From arborio to basmati, jasmine to whole grain and pudding rice to paella, there are many kinds of rice which are used in a wide variety of cuisines, some of which need to be cooked a little differently to get the very best results.

To help, The Rice Association has shared its tips for cooking each one to perfection, as well as some myth busting facts, so you can enjoy this nutritious and versatile grain to the fullest.

Top Five Tips for Delicious Rice Every Time

1. Basmati – Basmati rice is ideal for making tasty Indian ‘fakeaways’ at home, such as curries, or even an on-trend Korean Bibimbap Bowl.

Cooking tip: Rinse the rice until the water runs clear before cooking. This helps to separate the grains and removes the surface starch from the rice, this stops it sticking together when cooking and results in delicious fluffy rice.

2. Long Grain – Long grain is the ultimate crowd-pleaser , and thanks to its subtle flavour, it can be used in so many types of dishes.

Cooking Tip: Place a tea towel over the rice once cooked to absorb the excess moisture and prevent it from dripping back onto the rice.

3. Fragrant/Jasmine Rice – Fragrant/Jasmine rice is the perfect partner to Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

Cooking tip: Remove the pot from the stove, and let it rest, covered, for five minutes and then fluff before serving.

4. Risotto Rice – Risotto rice (also known as Arborio rice) is often used for rich and creamy Italian dishes like risotto.  

Cooking tip: Add stock slowly so that the rice has time to absorb the liquid for a deliciously creamy result.

5. Pudding Rice – Pudding rice makes deliciously simple and great value desserts to please everyone.

Cooking tip: To release the starch in the rice that gives it its creamy texture it needs a low heat when cooking.

For more information on each type of rice, visit www.riceassociation.org.uk/types-of-rice

Rice Myths & Facts

1. Myth: Rice is hard to cook

Fact: Rice isn’t hard to cook! If you follow our simple step by step guide for cooking the different kinds of rice at www.riceassociation.org.uk/cooking-with-rice

you can enjoy perfect rice every time.

2. Myth: You can’t batch cook or freeze rice

Fact: You can batch cook and safely freeze any leftover cooked rice to eat another time. Cool the rice quickly after cooking and freeze as soon as it is cold enough. Pack the rice into a container, seal and place into the freezer. It can be kept for up to one month.

3. Myth: It’s dangerous to reheat rice

Fact: It is safe to reheat rice as long as you are careful. Cool your rice down as quickly as possible and get it in the fridge within an hour, but don’t keep it longer than 24 hours. Reheat it thoroughly until it’s piping hot all the way through and never reheat it more than once.

4. Myth: Rice has no nutritional value

Fact: Rice offers a host of nutritional benefits. All rice is low in fat, cholesterol and sodium, high in energy, and packed full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, B vitamins and potassium. Rice is also gluten free.

Royal icing is made traditionally with egg white and sets hard so has to be used on the same day. To avoid using raw egg, you can use pasteurised dried egg white instead – this can be made a few days in advance if kept in an airtight container in a cool place. Or you can buy ready-mixed royal icing sugar to which you just add water.

The following makes enough to cover at least 24 biscuits.

  13g Merriwhite (dried pasteurised egg white powder)

  500g icing sugar

  150ml warm water

  1 tbsp lemon juice or flavouring, such as lemon, orange or lime juice, rosewater, orange blossom water (optional)

Put the dry ingredients into a bowl, add the warm water and lemon juice and beat well to form a thick paste (about 7 minutes in a mixer on the highest speed). Add a tiny bit of extra water to make it a good thickness for piping, and even more water to make run-out icing.

ICING TIPS

1 Make sure your biscuits are completely cold before you start to ice them.

2 Try to stick to a colour theme and choose a maximum of three colours for your biscuit collection.

3 Use a cocktail stick to dab tiny spots of colouring paste onto the icing and mix well with a palette knife. The paste is very strong, so build up the icing to the shade you want in tiny amounts. If you overdo it, mix in some more white icing to soften the tone.

4 Mix up more icing than you think you need and cover the bowls tightly with cling film when you are not working with the icing, otherwise the contents will dry out.

5 Pipe an outline of your design in stiff royal icing 2-3mm from the edge of each biscuit making sure there are no gaps for the runny icing to escape from later. Once it’s completely firm flood it with runny icing.

