This is a bread ideal for those on an anti-aging diet as it provides all the necessary nutritional requirements.

Ingredients:
570 ml (20 fl oz) tepid water (approximately)
250 g (8 1/2 oz) bran
200 g (7 oz) wheatgerm
1 kg (2 1/4 lb) wholemeal bread flour
3 teaspoon natural yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3-10 tablespoons of any, or all of the following:
Aniseed seeds
Alfalfa seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Black cumin seeds
Poppy seeds
Sunflower seeds

Method:
First, mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the tepid water at intervals and mix very well until the dough does not stick to your fingers. Form into any shape (round, square or long, but without any cracks, otherwise the bread will fall to pieces during cooking). Put on a baking tray and cover with a towel for half an hour in a warm place. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 350F (180C) for up to an hour.

Food Preservation

No food could be preserved forever in their natural form. All natural foods are "alive" and, like all of the other living materials, are susceptible to processes of deterioration and decay. These gradual changes in fresh foods are due partly to chemical alterations in the living protoplasm of the food itself, generally catalyzed by the cell enzymes, and partly to changes brought on by minute organisms that get into the foods from external.

Meat, fish as well as eggs go putrid, fats go rancid, milk will go sour, fruits turn moldy or ferment, vegetables wilt and rot, cereals end up musty or germinate, mainly because of the action of enzymes. All natural foods are gradually and constantly changing in character as well as composition. Their visual appeal, smell, flavor and food value tend to be gradually being altered. The preservation of food consists in the halting or slowing down of these changes.

These changes usually are not always harmful or undesirable. We can see that cream is "ripened" prior to it being churned into butter, that cheese is permitted to "ripen" to produce flavor, and that meat is "hung" so it will be more digestible. However there comes a point in the decay of most foods when they become obnoxious or unsafe perhaps even, in some instances, poisonous.

It is certainly advisable to consume fresh foods whenever we can but this is simply not often feasible. Such a huge proportion of the world's inhabitants resides in big towns and cities far from farms and gardens that foodstuff needs to be transported great distances and kept in good condition for long periods. Some countries around the world produce more food compared to what they can consume themselves while just about every country produces surpluses of such foods as fruits, vegetables and eggs at certain seasons of the year. Modern civilization couldn't exist without using preserved foods. But for the use of methods of preservation much of the world's food would be wasted and our diets would be much less varied than they are. Preserved foods usually require less preparation and less cooking than raw fresh food and so have the merit of convenience. Their flavors are frequently altered but there is little loss of food value except for some loss of vitamins, particularly ascorbic acid and the B vitamins. Provided this is realized and fresh foods eaten to make up for this loss there is no harm in the increased use of preserved foods.

** Anti-Aging Guide **

Kaffir limes are not true limes. They are from the subspecies of the citrus family and also known as makrut. In South-east Asia, the tree is found easily as they are the native to that part of the world. The rind of the dark green knobbly fruit is sometimes used in Thai cooking while the leaves are the most used. The flesh of the kaffir lime fruit is not edible.

Whenever the leaves are torn or shredded, they release out an unmistakable citrus smell. In Thai cooking, the kaffir lime leaves are used very extensively and also a popular flavoring in Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma and Vietnam cuisines. The leaves are either shredded finely or torn to be used in soups especially the hot and sour soups, and curries.

** Asian Recipes **

Glutinous rice is also known as Khao niao in Thai, gao nep in Vietnamese, and mochi in Japanese. This is also known as sweet or sticky rice because of its texture when cooked. The broad, short grains are an opaque milky-white when raw and become translucent after cooking or steaming, just the opposite of other rice. Glutinous rice has to be soaked for at least 8 and up to 24 hours before being steamed. The cooked grains are tender, slightly sweet and chewy, but not gluey. It is the daily rice in Northeast Thailand, Laos, and parts of Vietnam and Cambodia, where it is squeezed into balls with the fingers and dipped in sauces or used as a scoop to pick up other foods. It is also used in making Asian sweets, snacks, and ceremonial foods, and often is steamed in lotus or banana leaves to make dumplings. Stuffing for dumplings range from braised chestnuts or spiced braised pork to Chinese sausage and dried shrimp, sweet azuki beans, or stewed preserved plums.

** Asian Recipes **

Medium-Grain Rice
This is another all-purpose rice. Kernels are shorter and a bit wider than long-grain varieties. This rice type is useful for making rice porridge and cooks up soft with a slightly sticky texture. It is also good as an everyday plain rice.

Short-Grain Rice
The most popular rice in Korea and Japan, often called sushi rice, is the variety used, mixed with sugar and rice vinegar to make sushi. Kernels are stubby with a plump almost round shape. Short-grain rice is slightly stickier than long-grain, making it easier to eat with chopsticks. When properly cooked it tends to form clumps of soft grains that cling together and have a shiny texture. Short-grain rice is commonly used for making rice porridge (congee) or enjoyed as plain table rice.

** Asian Recipes **

This is by far the most popular rice eaten in China and throughout Southeast Asia. The kernels are about five times as long as they are wide. Long-grain rice is the least starchy of all rice and cooks up dry and fluffy with grains that separate easily. It is the best type for making plain steamed rice, pilaf, and fried rice dishes.

