Easter Day went to Tepuka~Uninhabited Island

Tepuka~Uninhabited Island

                                 photo by Jancsi

                                 photo by Jancsi

                                 photo by Jancsi

                                 photo by Jancsi

12th fia fia cooking--Sponge Gourd Chicken Salad(20/04/2012)

 <<<To Eat is To Be Healthy>>>   20/04/2012

TODAY SPECIAL: Sponge Gourd Chicken Salad (10 Servings)

PLACE:Nukulaelae Maneapa

RECIPE 

Ingredient	Condimen
500g sponge gourd	Salt
3 chicken legs	Soy sauce
1 chili	Sugar
3 cloves of garlic	Black pepper
Cool water	Corn flour
	Sesame oil

                                 photo by Tracy

                                 photo by Lader

                                 photo by Tracy

                                 photo by Lader

       

         DIRECTION:

1.     Bone the chicken legs, cut them into strips, and marinate with salt, black pepper, some sugar, and corn flour.

2.     Peel the sponge gourd, remove the seeds, and cut into strips.

3.     Boil the sponge gourd for 10 seconds, and put them into cool water to keep them crunchy.

4.     Boil the chicken.

5.     Cut the garlic and chili finely.

6.     Mix the sponge gourd, chicken, garlic, chili, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, salt, some sugar, and sesame oil before serving. 

Health Benefits of Ridge Gourd (Loofah/Turai)

       The Ridge Gourd is an extremely popular vegetable in the African, Asian and the Arabic countries. It is also known by other names such as loofah, luffa, turai, turiya, tori etc. Originally believed to be originated in the Arabic desserts, this vegetable has spread throughout the world. It is a dark green, ridged vegetable having white pulp with white seeds embedded in spongy flesh. All species of ridge gourd/loofah are edible, but they must be consumed before they mature, or else they will be too woody and fibrous to eat.

      It has many health benefits such as:

•      A nutrition powerhouse: Ridge gourd is loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, thiamin, iron and magnesium. It is also low in fat and calories.
•      An ideal weight loss food: Being low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in dietary fiber, it becomes the ideal choice for anyone who wishes to lose some weight quickly. It also has a very high water content, making it a very low calorie vegetable (only 60 calories in 100 gm of cooked ridge gourd).
•      Cure for jaundice: The juice prepared from ridge gourd is a natural remedy for jaundice. The juice can be prepared by pounding the bitter ridge gourd and squeezing it through a cloth.
•       Blood purifier: Because of its blood purifying properties, it helps to purify, restore and nourish liver protecting it from alcohol intoxication.
•       Lowers blood sugar level: It contains insulin-like peptides, alkaloids and charantin, which help to lower blood and urine sugar levels without altering blood insulin levels.
•       Good for stomach: Cellulose in ridge gourd helps to overcome constipation and also aids in curing piles.
•       Skin care: When ridge gourd/loofah is allowed to mature and dry on the vine, it can be harvested as a sponge. Loofah sponge has been used traditionally as an exfoliating product when bathing. They are very good for removing dead skin cells leaving the skin smooth and conditioned. They can also help stimulate the skin thus making it healthier and more vibrant.

    The blood purifying properties make sure that you stay away from pimples and acne.

    Loofah sponge can also help control body and foot odor.

•       Strengthens immune system: A glass of Ridge gourd juice mixed with other healthy vegetables in the morning can help to strengthen your immune system against any infection.

 

11th fia fia cooking--Lady's Finger(13/04/2012)

 <<<To Eat is To Be Healthy>>>   13/04/2012

TODAY SPECIAL: Changeable Lady’s Finger  (10 Servings)

1. Lady’s Finger Roll

PLACE: Niutao Maneapa

RECIPE 

Ingredient	Condiment
200g Okra	Salt
500g Pork	Black pepper
1 apple	Sugar
2 cloves of garlic	Soy sauce
Cool water	Corn flour

 

photo by Tracy

photo by Lader

 

 

 

 

photo by Lader

photo by Lader

         DIRECTION:

1.     Slice the pork, and marinate with some garlic, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of sugar, grated apple, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for 20-30 minutes. (Marinating over night will be better.)

P.S The apple and paw paw could make the meat softer.

2.     Wash and scrub the skin of okras gently.

3.     Cut the pedicles of okras.

4.     Boil the okras for 10 seconds, and put them into cool water to keep them crunchy.

5.     Fold the pork with the okras. (Wrap the pork rolls.)

6.     Roast or fry the pork rolls until the color become golden brown. 

 

2. Lady’s Finger Salad

RECIPE

Ingredient	Condiment
200 kg Okra	Salt
3 cloves of garlic	Sugar
Chili	Vinegar
Ginger	Soy sauce
	Corn flour

photo by Tracy

  DIRECTION:

1.     Wash and scrub the skin of okras gently.

2.     Cut the pedicles of okras.

3.     Boil the okras for 3-5 minutes, and put them into cool water to keep them crunchy.

4.     Make the dressing:

·      Chop the garlic and ginger finely, and slice the chili.

·      Mix 1 ½ tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 ½ tablespoon of vinegar, and ½ tablespoon of sugar, boil the sauce with all the spices, and add some corn flour to make it sticky. 

5.     Pour the sauce on the top of the okras before serving.

 

3. Crisp Lady’s Finger

RECIPE 

Ingredient	Condiment
200 kg Okra	Salt
2 cloves of garlic	Wasabi
½ Radish	Black pepper
Egg	Soy sauce
Water	Flour
	Baking powder
	Sugar

 

photo by Tracy

DIRECTION:

1.     Wash and scrub the skin of okras gently.

2.     Cut the pedicles of okras.

3.     Add 1 bowl of flour, 2/3 bowl of water, some salt, and 1 egg to stir till it become batter .

4.     Make the dip or spice:

A.