6 Leave to harden for 3-4 hours before decorating on top of it. Use stiff royal icing to decorate with dots or patterns, or personalise with names, dates, etc. Use sugar florist paste to make flowers, stars or pretty decorations, or buy ready made icing decorations. Attach to the biscuits with a tiny dab of royal icing.

This classic Welsh Rarebit recipe is from Welshman Gareth Stevenson, head chef at Palé Hall Hotel, north Wales.

Ingredients

750ml full fat milk

500ml local ale

250g butter

250g plain flour

350g Hafod cheddar

120g Dijon mustard

30g Worcester sauce, or Hendersons for the vegetarian option

12 egg yolks 

Method

1. Heat the milk in a pan.

2. In a separate heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter, add the flour and mix to form a roux. Like a bechamel, gradually add the hot milk and then add the ale, beat it with a whisk to cook out the lumps. Take off the heat.

3. Mix in the cheese and stir till melted, then add the Dijon, Worcester sauce and egg yolks. Mix well.

4. Pour onto lined trays and allow to set in the fridge. 

5. Toast your choice of bread on both sides. Spread the cheese mixture and place under the grill until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown. Serve immediately.

Gareth’s top tip

“Welsh Rarebit is an absolute classic tasty dish, and I prefer not to fuss about with it too much. I like to use the combination of butter and egg yolks to soften the cheese and make it oozy and spreadable – it also elevates it from plain old cheese on toast. The addition of Dijon mustard and Worcester sauce give it that all important kick and of course I use my favourite Welsh cheese, Hafod Cheddar as it’s buttery and rich.”

The humble sandwich. Quick, convenient and tasty, thousands upon tens of thousands of us munch on sandwiches every day. But how much care do we put into creating our lunchtime bite? Probably not as much as we should, if research is anything to go on.

Experts at the University of Leeds studied the science behind what stops sandwiches from going soggy, and the optimum way to build them for a satisfying mouthful of all the fillings in one bite. And the trick is in the construction.

Professor Alan Mackie, Head of the Food and Nutrition School, at the University of Leeds, says: “There are three main areas of consideration — the bread, the spread and the filling. The trick is to place both pieces of bread side by side, then spread, place primary fillers on each slice, and finally add salad in the middle and place them together – rather than building your sandwich from the bottom up.”

So, for example, place cheese on one half, ham, or other protein on the other, and the salad and wet ingredients need to go in the middle. The scientists say doing it this way reduces ‘the sog’.

Symmetrical sandwiches also ‘stop the sog’. Dr Sally Moore, Lecturer and Registered Dietitian, also of University of Leeds, added: “The way to stop ‘the sog’, is to keep the moist ingredients away from the bread. People tend to construct their sandwiches vertically by buttering one layer of bread, then adding the layers of fillings, whether that is cheese, meat, or another protein, then putting salad on top, and finishing with another slice of bread as a lid.

“In most cases, the salad or greens are the wettest ingredients, but adding lots is going to help you achieve your 5-a-day fruit and vegetables where a lot of the moisture will be. So, we’d definitely recommend constructing sandwiches in a more symmetrical way. Butter two slices of bread, add half of the filling to each slice and then put the salad in the middle.

“Create a moisture shield with butter, mayo, mustard, hummus or whatever spreadable condiment you fancy to create a barrier between the wet ingredients and fillings, and the bread. Remember to spread right to the edges to create the seal to combat the moisture. “Also, use your loaf to choose your loaf – the sog is more likely with sliced white bread so go for sourdough, wholegrain or brown, all of which will bring a firm texture, a sturdy sandwich, as well as health benefits.”

In agreeance that the bread chosen is key, is Registered Nutritionist and spokesperson for Bath’s Bertinet Bakery Sourdough, Jenna Hope, who said: “The fibre and fermentation process in sourdough is central to its gut health benefits and as a nation, we are not getting enough fibre. In the UK, just 13 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women are reaching the recommendations for fibre of 30g per day. So, I would suggest using this specialist week to try sourdough, up your fibre and construct some great sandwiches.”

So, this British Sandwich Week, celebrate the great British butty and follow the science to get the basics right so you can take pride in your creation. Make your sandwich instantly instagrammable and boost your five a day intake with colourful ingredients – spinach, radish, peppers, shredded red cabbage and carrots add a pop of colour and bring texture and taste for butty bliss.

