Tomato paste

The fruit of an annual plant or short-lived perennial Lycopersicon esculentum of which some varieties grow to over 2.5 m high whilst others are low bushes. Tomato paste is tomato puree that has been cooked to remove almost all moisture.

Tomato paste is thus a concentrated source of flavor, color and thickening power. It is also an effective emulsion stabilizer.

Tomato paste is mixed with water then boiled with a small amount of oil. When the water evaporates the paste is then stir-fried for a couple of minutes or so. This makes all the difference. When this is not done, the flavor of tomato paste is strong and can be very unpleasant.

The paste lends a deeper, rounded tomato flavor and color to many slow-simmered paste sauces as well as to Italian soups and stews.
Tomato paste

White wheat flour

White wheat flour is made from wheat that has had the bran and germ removed during the milling process, leaving only the starchy middle part (the endosperm).

Enriched flour is white flour to which usually enriched with three B-complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin) and iron to make up for the loss of nutrients due to the removal of the bran and germ.

White wheat contains less tannic acid and it can be milled with the bran and the germ and still produce a flour with a similar taste, texture and appearance to traditional all purpose.

White wheat flour has all the nutritional benefits of whole wheat flour. People looking to serve healthier foods could secretly use white wheat flour in place of traditional whole wheat flour.

White whole flour is a good option when making all the baked goods, including yeast breads. White wheat flour has three principal advantages over whole wheat flour.
*It has a longer shelf life
*White wheat flour leavens better because it contains more gluten per weight
*White wheat flour is more digestible
*White wheat four has greater popularity
White wheat flour

Coconut cream

Coconut cream is essentially a thick paste-like version of coconut milk, it is the first press of coconut and water. Similar as with cow’s milk, the coconut milk is left standing for a while with the cream separating on the top of the milk.

The amount of water added to the grated coconut determines whether to get cream or milk. It is usually to add very little water for the first squeeze to get what is called first milk or coconut cream.

The second thinner yield when more water has been added is called the second milk or just coconut milk.

Coconut milk usually contains about 17 percent fat, while coconut cream contains about 21 to 24 percent fat.

Commercial coconut creams are usually sold in cans, and the main ingredient in these products is almost always water. The dietary fiber of the coconut has usually been stripped out of these commercially available products as well.

Coconut cream concentrate is very different from coconut cream, and it is sometimes referred to as coconut butter. It consists entirely of dried coconut meat that has been ground very finely.
Coconut cream

Coconut milk for cooking

Coconut milk is a natural oil-in-water emulsion in which coconut oil droplets are dispersed throughout an aqueous continuous phase.

It is produced by shredding the meat of a fresh coconut, mixing it with an equal amount of hot water, the squeezing until dry. The milky, opaque liquid that streams out, full of the fat and flavor of the coconut, is coconut milk.

Coconut milk is rich in fat and protein. It has a thick creamy texture and is solid white in color, giving it an appearance similar to cow’s milk.

Coconut milk contains about 17 to 24 percent fat, depending on how much water is used in processing. The higher fat milk is often called coconut cream and is very thick and rich just like dairy cream.

Most of the recipes use coconut milk call for ‘thick’ coconut milk – the liquid from the first pressing of fresh coconut meat that has been ground with water. ‘Thin’ coconut milk is the liquid from successive pressings. Normally recipe for thick coconut milk combines the liquid from the first and second pressing.

Coconut milk can be used to make fruit smoothies, coconut pancakes, clam chowder and creamy chicken gravy.

Coconut milk also can be combined with fruit juice, milk, chocolate milk, and many other cold beverages.
Coconut milk for cooking