Forever foods: 9 cooking staples that can outlast you

By Laura Moss, Mother Nature Network

Most weeks, you make a big grocery list and head to the store, prepared to buy loads of fresh food to make your family's meals. We often don't give a thought to stuff sitting in the kitchen cupboard or we automatically throw out anything that's been in there longer than we can remember. 

But Janice Revell, co-founder of StillTasty.com, says "Look in your pantry and your cabinets and check whether the items really do need to go. You'll be shocked by what you really don't need to throw away."

So before you throw out that years-old sugar or replace that bottle of vanilla that's been gathering dust, consult this list of "forever foods." You may be surprised how many of your kitchen staples have a shelf life of decades — even after they've been opened.

1. Sugar
Regardless of whether your sugar is white, brown, or powdered, it will never spoil because it doesn't support bacterial growth.

The challenge with sugar is to keep it from hardening into chunks. To keep sugar fresh, store it in an airtight container or seal it in a plastic bag. If your brown sugar is more like a brown rock, you can revive it with just a minute in the microwave on low heat.

2. Pure vanilla extract
If you have pure vanilla extract in the back of the cupboard, there's no need to throw it out because it lasts forever. It may be more expensive than its imitation counterpart, but its shelf life certainly outweighs the extra cost.

Keep that vanilla flavor at its best by sealing the botttle after each use and storing it in a cool, dark place.

3. Rice
White, wild, jasmine, arborio and basmati rice all keep forever so there's no need to throw them out. Brown rice is the one exception because it has a higher oil content so store it in the refrigerator or freeze it to maximize its shelf life. Once you've opened a bag or box of rice, move it to an airtight container or resealable freezer bag to keep it fresh.

4. Corn starch
You can thicken gravies and sauces for years with just one box of corn starch because it keeps indefinitely. Store this kitchen staple in a cool, dry area and be sure to reseal it tightly after each use.

5. Honey
Whether you use it in your tea, on your toast or as an alternative sweetener, that jar of pure honey is good forever. It may get grainy or change color, but it's still safe to eat — and delicious — because its antibiotic properties keep it from spoiling.

You can help keep it fresh by storing it in a cool area, and you can improve the quality of crystallized honey by placing the jar in warm water and stirring it until the grainy parts dissolve.

6. Salt

The contents of your salt shaker will never spoil, regardless of whether it's basic table salt or sea salt. Simply store it in a cool, dry place and salt will keep indefinitely.

7. Corn syrup
If you come across a years-old bottle of corn syrup in your pantry, don't throw it out. This sweetener keeps indefinitely as long as you keep it sealed and store it in a cool, dry area.

8. Maple syrup
What good are pancakes or waffles without maple syrup? Luckily, this flavorful syrup will never spoil if you refrigerate it or freeze it. For long-term storage, seal it in an airtight plastic container and freeze it.

"The freezer is such a useful tool that can really save you money because there are very few foods that don't freeze well," says Janice Revell of StillTasty.com.

9. Distilled white vinegar
This wonder product can be used for everything, from making marinades and salad dressings to cleaning house and doing laundry. But the best thing about distilled white vinegar is that it lasts for years. Simply close it tightly after each use and store the bottle in a cool, dark place

Source

Vakum dan rebus, makanan lebih sihat

PERNAHKAN anda membayangkan memasak rendang ayam dengan kaedah baru iaitu memasukkan kesemua bahan-bahan di dalam plastik khas, divakum dan direbus?

Barangkali ada yang ragu-ragu sama ada rendang ayam itu akan masak dengan sempurna atau sebaliknya.

Jangan terkejut jika anda bukan sahaja mendapat sajian yang masak sempurna dan menyihatkan, bahkan lebih lazat berbanding kaedah masakan biasa. Ini kerana menerusi kaedah itu nutrien yang ada pada bahan-bahan mentah dikekalkan melalui masakan pada suhu rendah.