Here are eight tips to create the perfect sandwich that will stay crisp and fresh until you are ready to enjoy it, whether that be at your place of work, at a picnic, or on-the-go. 

• Layering is key – plan your layers so they are in the right order .

• Make sure your butter is spreadable and not too much or at room temperature – and spread right to the edges evenly

• Fold your meat rather than lie it flat.

• Dry your greens – if using salad leaves, pat them dry with kitchen paper • If you’re taking your sandwich to work or on a picnic, store the sliced, wet ingredients separately (e.g., tomatoes, cucumber, pickles) and add them in when you’re ready to eat it .

• Mix it up – don’t eat the same sandwich every day – mix it up so your lunch is a treat and adds excitement to your day. 

• Use up leftovers as fillings to avoid food waste.

• Eat mindfully – switch off the TV, put your phone away, sit in a comfortable chair, and savour every bite! 

Traditional shortcrust pastry is made up of two parts plain flour to one part fat, such as butter, plus a tiny amount of cold water. At Higgidy, we’ve had lots of practice making shortcrust pastry, so here is our trusted recipe, which is both delicious and easy to handle.

For the ultimate savoury flavour, we add cheese. This makes the pastry taste great and gives it a gorgeous golden colour when baked, but you can leave it out if you prefer a more traditional approach. To make a richer pastry, add a touch more butter and an egg yolk. The pastry can be made easily by hand or using a food processor.

Makes 350g

200g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting

Generous pinch of salt

100g butter, well chilled and cut into 1cm cubes

30g Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

1 egg yolk, beaten

About 3 tablespoons ice-cold water

How it’s done — by hand

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the butter; lightly rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add the Parmesan, if using, and rub again until the cheese is mixed in evenly.

4. Add the beaten egg yolk and measured ice-cold water and mix with a round-bladed knife until the mixture just comes together to form a dough.

How it’s done — in a food processor

Making shortcrust pastry in a food processor takes just minutes. Pulse the flour, salt, butter and cheese, if using, together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk beaten with the ice-cold water and pulse until the mixture just comes together to form a dough, adding a tiny bit more water if you think it’s needed. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

TOP TIPS TO MAKE THE PERFECT PASTRY

Jordan Moore, Senior Chef at online recipe ordering service, Gousto, has shared some advice for pie making success!

Create a pie shield to protect burning edges – It’s really easy for the edges of your pie crust to get too brown (or burnt) whilst your pie filling bakes. Creating a pie shield with a large piece of foil will help protect those delicate borders. Simply cut a circle of foil to resemble a ring donut and fit it around the edge of the pie dish to cover just the crust, leaving the filling free to bake. Remember to remove the foil during the last 15 minutes of baking, or until the edges are golden brown. Using a glass pie pan also reduces the risk of over-baking as it heats more gently.

Eliminate the soggy crust – A great hack we love to prevent a soggy crust is to brush the pastry on the base of the pie a beaten egg before adding the filling. Adding a sprinkling of flour over the bottom layer of pastry also helps to form a layer and prevent a soggy crust. Another method is to partially bake your shortcrust pastry base for 20 minutes, using baking beans to prevent it rising and keep it even. Remember, assembled pies should only be refrigerated for a few hours before baking, otherwise the trapped moisture creates a soggy crust.

Keep the butter cold – An oldie-but-goodie tip is using cold butter when making pie pastry. It doesn’t hurt to pop your pie plate and mixing bowl in the freezer to chill before working. This all helps to keep the butter from melting inside the crust, allowing you to make the pastry nice and flaky.

Flaky crusts – Adding a few tablespoons of ice-cold water to the pastry at a time is a good way to ensure you have the flakiest crust possible. Going slowly, adding more if needed, is a good way to judge it. For the flakiest crust, you want to add as little water as possible.

A touch of cornflour for fruit pies – If you’re making a delicious fruit pie for dessert, try adding a teaspoon or two of cornflour to your filling. Cornflour is a natural thickener, which helps juicier fruit pies set and slice more easily.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of shortcrust pastry, you can experiment with adding extra flavours, such as nuts, herbs or seeds. Stir in once the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, just before you add the egg yolk and water. Be aware that some additions, such as moist herbs or oily nuts, can make the pastry harder to handle. Try the following:

A TABLESPOON OF FINELY CHOPPED FRESH HERBS — woody herbs such as thyme, rosemary and oregano work best. Avoid wetter herbs like chives or parsley, and remember to remove any stalks before chopping.

