Looking For the Best Rice Flour Recipes? Check Out These Two

What hits you about rice flour recipes is their sheer ubiquity. There's one that manages to surprise you from every nook and corner of this world. From appetizers, stews, seafood to desserts, the light and breezy texture of rice flour has certainly kicked up quite a storm. And the sweet flavors more than gladden hearts.

Go Into Raptures

Recipes with rice flour can make your tastebuds go into raptures. There's Philippine sweet rice cake or Babingka that you can afford nothing more than a forlorn resistance to, and is matched only by the German orange cake with a sprinkling of freshly grated coconut. Thai coconut pancakes, sweet Pretzels or jalebis with the Indian connection, Oriental sesame balls or peanut butter Mochi lead the pack from the Asian continent.

Greet These Recipes Exultantly

If Deutschland rice flour chocolate cake sounds simply irresistible, you better not waste any time in taking down the ingredients:

¾ cup rice flour

1 stick butter

½ cup sugar

6 eggs

1 cup ground hazelnuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 ½ oz. crumbled chocolate bar

A pinch of salt

Grated peel of ½ a lemon

Separate the eggs whites from the yolks and keep aside. Whisk egg whites. Mix the egg yolks with all the remaining ingredients and then fold in the egg whites. Bake first at 320 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes and then subsequently at 350-400 degrees for about 60 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack. It'll disappear before you know it.

If you think only kids are completely in thrall to muffins, think again. Check out what you need for these wheat-free muffins:

¾ cups rice flour

¼ cup soy flour

¼ cup fructose

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon soda

½ cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 beaten egg

¼ cup cottage cheese

First, mix all the dry ingredients. Add the remaining items and mix adequate quantities so that the mixture's moist. Bake in greased muffin tins at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, or till the muffins are done.

Your face is sure to be suffused with a warm glow when you watch the animated chatter that their presence causes.

Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, Darwin, Australia

Dragonflies, cool nights and Thursday night markets... it's the coming of the dry season in the Northern Territory's capital city, Darwin. Mindil Beach Sunset Markets are the place to be on Thursday and Sunday nights from May to October. Where else can you buy tropical smoothies, burritos, pad thai, vegetable tempura, banana-wrapped rice cakes, kangaroo skewers, south-sea pearls, didgeridoos and wind chimes all in the same place? It's a laid-back party for the locals and also attracts thousands of tourists to the beachside park each year. There are bargains to be found in the clothing and knick-knack stalls, while there are hundreds of ethnic and domestic food concoctions to try at the food stalls. Get small portions and try everything, but be sure to save room for a dessert crepe or coconut Thai cake. Bring your own drinks and a blanket and enjoy the live music, talented flame throwers and the predictably gorgeous Darwin sunset. For more information on the markets and Darwin lifestyle, visit en.travelnt.com For more information on Mindil's Sunset Markets, visit www.mindil.com.au



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EceRhV_PQc4&hl=en

Popcorn's 9th Birthday Treats

Popcorn gets his birthday treats: 1) Liver flavour birthday cake 2) Coconut tennis ball 3) Peanut Butter Ice Cream cone 4) Cranberry+Liver treats Yummy! I will post video footage later!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jGxLhIphII&hl=en

Indian Recipes - The Basics to Remember

Have you gone to a restaurant that serves Indian food? If your answer is yes, then you would agree when I say that once you enter the place, you encounter those delicious smelling spices, which in one way or another seems to touch the roof of your mouth, creating an urge to taste the food. Do you want to try having them on your home? Well, if you do, you must first learn the basics of what an Indian recipe usually is.

First of all, what are the essentials when you want to follow an Indian recipe? One is cardamom pods. This is a ginger root which brings good aroma and adds a spicy-sweet flavor taste to the food you are going to prepare. Chili peppers are another. There are a variety of chilies out there and you'll have to learn what exactly is used in Indian food. Nevertheless, you can go with the most commonly used type of chili, which is called the bird's eye, to be safe. Third are cumin seeds. Similar with the first ones mentioned, these seeds are used as spices that adds a warm flavor and a pungent aroma. Garam masala, the fourth one, is a mixture of ground spices.

Usually, cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper and cinnamon are the contents of this mixture. Fifth is mustard seeds which has three varieties: black mustard (spicy and hot), brown mustard (less hot), and yellow or white mustard (least piquant but more pungent). Last is turmeric. It is a spice that comes from a ginger root and is usually sold in powder form. This Indian recipe essential brings a lot of health benefits such as improving your heart condition, preventing and healing heart damages, reduce joint swelling, and reduce your chances of having Alzheimer's disease.

Now, from the essentials of Indian cooking, let us go to the each region. An Indian recipe from the north will most likely use flatbreads such as parathas and chappatis. Lentils, vegetables, and yogurt-based marinades are also common. For West recipes, pickles and preserves are common. In the East, combinations of rice and fish are considered as staple food.