Ramai yang tidak tahu bahawa makanan yang divakum sebelum dimasak lebih sihat untuk seisi keluarga kerana ia berada dalam persekitaran oksigen yang minimum sekali gus menghalang pembiakan bakteria.

Sekiranya bahan-bahan yang divakum dibekukan, ia mampu bertahan dalam tempoh sebulan tanpa kehilangan kualiti kesegarannya.

Justeru, bagi mereka yang sibuk bekerja tetapi mahukan gaya hidup sihat, Orved Italy memperkenalkan Cuission SV-41 iaitu mesin vakum yang perlu ada di setiap ruang dapur rumah atau digunakan dalam perniagaan makanan industri kecil dan sederhana (IKS).

Pilih sahaja masakan kegemaran sama ada kari, rendang atau masak lemak, ia boleh disediakan dengan kaedah masakan yang dinamakan Sous Vide.

Mesin vakum makanan itu boleh dibeli pada harga RM16,000.

Sous Vide adalah perkataan dalam bahasa Perancis yang bermaksud telah divakum. Ia merupakan kaedah masakan yang bertujuan mengekalkan integriti kandungan makanan menerusi mekanisme vakum dan memanaskannya untuk satu tempoh masa tertentu pada suhu di bawah 70 darjah Celsius.


Dua kali ganda masa

Bagaimanapun, untuk kaedah ini makanan yang divakumkan dalam tempoh tidak sampai seminit, perlu dimasak dalam air panas untuk tempoh kira-kira dua kali lebih lama berbanding kaedah masakan biasa menggunakan api.

Walaupun lebih banyak masa diperlukan, namun kaedah itu dianggap berbaloi kerana ia mengekalkan kesegaran dan nutrien makanan.

Jurucakap Orved Italy, Chef Azura Othman memberitahu, Cuission SV-41 dapat mengekalkan kesegaran makanan kerana makanan yang divakum berada dalam persekitaran oksigen yang minimum.

"Makanan yang divakum tahan lebih lama kerana bakteria tidak mudah merebak berbanding makanan yang terdedah dan diletakkan terlalu lama di dalam peti ais," jelas beliau.

Menurut Azura, dengan menggunakan Cuission SV-41, hasil akhir masakan mempunyai tekstur yang terbaik, rasa yang segar dan kuantiti yang tidak terjejas.

"Apabila makanan divakum dan dimasak dengan mekanisme melalui air panas, secara tidak langsung ia meminimumkan pembaziran. Makanan yang sudah dimasak boleh dibungkus semula dan disimpan di dalam peti ais.

"Makanan yang berlainan sama ada pembuka selera sehingga ke pencuci mulut dapat divakum dan dimasak dalam air panas secara serentak, sekali gus mengurangkan tempoh masa penyediaan serta mengurangkan penggunakaan barangan dapur," katanya pada demonstrasi masakan menggunakan Cuission SV-41 di Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini.


Kegunaan seisi keluarga

Usah bimbang untuk meninggalkan keluarga di rumah dan tidak mempunyai masa untuk menyediakan makanan. Ini kerana kaedah masakan Sous Vide adalah penyelesaian terbaik biarpun anda tidak ada kemahiran dan pengalaman memasak.

Azura memberitahu, semua bahan masakan dimasukkan ke dalam beg vakum dan boleh terus dimasak atau disimpan di dalam peti ais. Jika disimpan dalam peti ais, anak-anak hanya perlu merebusnya di dalam air panas mengikut tempoh tertentu tanpa sebarang masalah.

"Malah, sekiranya tidak dimasukkan ke dalam peti ais sekalipun, makanan divakum masih boleh tahan sehingga lima kali ganda berbanding makanan terdedah.

"Kerana itu menerusi kaedah ini juga anda boleh membawa makanan yang sudah divakum ke tempat kerja. Vakum makanan di rumah dan masak dalam air panas di tempat kerja," katanya.

Azura menekankan, dalam kehidupan moden hari ini teknik masakan Sous Vide menjadi pilihan terbaik untuk seisi keluarga kerana ia mengekalkan 85 peratus khasiat makanan berbanding kaedah masakan biasa.