A COUPLE OF TEASPOONS OF SEEDS, such as sesame, poppy, black onion (nigella) or caraway. These add flavour and texture to the pastry.

SPICES, such as a pinch of saffron threads, paprika or dried chilli flakes. These taste delicious and give the pastry a beautiful colour.

MY SOURDOUGH IS NOT RISING ENOUGH

Ensure that your starter is lively and bubbly when you mix the dough. If it is not at its peak, there won’t be enough microbial activity to allow your dough to rise. If it is not at its peak, there won’t be enough microbial activity to allow your dough to rise. If your starter is active but your dough is still not rising, try increasing the temperature of the water slightly (by 1-2 ̊C) or placing the dough in a warmer environment to prove. The other possible reason is that the flour you are using needs more water — this might be because it contains a lot of fibre or protein.

MY LOAF IS STICKING TO THE TIN

Be generous with the fat, and dust the tin with plenty of flour, seeds or rolled oats. A quicker and more reliable method is to line with baking parchment.

MY BAKE IS OVERBAKED OR UNDERBAKED

Every oven is slightly different, so I recommend using baking times as a guide. Check your bake 5-10 minutes before the end of the baking, but be prepared to bake for longer if needed.

Extract from 10-Minute Sourdough, Breadmaking for Real Life by Vanessa Kimbell

The experts at Denby share four warning signs to look out for to ensure that you’re buying the real deal.

SWEETENER IS USED

Sugar and sweeteners are important ingredients for many other types of bread. As well as giving the crust that nice golden colour and helping the bread retain moisture, these ingredients also act as a food for the yeast. The yeast converts the sugar and sweeteners into carbon dioxide, which therefore helps the bread rise quicker. However, genuine sourdough has a natural fermentation process, so yeast, and therefore sugar, is not required for it to rise.

A LONG EXPIRY DATE

Sugar and sweeteners also act as a preservative, so without it, the bread will have a shorter shelf life. If you see a sourdough with an expiry date that’s weeks away, this will almost certainly be a sourfaux.

YEAST IS IN THE INGREDIENTS LIST

While yeast is a key ingredient for most other forms of bread, it’s not necessary for sourdough loafs. This is because fermented flour is used, which allows bacteria and
yeast to grow naturally when left for enough time (Spoon University). Instead of yeast,
a genuine sourdough will have one of
the following listed: “sourdough starter”, “mother culture”, “starter culture”, or “starter”.

IT CONTAINS VINEGAR

Sourdough gets its distinctive tart flavour from the acids which are produced in
the fermentation process. While this is a difficult taste to replicate, this doesn’t stop some from trying. A sourfaux will often use vinegar to imitate this tangy flavour, so keep an eye out for it in the ingredients list.

Advice by Denby Pottery

It’s that time of the year when the Great British Bake Off is back on our screens, and baking fever grips the nation.
Over the last 18 months or so, thanks to lockdowns, many people have baked more than ever before — it’s no coincidence that “banana bread” was one of the most searched for recipes last year. But to win that coveted apron takes some special skill, and even the most talented bakers can, from time to time, find themselves stymied by some seemingly basic recipes (remember brownie-gate last season?). To help you master some of the techniques frequently put to the test on our favourite baking show, Casey Stoddard, Commercial Director at Burns the Bread bakers in Glastonbury has shared his top tips.

How do you know if you have kneaded bread for long enough?
Kneading bread can be quite a physical task and there are three signs that will tell you when you’re ready to stop.
1 If the dough tears then you need to knead for a bit longer, if it stretches and forms a thin almost see-through layer you’re good.
2 If you press your finger into the dough and it leaves an indent then you need a little longer. The dough should spring back when you’re ready.
3 Your dough should also have a nice smooth texture. If it’s still a bit wet and sticky your dough isn’t ready quite yet.

How do you roll a roulade without it cracking?
Roulades can be extremely basic but look ever so delicious! It’s easiest to roll a roulade when it’s still hot, first, place it on a fresh sheet of baking parchment and start to roll it fairly tightly. The baking parchment will stop the sponge from sticking to itself. Once cooled unroll slowly, this makes it much easier to roll again once you’ve topped with your favourite filling.

