at low speed using a dough hook mixer, then turn to medium speed until it become a smooth dough.
  2. Add in the butter and knead with low speed until the butter combine with the dough. Turn to medium speed continue the kneading process until it become a smooth and elastic dough.
  3. Place the dough into a lightly grease bowl and cover with cling wrap to proof for 80 minutes.
  4. While waiting for the dough, mix the ingredients (B) with finger tips until it become crumbly texture. Set aside and ready to use.
  5. Divide the dough into 6 portions and round them into small balls. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
  6. Roll each dough into longish shape about 28cm and form a braiding. Tighten up both side of the dough and proof for 30 minutes.
  7. Egg wash the doughs and sprinkle over some crumble on the doughs. Bake at 180'C preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

BuildingGreen's Top-10 Products for 2008

Building Green points consumers and pros to a double fistful of great products to green your home.

There are several of interest to anyone contemplating a kitchen remodel:


FSC-certified Plyboo Pure bamboo flooring from Smith & Fong
This is the very best in bamboo flooring and as green as it gets for an imported product.

Natura Paint from Benjamin Moore
Who wouldn't want to use great paint without smelly after-odor? Natura uses Benjamin Moore’s own Gennex zero-VOC colorants. This great green paint is available as a primer as well as in flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss.

PolyWhey Floor Finish from Vermont Natural Coatings
PolyWhey is a water-based wood finish that uses recycled whey protein, a by-product of the dairy industry, as a binder. These LEED-qualifying, low-odor coatings contain no toxic heavy metals. They provide a clear coating with water, chemical, and scratch-resistance and with twice the durability of other waterborne finishes, according to the company, making them suitable for high-traffic residential and commercial areas. PolyWhey finishes dry to the touch in under two hours and fully cure in under a week. Available in gloss, semi-gloss, or satin finish.

Take a look at all ten products (I am really excited about the Matrix furnace for our home) and see what you can do to make your home more energy efficient and safely less toxic.