Foods prepared in an industrial kitchen to ease consumption need no further preparation. These are ready to eat can be termed as processed or convenience foods.
One of the age old industrial processing method has been meat pickling, processing of cheese and bread preparation.
In 19 th century during the world war I we saw the development of canned foods primarily for use in military but soon gained popularity to be used in common house hold kitchens.
Canning in the beginning required the skills of industrial tin smith and was a time consuming and expensive and low production process. With the advent of canning machines unskilled labour could produce significantly more cans with ease each day at a lower cost hence gained popularity and usage in house hold kitchens.
The advent of refrigeration resulted in development of frozen foods during the World War II.
The modern day convenience foods were primarily developed for military with an aim to increase the store longevity and ease of preparation in the battle field.
The traditional methods of food processing like heat treatment, fermentation, pickling, smoking or drying or modern day methods like Pasteurisation, ultra-heat, uv treatment , high pressure processing or modified atmospheric packing all can be considered as methods of food processing and have become an integral part of daily lives and it will be difficult to do away without these processed foods. These methods of food processing make food edible, remove microorganisms and increase shelf life. The fortification with additional vitamins and nutrients improves the nutritional balance and helps in addressing the issue of vast nutritional deficiencies like fighting of iodine deficiency and goitre by iodised salt.
Food processing can also bring down the cost of ingredients, reduce the cost of transportation and thereby lowering the overall cost. Most foods need some degree of processing before they can be consumed and all the processed foods are not bad for our body and health. It is when the foods are chemically processed and go beyond the incorporation of slat or sugar and fats and include chemical and artificial colours, flavours and preservatives that promote shelf stability, preserve texture and increase palpability. For example addition of antioxidants to prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid. Chemical emulsifiers are used for instance in improving the texture of mayonnaise sauce and other salad dressings from separating out.
It is these ultra micro processed foods loaded with additional sugars , refined carbohydrates low in fibre, high in trans fats high in chemicals and without any nutritional balance what harm our body most and result in serious health issue.
Like all other things packaged food also has its positives and negative characteristics and it is up to us to decide how we indulge in these foods. While choosing a ready to cook or processed food it becomes very import to check the label of these processed foods before we decide to consume them. The longer the list of ingredients with dense calories with ingredients hard to pronounce and understand with added artificial and synthetic flavours and colours is more likely to harm your body, opt for foods with minimal list of ingredients and simple packaging methods like pasteurisation etc. is more likely safe to be consume.
However there is no substitute for a home cooked meal in terms of its taste , nutritional value and should be most preferred and first choice for our consumption.
So this week, I bring you two recipes - simple - which should take you lesser time than picking up the processed version of both of these.
Mayonnaise.
Ingredients :
Egg Less Mayonnaise - Milk ½ cup, Full cream, Salt 1/2tsp ( to taste), Vinegar 1.5 tbsp, Mustard Powder 1/2tsp, White Pepper Powder 1/4tsp, Sugar 1/2tsp, Oil 1.5 cups, Mayonnaise with Eggs - Yolk of eggs 3nos, Salt 1/2tsp, Vinegar 1tbsp, Mustard Powder 3/4tsp, White peeper powder 1/2tsp, Sugar 1/2tsp, Oil 2.5cups(1/2litre).
Egg Less Mayonnaise
Take milk at room temperature in a deep bowl.
Add salt, vinegar, mustard powder, pepper powder and sugar and mix well.
Add whisk oil little at a time and whisk with a whisk but for the best results use a hand held blender.
Keep adding oil till all the all is incorporated and you have got a thick and creamy mayonnaise.
Store in a glass bottle or jar in the refrigerator and you can keep it for a week.
Alternately
Put all the ingredients in a jar of an electrical mixer. Mix well on low speed till a creamy mayonnaise is formed but we recommend using a hand held blender for a thick and creamy mayonnaise
Mayonnaise with Eggs
In a deep bowl take yolk of three eggs.
Add salt, pepper, mustard, sugar and vinegar,
Mix well.
Now whisk in oil little at a time and keep whisking with a whisk or a hand held blender.
Keep on blending with the hand blender till all the oil is incorporated and a thick creamy mayonnaise is formed.
Store in a glass jar or a bottle in the refrigerator and you can store for a week.
Natural Mango Ice-cream.
Ingredients :
With non dairy whipping cream - Mango Diced 2 cups, Whipping Cream Non Dairy 1 cup, Condensed Milk 1/2cup, Mango cut into cubes ½ cup.
With Dairy Cream - Mango Diced 2 cups, Whipping Dairy Cream 1 cup, Condensed Milk 1 cup, Mango Diced ½ cup.
With non dairy whipping cream
Freeze 2 cups mango cubes for 6 hours in the freezer in a flat dish so that they for a thin layer and not a lump.
Whip the non-dairy cream with a whisk or hand held blender(do not churn it in the mixi) till the cream is thick and fluffy and does not drop if the bowl is even inverted.
Add condensed milk into the whipped cream.
Now take out the frozen mango cubes and blend them in the mixer on low speed till you get a thick mango pulp .
Mix the thick mango pulp into the beaten cream and condensed milk mixture.
Mix well add remaining diced mango.
Freeze the prepared mango ice cream mixture overnight and enjoy the fresh homemade ice cream next day.
With Dairy Cream
Freeze the 2 cups of diced mango for 6 hours in a flat dish so that they form a thin layer and not a lump.
Beat the cream till thick and does not drop of. Like the cream used for decorating a cake.
Add condensed milk and mix well
Now take out the frozen mango cubes and blend them in the mixer on low speed till you get a thick mango pulp .
Mix the thick mango pulp into the beaten cream and condensed milk mixture.
Mix well add remaining diced mango.
Freeze the prepared mango ice cream mixture overnight and enjoy the fresh homemade ice cream next day.
Cooking Tip Of the Week
To peel the garlic cloves quickly microwave the garlic cloves with skin for 15 to 20 seconds or heat them for 30 seconds on the hot griddle plate. The skin of the garlic will come off with ease.