As for the key ingredients, here are a few of the things you would be encountering when following an Indian recipe:

* Ghee. This is a form of butter that is used as "cooking oil" but this is not a very healthy option. If you want something healthier, you can go with vegetable oil.

* Coconut. Grated or ground, coconut is commonly used specially in Southern Indian dishes.

* Atta. This is used as a base in making breads.

So there you have it. The different essentials and key ingredients used in Indian recipes have been given. Remember, to make the most out of the Indian recipe you have, follow the procedure properly and use the best ingredients you can find.

MMMM - Chocolate Truffles - A Chocolate Lovers Dream

The term chocolate truffles evoke a visual image of pure decadence. You can almost imagine the commercial with a woman slowly biting into a chocolate truffle savoring the flavor while sitting on the beach under an umbrella.

What is a chocolate truffle?

A chocolate truffle is a chocolate confection in a round, conical, or curved shape. It is usually coated in cocoa or chocolate, but could be covered in nuts or coconut. The truffle is filled with a variety of fillings such as cream, caramel, nuts, berries, and liquor with the most common being a chocolate ganache.

A ganache refers to a filling for pastries. It is generally made from heavy cream that is heated and poured over dark chocolate. The mixture is stirred until smooth and can be enhanced by a liquor or extract. It should be two parts chocolate to one part cream.

What types of truffles are available?

There are three types of truffles available: American, European, and Swiss truffles. These types vary by ingredient, and length of storage life.

American truffles are shaped like half an egg and are covered by chocolate. They contain a mixture of dark and milk chocolate with butter fat and/or hardened coconut oil. A Canadian version includes graham cracker and peanut butter.

The European truffle is made with a cocoa powder and syrup. It also contains milk powder and fat.

The Swiss truffle is made with dairy cream and butter combined with melted chocolate. These types of truffles have a very short shelf life.

Can I make this at home?

Chocolate truffles are not difficult to make but is not for the beginning chef. The most important thing to remember when making truffles is to use exactly the chocolate called for in the recipe and to buy the very best chocolate you can find as this directly affects the taste. You should also use the highest quality cream.

The most challenging part of making chocolate truffles is forming the ganache base. The base of chocolate and cream can be enhanced with butter and egg yolks and can be flavored with anything from champagne to liquor to extract. Keep in mind that the ganache will need to chill for several hours before being formed into truffles. The truffle can be shaped using a knife, two spoons, or a pastry bag. Of course, you can always just scoop some out and form truffles with your hand. When using the two teaspoons, you scoop out a portion of ganache and use the second teaspoon to help roll into a ball. Whatever method you use to form the truffles, you will need time to form the truffles so keep that in mind when allocating time to make them.

Once the base is formed, you can just simply roll truffle in cocoa powder or you can cover it with chocolate. This is a traditional truffle. You can also roll the chocolate truffle in nuts, sprinkles, shaved chocolate, or coconut or any other topping you prefer. Now you are ready to impress your friends with homemade chocolate truffles.

Vietnamese Coconut Jelly

My Vietnamese coconut jellies that I made for Chinese & Vietnamese New Year on this weekend! Just thought I would share something different besides just my cakes. Not sure if any of you guys know what this is though! Happy New Year to anyone who celebrates this occasion! Welcome to the year of the Golden Ox!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7kDu_SVp2g&hl=en

New Zealand Recipes and Cuisine

New Zealand gets its cuisine from two many sources: British cuisine, introduced by settlers from the United Kingdom, and the traditional cuisine of the indigenous Maori people. Additionally, in recent years, as travel overseas has become more widely available, New Zealand has also gradually began to introduce influences from French cuisine, Italian cuisine, as well as Asian recipes.

Some popular dishes in New Zealand include:

- Colonial goose - A roast leg of lamb, deboned, stuffed with honey and dried apricots, and marinated in red wine. This recipe was developed by the early colonial pioneers of New Zealand, who wanted to emulate the taste of goose, but had to make do with sheep.

- Fish and chips - Like British fish and chips, this dish consists of deep-fried fish in batter or breadcrumbs, served with fried potatoes.

- Meat pies

- Roast lamb

- Lamingtons - Cubes of sponge cake, covered with chocolate icing and dessicated coconut. The cubes may be sliced in half, and a layer of cream or strawberry jam spread between the halves.

- ANZAC biscuits - New Zealanders claim to have invented this dish, but the dish is also claimed by Australia. ANZAC biscuts are made from rolled oats, coconut and syrup. According to legend, they were first prepared for the ANZAC troops sent to fight in the Gallipoli campaign in World War I, the recipe being specifically designed so as to produce a biscuit that would preserve well.

- Pavlova - A meringue with a crispy exterior, but light and fluffy on the inside. As with ANZAC biscuits, both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the dish.

- Hokey pokey ice cream - Vanilla ice cream containing small lumps of toffee.