How do you prevent a “soggy bottom” when making a pie?
Blind baking is always a pretty good way of ensuring your pie doesn’t have a soggy bottom, but I find baking at a relatively high heat of 220 degrees and then turning the oven down to 180 around halfway through has generally worked for me.

What’s the secret to a perfectly gooey brownie?
Whenever I bake brownies, I always like to underbake them and, brownies can go from perfect to overdone in just a couple of minutes. Peanut Butter Brownies are my favourite!

Does it matter if you bake your cake in the top, middle or bottom of the oven?
Each oven is unique, in the bakery all our deck ovens have a stone base so it’s very different from your oven at home, but as a rule I like to put my cakes in the middle of the oven at home. You want to get a nice even amount of heat around the whole cake.

It’s easy to talk about “Indian food” in a blasé manner, considering ourselves experts because we know the menu at our local takeaway like the back of our hand. But really, that is doing it a great disservice. After all, India is vast; really vast. A subcontinent made up of 28 states and seven union territories it’s home to a wide diversity of people and cultures, with influences drawn from all over the globe, including the Moguls, Portuguese, Persians and British. So, then, it’s perhaps not surprising that every state has its own cookery style and tastes based on seasonal produce, local traditions and cultural influences. As a general rule, in the colder, northern states, warming, aromatically spiced dishes are eaten, whereas in the more intense heat of the southern states, the food tends to be lighter, with more use of coconut. Here, we take a closer look at some of the main characteristics of the cuisines of different regions.

NORTHERN INDIA
(Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,
and Rajasthan)

The food of northern India is heavily influenced by its history, topography and climate, with strong Central Asian influences in both its food and culture.
The climate results in an abundance of specific ingredients, such as wheat, rice, maize, dairy, mustard seed, dried fruits, pistachios, almonds, saffron, turmeric and cumin. There’s a big influence from the Mughal empire too, which ruled during the 16th and 17th centuries — paneer, ghee and yoghurt all frequently featured in the dishes served in the opulent courts.
Dishes in the north — and Punjab especially — often revolve around the tandoor oven, which is used to cook meats and breads.

Popular Dishes

Amritsari macchi: River fish coated in a chickpea batter then deep-fried and served with various chutneys.
Roghan Gosht: (aka Roahn Josh): Slow-cooked lamb stew using fennel, ginger and rattan jyot (made from tree bark).
Jalebi with Rabdi: Swirls of deep-fried batter, topped with a creamy condensed-milk sauce, spices, sugar and nuts.
Malai kofta: Fried pastries filled with spiced potatoes, onions, peas and lentils.

SOUTHERN INDIA
(Karnataka, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamilnadu and Kerala)

Loganathan Ramasamy, is Head Chef at My Local Indian (mylocalindian.com) which produces restaurant-quality, authentic Southern Indian food which is freshly cooked and frozen, to seal in and preserve the aromas and flavours, and delivered direct to homes. He tells us more about the cuisine which he loves.
“Explorers, traders and adventurers have been drawn to Kerala for more than a thousand years, from all corners of India and the world. This melting pot of culinary and social history has influenced recipes down the centuries, resulting in a mix of flavours, ingredients, textures and tastes that are unique to this tropical paradise at India’s southern tip. From spectacular Chinese fishing nets on the waterside, to the synagogues, churches, temples and mosques that sit side by side in bustling streets that lead to the docks and the spice markets — the ports of Kerala’s western shore, lapped by the waters of the Arabian
Sea, live their history in vibrant colour. Traders, migrants and invaders were drawn here by the exotic spices that made many a fortune over the centuries and which colour the rich palette of Keralan cuisine.
“Lovers of Indian food will be familiar with dishes mainly using chicken and lamb, however Keralan dishes often have a seafood base, with tumeric, cardamom, pepper and coconut gently infusing with the delicate flavour of the fish. Arabian explorers and traders brought with them their love of rich and meaty beef and mutton stews, and these too, flavoured with cumin, clove, ginger and black pepper are popular dishes. Vegetarians are also very well catered for in Keralan cuisine, with the freshest vegetables and tropical coconut, mango and pineapple featuring in many dishes, as well as warm and comforting dhal and chickpea-based recipes.”

