History and product info

Made from buckwheat grain, soba noodles are firmer in texture than pasta and have a rich, nutty taste. The buckwheat grain itself is the traditional staple of Siberia, Manchuria, Russia, Poland and other parts of Europe and Central Asia, and taking only 3 months from seed to harvest was the grain traditionally consumed by nomadic tribes.

Soba is thought to have been introduced to Japan from China during the Edo Period (1603-1867) where they have now come to be a staple in the Japanese diet, as evident by the institutional status of the soba noodle shops on almost every block in Japanese cities today.

History and product info

Silverbeet, also known as Swiss Chard, Spinach, Perpetual Spinach or Mangold is another member of the Beta vulgaris species. Commonly appearing with white stems and dark green leaves, there are several cultivars that have brightly coloured stems in yellows and reds. Both the stems and leaves are edible. The plants are easy to grow, and in fertile soils two plants should provide sufficient silverbeet to feed one person every day of the week.

Silverbeet is commonly thought to be a good source of iron. However, the iron in Silverbeet is not readily taken up by the body due to binding with high levels of oxalate also present in the vegetable. It is a very good source of folate with half a cup of cooked Silverbeet yielding approximately 60 mg folate. Silverbeet is also high in sodium.

History and product info

The humble coconut is widely grown on both sides of the equator between 26⁰N and 26⁰S. Botanically known as Cocos nucifera, the coconut is traditionally known as the 'tree of life', and the 'tree of a thousand uses'. Almost every part of the coconut palm is useful. The nut provides coconut meat, coconut milk and coconut cream. Uses for the rest of the plant are limited only by the imagination. The key applications have been the use of the outer fibrous layer of the fruit (known as coir) replacing sphagnum moss in horticulture, the use of the timber from  the trunk instead of endangered tropical hardwoods, and the production of coconut oil from the dried meat of the nut. The top producer of coconut products is Indonesia.

Coconuts have 33% fat, which is less fat than other nuts, such as peanuts and almonds. However, what sets the cocunut apart is the high level of saturated fat in coconuts. At 90%, coconuts has more saturated fat than butter. Some of the reported benefits of coconut products include their role as anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents. Furthermore, there is some evidence to suggest that coconut can be used to treat parasites such as giardia, lice and tapeworm.

Wikipedia and the Coconut Research Centre (http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/) were both used in preparing this article. There is heaps more information on the web.

Storage and tips 

• Fresh unopened coconuts can be stored at room temperature for one to two months.
  
• Grated fresh coconut can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for up to six months.
  
• Desiccated coconut can be stored in a sealed container for up to six months at room temperature.
• Alice's tips: dessicated coconut sprinkled on porridge (to further exoticise your porridge, try cooking it with chopped up banana and some grated palm sugar) and dessicated coconut in fruit salad.

Recipes

• Thai-inspired salad (nadine abensur)
• Thoran (Keralan vegetables with coconut)
  
• Date, coconut, lime and coriander chutney
• Coconut bread (Bill Granger's recipe)
  
• Rich vegan banana icecream

History and product info

Celery is more correctly known as Apium graveolens and is closely related to carrot, fennel, parsley and dill. The stems can grow up to 1 metre tall, and the bulb, leaves and seeds are also edible. Wild celery (smallage) grew throughout the Mediterranean region. Modern celery was thought to have been bred in the 17^th and 18^th Centuries. Celeriac is a bulbous member of the same species.

Celery is referred to as a member of the 'holy trinity' of Creole and Cajun cuisine along with onion and capsicum. It is also an essential part of the French mirepoix with onions and carrots.

Celery is a good source of vitamin C and potassium.

For all this and more head to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot) and WH Foods (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=14).

Storage and tips

• Store celery in a bag in the crisper section of your fridge. Some people recommend wrapping the celery in foil - Veggie Train is yet to test this!
• Great served with dips like hummus or filled with peanut butter or tahini.