"Semakin tinggi suhu memasak makanan, kualiti dan kuantitinya semakin berkurang. Suhu terbaik untuk memasak makanan ialah di bawah 70 darjah Celsius. Walaupun suhu rendah, makanan akan masak dengan baik tetapi memerlukan tempoh masa lebih lama.

"Berbanding kaedah masakan biasa, pendedahan pada api boleh mengurangkan kualiti produk sehingga 37 peratus, manakala melalui kaedah vakum menggunakan Cuission SV-41 dan teknik masakan Sous Vide, ia hanya menjejaskan kualiti sajian sekitar lapan peratus," katanya.

Ia berdasarkan satu ujian masakan daging yang pernah dilakukan di Itali.

Azura memberitahu berat permulaan daging yang dikaji ialah empat kilogram (kg) yang dibeli pada berharga 80 euro (RM370).

"Selepas dimasak, teknik masakan tradisional mengalami penyusutan produk sehingga 37 peratus, masakan menggunakan ketuhar gelombang mikro moden kehilangan 25 peratus, manakala teknik masakan vakum dan Sous Vide kehilangan hanya lapan peratus.

"Nilai yang hilang selepas memasak berdasarkan penyusutan produk ialah RM136 bagi teknik masakan tradisional, RM92 bagi masakan ketuhar gelombang mikro dan hanya RM29 bagi teknik masakan vakum dan Sous Vide. Ini bermakna nilai tahunan yang dapat dijimatkan untuk menu itu menggunakan Cuission SV-41 berjumlah RM3,249.

Justeru itu, mekanisme masakan baru tersebut dilihat sebagai satu teknik penjimatan untuk jangka masa panjang.

Sumber

The vacuum What do you mean by vacuum and how do you get it?Vacuum is obtained by means of a mechanic action which allows the air rarefaction. What takes place inside a chamber machine is a very simple procedure: an appropriate vacuum pump sucks the air from the bag which contains the product. This allows the suction of oxygen, vital gas for human beings, but also for micro-organisms, such as bacteria and moulds. Their proliferation is therefore stopped and their metabolisms are inhibited, as well as their fermentative activities. The container and the bag must be properly sealed, in order to create an effective and lasting vacuum. Why is air damaging?The oxygen present in the air, helps the proliferation of moulds and bacteria responsible for the foodstuffs deterioration (fats going rancid, fruit’s oxidation, icy burn marks, besides loss of taste and flavour). The vacuum packing through the air elimination, reduces and delays all the above mentioned effects, consequently obtaining the prolongation of the shelf-life of products, and as far as hygiene is concerned, a definitely superior safety threshold thanks to the removal of bacteria. Longer shelf-life and quality of foodstuffsThe one who possesses a vegetable garden will not worry about the products which have not been consumed during the season. But even those who don’t have a vegetable garden will enjoy the advantages of vacuum packing system by having the possibility of buying big quantities of in season fruit and vegetables, and being sure to preserve them perfectly. Another advantage not to be underestimated! Thanks to this preservation system, one will no longer be obliged to consume the already prepared meals (and eventually exceeding) within the day as they can be preserved and tasted even later, without any loss of flavour, and perfectly safe from the risk of food poisoning. Resuming: freshness, taste, safety, handiness. Saving of time, money and effort!

Vacuum cooking The advantages of vacuum doesn’t regard only the conservation step but the preparation of the final dish as  well. This technique becomes a precious allied of the chef when cooking. Why?: Along with the quick chilling of temperature, it provides more flexibility in the use of the raw materials since the same ingredient can be used in different preparations. More control of the cooking temperature, from which 4 different systems derive More cooking uniformity of the product and more spice homogeneity. Thus, an intensification of taste and colours . Since vacuum means boiling water under 100°C even the colour, taste and the most sensitive organoleptic properties of the ingredients are perserved inhaltered. Source