Popular Dishes

Achayan’s Beef Ularthiyathu: Tender beef slow roasted in a mixture of spices, onions, curry leaves and coconut flakes.
Keralan Fish Curry: Sea bass chunks cooked with aromatic spices, coconut cream and tangy tamarind.
Toddy Shop Kappa: Tapioca mash seasoned with a mixture of spices, ground coconut and curry leaves.
Munnar Chicken: Chicken cooked in rich spices finished with coconut milk cutting through the spicy flavour.

EASTERN INDIA
(Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, and Assam)

The cuisine of this region is characterised by the seas and rivers. Coconut palms line the coasts, while the fertile plains are covered with mustard and tea plantations. Green vegetables, fruit and rice are all plentiful, thanks to the humid climate and epic rainfalls. Fish from the Bay of Bengal is eaten frequently in place of meat, with cooling yoghurt making an appearance at almost every meal. Mustard oil is often used for cooking (especially in Bengali cusine), giving dishes a distinctive pungent, but slightly sweet, flavour. Food from this area is characterised by subtle spicing, often involving mustard, cumin, anise and fenugreek seeds.

Popular Dishes

Puchkas: A flaky shell full of sour tamarind water, chaat masala, potatoes, chilli and chutney,
Halmuri: Puffed rice with a mixture of vegetables, nuts and spices.
Machher jhol: A tomato-based fish curry.
Chhena poda: Roasted cottage cheese with cashews and raisins.
Payesh: Rice pudding sweetened with jaggery.
Baah gajor gahori: Pork with bamboo shoots and sticky rice.

WESTERN INDIA
(Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and Konkan)

The cuisine in the Western region is highly diverse.
Due to its coastal location, coconut milk, fish and seafood are dominant in the dishes of Maharashtra. In contrast, however, the interior regions rely much more heavily on grains and cereals. Gujurat is especially well known for its vegetarian dishes, as well as chutneys. Goa acted as a major trade port and colony for Portugal, resulting in a distinctive and unique blend of Indian and Portuguese culinary elements. Goan cuisine uses pork and beef with greater frequency than other regional cuisines in India, fish is also a staple. Goan cuisine usually tends to be hot and spicy and uses a lot of coconut milk, coconut paste, vinegar, and tamarind juice.

Popular Dishes

Koliwada: Spicy battered and fried fish.
Kombdi vade: Chicken curry and deep-fried bread.
Kismur: A type of salad made using dried shrimp or fish, coconut and onions.
Choris pao: Local bread stuffed with pork sausage.

It’s one of the most ancient methods of leavening a loaf. But until, perhaps, a decade or so ago, sourdough seemed to have fallen out of favour and instead, ready-sliced, mass-produced loaves, ready to grab off the supermarket shelves became many shoppers’ daily bread of choice.
Now though, this slow-fermented loaf is having something of a renaissance, appearing on menus (these days, is it even a proper brunch without smashed avo on sourdough?) and shop shelves all over the place. And this rise in popularity is showing no signs of slowing any time soon. But what is it that makes sourdough quite so special?

SOMETHING SPECIAL

Suzanne Hiscott, Director (and baker!) at the Cornish Sourdough Bakery in Launceston, believes that there’s a few reasons behind our love affair with sourdough.

“The long fermentation process, and the time that goes into making sourdough creates a depth of flavour within the bread that I think makes it the best you will ever taste,” she says.
“People are realising that there’s a lot of mass-produced food on the market, and now they are making healthier choices,” she continues.
“Sourdough is the way we used to make bread in ancient times, and it was only really in the 50s that things changed. Additives and that sort of thing started to be added to the flour, and it’s no coincidence that since then people started having more and more intolerances to bread. Sometimes people think they are gluten intolerant, but actually they are just intolerant to the modern way of making this wonderful food.”
(This could be because in the sourdough process, gluten is broken down in a way that just doesn’t occur in yeasted bakes. It’s also worth noting that sourdough produces a lower surge in blood sugar than other breads.)
“We all know that during the Covid-19 lockdowns people started making their own bread,” adds Suzanne. “And I think that also made people realise, especially in rural areas, that there’s a convenience factor to making their own bread. There are no artificial additives and preservatives in sourdough, but the fermentation process produces lactic acid which acts as a natural preservative so sourdough actually lasts very well.