·      Grate the radish and garlic.

·      Mix 1 ½ tablespoon of soy sauce, and ½ tablespoon of sugar.

·      When tasting time, add the radish paste, garlic, wasabi into the soy sauce to taste.

B.   Mix some black pepper and salt.

5.     Dip the okras in the batter, and then drop them into the hot oil.

6.     Deep-fry the okras with temperature of 150-180°C for 3-5 minutes.

7.     Sift the deep-fry okras and put all the spices and sauce aside before serving.

 

Benefits Of Okra

The versatile vegetable called okra is characterized by green color, elongated and tapering ridged pods (infused with double row of seeds) and slimy texture when cut open. It was discovered 3500 years ago in Ethiopia, though later it transcended to North America through slave trade and then to Europe, Asia and South and Central America. Early Egyptians are known to have loved its taste. Okra has several heath benefits, as it is rich in vitamin A, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid, riboflavin, calcium, zinc and dietary fiber. It is also enriched with amino acids, with the likes of tryptophan, cystine and other sulfur amino acids. Read through the following lines to know more about the nutrition and health benefits of okra, while exploring its nutritional value.

Nutrition & Health Benefits Of Eating Okra

1.    Okra is recommended for pregnant women, as it is rich in folic acid, which is essential in the neural tube formation of the fetus between the 4^th and 12^th week of pregnancy.

2.    The mucilage and fiber found in okra helps adjust blood sugar by regulating its absorption in the small intestine.

3.    The fiber present in the vegetable helps in maintaining the health of the

           gastro-intestinal tract.

4.    It helps absorb water and traps excess cholesterol, metabolic toxins and surplus bile in its mucilage, slipping it out through the stool.

5.    Okra is the ideal vegetable for weight loss and is a storehouse of health benefits, provided it is cooked over low flame to retain its properties.

6.    The vegetable is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming, has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of most individuals.

7.    The sodium content of okra is quite high. This is the reason why it is made into tablets, for replenishing sodium deficiency in the body. These tablets are also good for stomach ulcers.

8.    It contains a vegetable mucin that is soothing to the irritated membranes of the intestinal tract.

9.    Okra proves beneficial in normalizing blood sugar and cholesterol level in the human body.

10. The vegetable is good for asthma. The vitamin C present in it is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, helping curtail the development of asthma symptoms.

     11. Okra is good for atherosclerosis, and it is also believed to protect some forms of  
           cancer expansion, especially colorectal cancer.

     12.Some researches have shown that eating okra lowers the risk of cataracts.

     13.Okra is good for preventing diabetes and protects from skin ailments like pimples and acne.

10th fia fia cooking--Pumpkin Sandwich (05/04/2012)

 <<<To Eat is To Be Healthy>>>   05/04/2012

TODAY SPECIAL: Pumpkin Sandwich (10 Servings)

PLACE: SDA School

RECIPE     

Ingredient	Condiment
1 Pumpkin	Salt
2 Potatoes	Corn flour
1 carrot	Black pepper
2 cucumbers	Butter
5 eggs	Sugar
5 Chicken legs
1 loaf of bread

                                 photo by Lader

                                 photo by Lader

                                            photo by Tracy

                                           photo by Tracy

 

                                           photo by Tracy

       DIRECTION:

1.     Bone the chicken legs, dice it, and marinate it with salt, black pepper, some sugar and corn flour for 20 minutes.

2.     Peel the pumpkin and potatoes, chop them into chunks.

3.     Steam the pumpkin and potatoes until being soft. (You can use the rice cooker or gas stove, steam them for 30-40 minutes.)

4.     Boil the eggs for 8-10 minutes, put them into cool water, and peel the eggshells.

5.     Remove the yolks, and dice the egg whites.

6.     Peel and dice the carrot, and after boiling for a while, put them into the cool water to keep the crunchy taste. 

7.     After marinating the diced cucumbers with salt for 10 minutes, squeeze it.

8.     Boil the diced chicken.

9.     Press the pumpkin with the yolks, crush some of the potato, and dice others.

10. Add some butter into potato paste, and stir it at high speed until the potato paste become sticky. 

11. Mix all the ingredients with pumpkin paste:
diced carrot, cucumber, egg white, chicken, and potato, potato paste.   

12. Spread the pumpkin paste on one sliced bread, cover with another one, and cut along the diagonal before serving.

Benefits Of Pumpkin

Pumpkin is GOOD for:

• Artery: Beta-carotene helps prevent build up of cholesterol on the arterial walls, thus reducing chances of strokes.
• Staying young: Being rich in alpha-carotene, pumpkin is believed to slow the process of aging.
• Eyes: Pumpkins have been known to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious eye problem than usually results in blindness, and also prevent cataract formation.
• Bowel: The high amount of fiber, present in a pumpkin, is good for the bowel health of an individual.
• Blood pressure: Being loaded with potassium, pumpkin is associated with lowering the risk of hypertension.
• Immune system & Bone: The presence of zinc in pumpkins boosts the immune system and also improves the bone density. 

Pumpkin Seeds are GOOD for: 

• Prostate: They promote overall prostate health, apart from alleviating the problem of difficult urination that is associated with an enlarged prostate.
• Mood: They comprise of L-tryptophan, a compound that has been found to be effective against depression.
• Bone: They are believed to serve as a natural protector against osteoporosis.
• Anti-inflammatory: They have been known to reduce inflammation, without causing the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Kidney: Studies have revealed that they help prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.