INGREDIENTS #2

INGREDIENTS #2

1.Tomato

In plant families, the tomato is classified as a fruit (berry), but when eaten it resembles a vegetable, which it is most often considered to be. Raw or cooked tomatoes have a sweet, acidy flavor and a juicy flesh. Available in different sizes, shapes and colors, tomatoes can be large and round like beefsteak tomatoes, oval shaped as are Roma or plum tomatoes, pear shaped like pear tomatoes, small and bite size like cherry and grape tomatoes, or fluted with pleats, such as the zapotec pleated varieties. Tomatoes are available in a range of colors, which include green, yellow, red, purple, pink, black, brown, white, and bicolored (green and red, red and yellow, or green and yellow). Available fresh, canned or dried, tomatoes are often eaten raw as a garnish for salads and appetizers, sliced thinly for sandwiches, or added to various pasta and meat dishes.
Canned tomatoes that have been processed are available in a variety of flavors and forms. They can be purchased in the can as whole, diced, crushed, stewed, chopped, pureed, paste, or in a sauce form. Whole canned tomatoes are generally considered to be the best choice for preparing foods requiring more of the tomato meat. The whole tomatoes are most often considered to be the highest grade, since those of lesser quality are chopped or mashed to be used for puree, sauce and paste. Chopped tomatoes have been seeded and cut into random sizes for use in soups, sauces, appetizers, and other types of food dishes that can use more of the tomato meat. Crushed tomatoes also contain more of the meat, some seeds, the juice, and possibly the skin of the tomato. They are often used for heavy pasta sauces or served as side dishes to accompany a meal. Pureed tomatoes are strained tomatoes that have been processed to produce a thick mixture, heavier but not smoother in consistency than tomato sauce. The puree can easily be made into a pasta or pizza sauce. Tomato sauce is a smooth mixture of tomatoes that is often seasoned with other ingredients to create a base to be used in pasta and food dishes requiring a smoother texture with less juice. Tomato paste is produced from tomatoes that are cooked to remove the moisture, resulting in a stiff textured paste that is used for thickening soups and sauces.

Fresh tomatoes are available throughout the year but are best just after being picked. Since fresh tomatoes are very perishable, supermarkets purchase tomatoes that have been picked when green and then forced to ripen. These tomatoes will keep longer in the supermarkets but will never have the taste and texture of a vine ripened tomato picked just after becoming ripe. Some markets carry vine ripened tomatoes, but at a much higher price.

When selecting tomatoes, choose those that have a bright color, are plump and heavy, and avoid those with blemishes. Ripe tomatoes should yield to palm pressure, but not be too soft. Do not store ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator because temperatures below 50ºF will cause them to become pulpy and lose their flavor enzymes. Store at room temperature and out of the sunlight. Ripe tomatoes should be used within a few days. If the tomato has been sliced, store the tomato at room temperature with a piece of plastic covering the side that has been sliced open. Placing the plastic over the open section and laying it flat on a plate works well as a means of storing the tomato for a day or less.

For peeling tomatoes, simply make a skit in the skin and being to remove the skin with the edge of a knife. Or another procedure that works well is to heat the tomato until the peel begins to crack. This may take some practice to get it right if using a microwave, but when the tomato is heated to a point that does not turn it to mush or explode the innner flesh, the outer skin comes off easily.

When grating tomatoes, use a firm fleshed tomato cutting it in half and manually moving it across a grater with large holes, holding onto the skin to keep it intact. The pulp will be somewhat watery but will be thick in texture.

To core a tomato, use either a paring knive slicing a cone-shaped cut around the stem and pulling it out after slicing or use a tomato shark. The tomato shark is a utensil that looks similar to a melon baller with teeth, allowing the tomato stem to be cut and scooped out with one single motion.








2.TURMERIC

Turmeric is an unforgettable spice. Use it once and you'll always remember it's vibrant color (especially if you happen to accidentally get in on your kitchen counter). Indians use turmeric liberally but if this golden spice is new to you keep reading to discover its versatility, how to use it in cooking and why it's considered a superfood.  

TURMERIC: BACKGROUND
Believed to have originated in India over 5,000 years ago, turmeric has long been used for cooking and medical purposes, as well as a textile dye. In Hindi, it is called haldi.

Turmeric is the  root of the curcuma longa plant. Its flesh has an intense orange color that becomes yellow when dried. It is a spice present in nearly every Indian dish but  can impart a medicinal flavour to food when used in large quantities. That's  why chefs warn that “you should see it but not taste it.”


TURMERIC: USES IN COOKING
In India turmeric is always added at the beginning of the cooking process and sauteed with other aromatics such as onions, ginger and garlic. This allows the release of curcumin, which is fat soluble. 

Another popular use for turmeric in cooking is golden milk. Considered an anti-inflammatory elixir, this drink is used to treat everything from colds to arthritis

STORAGE
In its powder form, turmeric will keep well in an airtight container. As with all spices, be sure to keep it away from heat and light. Fresh turmeric keeps well in the freezer. You can grind it, as needed. 

BENEFITS

Numerous studies have categorized turmeric as a super food. Indeed, the spice has been lauded for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties found in curcumin. It is believed to be a cancer fighter, especially in cancers affecting the digestive system. Turmeric is also used to treat a host of diseases, from respiratory illness to liver troubles and easing arthritis. You can find more information on these scientific studies in the book Healing Spices by Bharat B. Aggarwal, PhD and Debora Yost.







3.YEAST

Yeast is a living microscopic organism which converts sugar or starch into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which is why beer brewers, wine makers and bread bakers like it. Baker's yeast is what we use most often for leavening when cooking. Baker's yeast is either active dry yeast (where the yeast is alive but inactive due to lack of moisture) or compressed fresh yeast (where the yeast is alive and extremely perishable as a result). Brewer's yeast is a non-leavening yeast used in brewing beer and can be eaten as a food supplement for its healthful properties (as you would wheat germ), unlike baker's yeast which is used for leavening. Brewer's years has a bitter hops flavor. Nutritional yeast is similar to brewer's yeast, but not as bitter because it is grown on molasses. You should not use a live yeast (i.e. baking yeast) as a food supplement because it continues to grow in the intestine and uses up vitamin B instead of replenishing it.

SEASON

available year-round

HOW TO SELECT

Active dry yeast comes in envelopes, jars or bulk and can be regular or quick rising. Quick rising will half the time needed for rising to occur. Because you are purchasing live organisms, please note the expiration date on the package when using (fresh yeast will only last 1 week).

HOW TO STORE

Always store in a cool, dry place, preferably the refrigerator (a must for fresh yeast), but bring to room temperature before using. Fresh yeast is extremely perishable and should be used within 1-2 weeks or date on package.

HOW TO PREPARE

Yeast needs both a warm environment and food to grow. The process is often called "proofing the yeast." Yeast should be dissolved in warm water (100-110 degrees F), but not hot water or it will die. Sugar is usually added to "feed" and grow the yeast. You should see activity within 5 minutes, bubbling and expansion during yeast activation. If you see no activity, your yeast is too old, the water was too warm or too cold. Time to start over.

SUBSTITUTIONS

1 (1/4 oz) package dry active yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons = 1 (1 oz) cake compressed fresh yeast

See Yeast Substitute Recipe 51462

source:
http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--35110/tomato.asp
https://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/food-drinks/turmeric-uses-in-cooking/
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/about/yeast-62