FOODIE SPECIAL ................ Spicy twist with vanilla 

Spicy twist with vanilla





Love the aroma of vanilla in your food? Next time you want to restock this spice, remember that it can be used in more than just sweet dishes

The aroma of vanilla brings to mind birth day cakes, cookies and all things yummy .

All of us have a special memory of this sweet spice. Just like coffee beans and chocolate pods, the flavour of vanilla is highly dependent on the climate and soil where they are grown while the aroma is delicate, yet woody and floral. It is an essential ingredient for both sweet and savoury food like eggnogs, confectionary , French toast batter, puddings, liqueurs. A dash of this world's second most expensive spice gives an exciting twist to any dish, even a boring salad.

VANILLA AND ITS VERSATILE WAYS

Many bakers like to use brown vanilla flecks not only for their intense flavour, but also because they enhance the visual appeal when used in cakes, muffins or cup cakes which are lighter in colour.

While we are used to having vanilla extract and essence at home, keeping vanilla paste handy makes baking easy for the spontaneous baker.

Easy to store, it can be used directly from a jar. You can make vanilla sugar at home. Just remove the pods from the bean, rinse them, dry them and add to granulated or powdered sugar. Leave for a week or two to allow the vanilla to infuse the sugar. This can be used instead of regular sugar as it adds a wonderful vanilla flavour to desserts.

When whole dried vanilla beans are ground to a fine powder, it is called vanilla powder. Added to warm liquids, the vanilla flavour does not evaporate unlike it does with vanilla extracts. The benefit of using vanilla powder or vanilla paste is that it is not diluted in alcohol and you can mix it directly into a batter or dough to get instant vanilla flavour. Both are powerful, unadulterated and inexpensive than vanilla beans or vanilla extract.

Remember there is a difference between vanil la extract and vanilla essence with the essence being synthetic vanilla flavouring and is cheap er with a harsh flavour.

While buying vanilla extract check the label for its purity. Look out for imitation, which are made with synthetic vanilla infused with glyco side that leave a bitter aftertaste.

Whenever you use bottled vanilla, simply go as per the instructions mentioned on the bottle. Never overdo it, since even a drop goes a long way in giving out a pretty strong aroma.

Vanilla is sensitive to heat, so if you add it to something hot the paste might crystallize, taking away the vanilla flavour, which will spoil your dish. Always add it towards the end of the dish.

Buy from a trusted source to avoid buying a fake, cheap product.

Just like for sweet baked food, vanilla can give a surprisingly heady flavour to your savoury dishes too. So the next time you want to experiment with flavours, stock up your pantry with variety of vanilla products to add a vanilla twist to your non-sweet dishes.

7 WAYS OF USING VANILLA IN SAVOURY DISHES

Vanilla can be used to soften the acidity of tomatoes. A hint of vanilla to a tomato-based dish or corn chilly toast or baked beans will bring all the flavours together.

Before baking, brush a little vanilla paste on a savoury tart or pie.

Include it as a marinade for salmon fillets with freshly grated ginger.

Use it as a salad dressing along with olive oil and champagne vinegar.

A hint of vanilla in tomato salsa will enhance its taste.

Simply scrape the vanilla seeds into a butter sauce and spoon over boiled vegetables, grilled fish or mix it with cooked pasta.

Add it to your favourite dip and serve with toasted pita, chips, vegetables.

Seema Mattoo

  BT7AUG15