There are many brands and varieties to choose from including naturally fragrant jasmine from Thailand called khao hom mali, aged basmati from India, and American labels such as Carolina, Patna, and Louisiana Pecan. Other good Thai jasmine brands are Ba Con Nai with a blue and red deer head logo on a white bag. Alternatively, you can also buy cartons of fresh-cooked rice from the deli counter to take home when you don't have time to cook your own.

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An aromatic long-grain type with very slender kernels, this rice is grown in India, Iran and Pakistan. It is aged for at least a year after harvesting to let it develop its full flavor. Both brown and white types are available and they have a nutty aroma and taste. Basmati rice expands greatly, especially lengthwise, as it cooks, creating distinct, dry, fluffy grains. Ideal for Persian and North Indian dishes as well as an excellent everyday rice.

Look for brands from India and Pakistan in brown burlap bags, often with colorful lettering and sewn-up handles. Royal Basmati in 11-pound burlap bags is good. Texmati is a Texas grown type of basmati, similar in character to the ones from Northern India.

** Asian Recipes **

A bivalve mollusk (similar to scallops, oysters, as well as clams), mussels consist of a variety of species. Two of the most well-known types are blue-black mussels, located across the Pacific, Atlantic, in addition to Mediterranean shorelines, plus the considerably less common New Zealand green mussels, shipped in from New Zealand. Both varieties have the identical taste, however the green varieties can be a little bigger and also significantly more costly.
When purchasing live mussels, lightly tap the shells. They have to snap shut, signifying the mussel is still alive. (Refrain from mussels having cracked shells.) Be aware that smaller mussels are generally more delicate as compared to bigger ones. When selecting among wild and farm-raised mussels, there is simply a trade-off in between texture and flavor. Some give preference to the flavor of wild mussels, however the cleaner farm-raised kinds are usually easier on the teeth since they typically have less grit.

When keeping live mussels, position them a single layer using a dish and then cover up using a moist cloth. Refrigerate for as long as two days. Get rid of those dead mussels prior to cooking (they should feel lighter compared to the rest). To completely clean and debeard the mussels just before cooking, utilize a hard brush, scrub the mussels beneath cold flowing water. Pull off of the mossy-looking "beard" out of every mussels and then wash again. Sand is easy to remove simply by soaking the mussels in salted cool water for an hour.

Even though you could pry open mussels by using a paring knife or perhaps an oyster knife, it is quickest to steam them open. Put the mussels inside a big pan and add about half cup water. Cover with a lid and steam them over high temperature until they open, approximately three minutes. Normally, those that tend not to open are generally dead or simply stuffed with mud. However , at times they can be simply stubborn, therefore it is truly worth trying to pry open and examine those not opened ones prior to discarding.

** Asian Recipes **

Appearances usually are not everything. On first glance, a truffle seems similar to some sort of irregular, warty, coarse, as well as lumpy formed mass. However the actual taste can be smooth just as velvet. Truffles mushrooms are actually highly valued fungi which grow subterranean, most abundantly underneath some specific oak and also hickory trees in Italy and France. They tend to be very costly for the reason that it normally takes keen pigs and canines to sniff out their natural undercover position during the fall and winter. Typically the common truffle is the size of a walnut, however they can easily grow until up to 6" across. Lots of varieties can be found, however white and black truffles are usually the most significant.

Black truffles (also known as black diamonds) come from the Perigord region in France. The color is in actual fact a dark brownish or even grayish purple-black. They possess an amazingly earthly fragrance and abundant, delicate taste together with nutty undertones. Moderate cooking gives away the finest flavor. White truffles are usually much more aromatic as well as pungent, tan or slightly brownish in shade, and thrive generously within the Piedmont location of Italy. Their musky, natural aroma along with flavor contains nuances of garlic and aged cheese, having an occasional peppery bite.

White truffles are generally almost often introduced raw into Italian cuisine, typically shaved into wafers over pasta, risotto, and also cheese gravies. When buying truffles, choose by means of scent. To keep them, bury the truffles within rice grains and then refrigerate up to 10 days. Make use of the truffle-flavored grain as well. For an inexpensive approach to delight in the flavor of truffles, purchase truffle oil, keep it inside the fridge, but finish it within one year. Truffle oil can be splendid drizzled over bread, salads, pasta, risotto, polenta, seafood, or vegetables.

Processed truffles are also readily available, however they possess significantly less flavor as compared to fresh and reduce to half their actual size, forming a more dense consistency and darker color.

** Asian Recipes **

Shiitake Mushrooms (Lentinus edodes)

Also known as black mushrooms, Chinese Black Mushrooms, black forest mushrooms, and golden oak mushrooms. Here we have one of the most successfully cultivated mushrooms. The dark, almost pointy caps range from just 1" to a very large 8" in diameter. The color of the caps is usually dark brown, almost black, but sometimes you will find them with a variegated or crackled beige appearance. The wonderful woodsy aroma and flavor of shiitake mushrooms intensifies when the mushroom is dried. Fresh shiitake should be firm and dry. The stems are always tough and should be removed before using. Shiitake can be grilled or broiled and they can star in simple stir-fries.

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