Recipes

• Celery, egg and herb potato salad
• Spiced corn, celery and noodle soup
• Gumbo z'herbes
• Celery and cheese muffins
  

Welcome to the first newly renamed Veggie Train (Ingredient of the Week no more) - thanks to James Patterson for the great name and also to Michael Hand and Ruben Klaphake who narrowly missed out on the chocolate bar.

We've also added a new comments feature to the recipes at www.thoughtfulfoods.org.au (all IOTW, Veggie Train and Pigweed cookbooks are available there). So, let your fellow co-opers know what you think about the recipes - leave a suggestion to improve the recipe, or just let everyone know that they really should try it!

Next fortnight's CELERY will be getting on board the Veggie Train. Send your recipes to Edwina and Will at thoughtfulfoodsunsw@yahoo.com.au by Friday, 28 September.

This week we're missing the product history and info so we'll launch straight into the recipes...

Recipes

• Soy milk
• Tofu - make it yourself
• Famous BBQ tofu
• Tofu mayonnaise
• Quick tofu curry with peas
• Miso broth with silken tofu and asian greens
• Caramelised apples with tofu cream
• Soy maple creams

There are already some delicious recipes on the Thoughtful Foods website, including:

• marinated baked tofu
• mushroom tofu sauce 
  
• scrambled tofu
• tofu loaf
  

See also Alice’s tips for soy beans and Tessa’s soy nuts in the last IOTW on beans. These will be up on the website soon.

Ingredient of the Week is going on holidays. It will be back at the start of next Semester with BEANS – kidney, and adzuki and soy. Send your recipes to Edwina and Will at thoughtfulfoodsunsw@yahoo.com.au by Friday, 20 July.

History and product info

The humble carrot is more correctly known as Daucus carota. It's a close relative of the parsnip, but surprisingly is also closely related to cumin, fennel and dill. Carrots are thought to have originated around the area of Afghanistan and have been used for at least 5000 years. Initially carrots were quite bitter white, yellow, red, purple, green or black tap roots.  

The exact origin of the orange carrot is not known but is traditionally placed during the Dutch struggle for independence from the Spanish in the 16th Century. The Dutch do like orange (their royal family was the House of Orange) which is why the modern carrot is orange. By the 17th Century the Dutch were the world's leading producers of the orange carrot which had better flavour and nutritional content of any of the carrots grown at the time. Further cross-breeding over time has led to the intense orange colouring and sweetness we have come to know and love. 

Today, carrots are a great source of carotene (which is made into vitamin A by the body) as well as vitamins B, C, D, and E, and calcium, magnesium and folic acid. 

For all of this and more, including more recipes, head to the online World Carrot Museum (http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk) or Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot). 

Storage and tips

• Store carrots in the refrigerator, away from apples, pears or any other produce that creates ethylene gas. Ethylene gas makes the meat of the carrot turn bitter.
• Organic carrots don’t need to be peeled unless the carrot is older, when the skin becomes bitter.
• Carrots are at their nutritional peak when cooked for 3-5 minutes. Cooking breaks down the fibre, making the beta-carotene in the carrot available. Juicing raw carrots also has the same effect.

Recipes

• Carrot and cumin dip
• Spiced carrot soup with coconut cream
• Carrot and Lentil Soup
• The Ultimate Carrot Cake with Mascarpone, Fromage Frais and Cinnamon Icing

Next week’s ingredient is… CARROTS! Send your recipes to Edwina and Will at thoughtfulfoodsunsw@yahoo.com.au by Friday, 1 June.

History and product info

Couscous is literally 'well rounded'. This curious form of pasta is thought to have originated in West Arica and to have quickly spread through Northern Africa to parts of the Middle East and Northern Europe. Today it is a staple in Algeria, Libya, eastern Morocco, Tunisia, and Sahel, as well as France, Sicily and parts of the Middle East.

Couscous is traditionally made from coarse-ground durum wheat (Triticum durum) which is mixed with a little water and rolled into small pellets and coated in a little fine flour. The mixture is sieved and the small pellets are reformed until all of the couscous is retained in the sieve. The mixture is then sun-dried and stored. These days quick cooking couscous is made by machine, and cheaper versions are made with hard wheat instead of durum. In some regions it's made from barley or pearl millet.

Nutritionally, couscous has about 13% protein, 1.5% fat, no cholesterol, and is thought to be a good source of B Vitamins. Unlike traditional pastas, couscous is also used as a sweet.

Both Ainsley Harriott and Wikipedia were scavenged. For further information see:

http://www.ainsley-harriott.com/ainsley-harriott-cous-info.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous

http://mybookofrai.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/07/the_march_of_co.html for the movement of couscous across the globe.

Storage and tips

• Store couscous in a sealed container.
• To cook, place couscous in a heatproof bowl and cover with equal parts water (or stock), cover and leave for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Fluff by stirring with a fork.
• Before cooking, you can stir a little oil or melted butter into the couscous to make sure grains separate nicely.
• Delicious as a side mixed with currants, almonds and cumin, or caramelised onion.

Recipes

• Fruity breakfast couscous
• Chickpea & couscous filled capsicum
• Chickpea & carrot couscous with minted yoghurt
• Spicy couscous salad
• Vegetable and couscous salad

Next week’s ingredient is… BEETROOT! Send your recipes to Edwina and Will at thoughtfulfoodsunsw[@]yahoo.com.au by Friday, 18 May.

History and product info

Lentils are the seeds of a grain-bearing legume (or pulse). Lentils are bushy annual plants, Lens culinaris. Legume roots are capable of nitrogen fixation in association with funky little Rhizobium bacteria. Like most of the peas, lentils are easy to grow. The seeds are normally allowed to dry on the plant before harvesting and processing by grinding to separate the seeds.

Lentils have an earthy/nutty flavour. Lentils do have some significant health benefits, mostly related to their high protein content which is higher than beef. If the dark seed coat is left on lentils become a good source of dietary fibre.

The earliest recorded occurrence of lentils around people is from Greek caves (13000 to 9500 years ago). They are among the first plants to be domesticated by people (and you thought keeping a puppy was fun) along with other classics such as wheat and barley.

Since then lentils have had something of a chequered history, being regarded by most western civilisations as the poor-mans meat substitute. Historically, Catholics used lentils during lent, if they could not afford fish. The french green lentils (or Puy Lentils) are known to hold their shape best of all the lentils, and do make some wonderful provencale meals (especially cooked with rosemary).

In South Asia, the large vegetarian population makes it an essential protein source with a short cooking time. Perhaps the greatest evidence for the importance of the lentil is the number of varieties that can readily be found. For a great guide to the different lentils available today check out:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html

This site provides a good glossary with pictures of all the different types of lentils (and what everyone calls them all). As a quick note, dhal (or dal) are normally split lentils.

References:

http://www.cliffordawright.com/history/lentils.html

http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil

Storage and tips

• Lentils store for long periods if kept in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. But for best flavour & colour, use them within one year. Lentils toughen with age & older ones will take longer to cook.
• Cooked lentils will last about three days in the fridge or six months in the freezer.
• To cook, pick out any small stones/debris & rinse under cold running water. Cover in pan with boiling water & simmer for 10-60 minutes (depending on age and type). Add more water if necessary. (Don’t add salt to the cooking water as it toughens the lentils.)
• Lentils will approximately double in size once cooked.

Recipes

You can find the following lentil recipes in the Pigweed cookbook or at the Thoughtful foods website

• Tomato and lentil soup
• Spaghetti Bolognese
  
• Sri Lankan Dhal Curry
  
• Danny’s spinach, lentils, eggplant and pumpkin stew
• Frances’ lentil burgers
• Rice and lentil moussaka
• Curried lentils in pineapple
• Red lentil and capsicum spicy soup