MANY FORMS

When most people think of sourdough, it’s usually an image of a rounded loaf, with a crisp, crackly crust. But sourdough is so much more than that. Although we tend to use the term “sourdough” to mean the type of bread, it actually refers to the method, in which a “starter” of combined flour and water is fermented over several days with regular additions of flour and water by the wild yeasts and lactobacilli naturally present in ground grain. This starter is then added to the dough, which is then left to rise for several hours, and it is this which creates the characteristic tangy taste.
“Sourdough can be all kinds of products,” explains Suzanne. “It is great as pizza dough, or can be croissants, or brioche. Basically, you can take any yeast recipe and adapt it to sourdough. The only difference is time. Yeast reacts very quickly while sourdough is a longer process.
“You can try using different flours, such as spelt, and you can experiment with different flavours too. You can add dried herbs or seaweed into the dry ingredients, or add wet ingredients, like fruit, during the fermentation process. Or you can just add different flavours when you are shaping your loaf, just before you put it in the proving basket. The advantage of that method is that you can just make one batch of dough!”

HOW IS IT DONE?

You might be forgiven for thinking that producing bread with so many seemingly magical qualities is a task beyond the capabilities of a mortal baker. But although there is undoubtedly a skill to baking a cracking sourdough (as there is with any type of bread, to be fair) it’s perhaps not as difficult as you might think.
The first thing you’ll need though, is a starter. And once you have one, if you keep feeding and maintaining it, it can last and last. Some bakers sell starters, but it’s easy enough to make your own.
“It’s easy to do,” says Suzanne. “All it takes is some flour, water and a bit of time and tinkering. Stone-ground flour is best as it is milled at a lower temperature which maintains more of the natural bacteria. Once you have a starter you can just use a bit, then refeed it. It’s a very useful tool to have in your fridge.”
Find a step-by-step guide to growing your own starter on page 31.
If you want to learn from the masters, The Cornish Sourdough Bakery run Sourdough Masterclasses.
Find out more at www.cornishsourdoughbakery.co.uk

When to comes to cooking, students are often tarred with the same brush, but contrary to popular belief, it is possible to get through the university years without surviving on a diet of beans on toast and instant noodles. All it takes is the mastery of a few basic cooking skills and knowing how to shop economically and it’s easy to eat well on a limited budget. From making one main ingredient stretch across multiple meals to recreating takeaway dishes, from mastering the perfect mince to learning how to entertain on a budget, it’s easy to eat well during the university years.

LEARN THE BASICS…

Christine McFadden, aka, The Dorset Foodie, give us her top tips for students who are cooking for themselves for the first time.

• PERFECT MINCE.
  When cooking mince, fry small quantities at a time in a wide pan over a medium-high heat WITHOUT stirring. This allows the surface to brown and gives the mince a richer flavour. The usual way is to dump te whole lot inot a saucepan and stir over a medium heat, but by doing this, the juices leak out and the meat turns into grey, greasy pellets.
• PERFECT PASTA.
  Don’t even think about buying supermarket fresh pasta. It is often rubbery and tasteless. Dried pasta is a better bet and can be stored indefinitely. Always cook the sauce before the pasta. The sauce can usually be kept waiting, but if you leave cooked pasta hanging around it can become sticky. Use a BIG pot – one that the pasta can easily move around in and remember that you need 1 litre of water for every 100g of pasta.
• PERFECT RICE.
  There’s no mystery to cooking perfect fluffy rice, so say goodbye to expensive packs of boil in the bag or easy cook rice. You need about 50-75g per serving depending on appetite. Rinse the rice well and put in a pan with just enough water to cover by the depth of your thumbnail. Once cooked, you can leave the rice in the pan for up to 30 minutes, off the heat, useful if you’re short on hob space. Cover it with a wad of kitchen paper or a CLEAN tea towel. Put the lid back on and leave until ready to serve.

Chef Peter Gorton shares his top tips for students learning to fend for themselves…

It’s trendy to entertain casually and whip up a little feast. There is no need for matching cutlery or fancy place settings: cooking is a social occasion and getting your friends involved is great fun. It’s important to learn how to cook for lots of different reasons, not least because so much depends on the food we eat: our health, energy and ability to concentrate. If you learn to cook, you can always gather a few ingredients together and conjure up a little meal for yourself and friends, wherever you are in the world.

Getting to grips with cooking for yourself can be a real learning curve for students, especially if it’s your first time away from home. This guide should help students to master basic cooking skills that are needed – after all, eating junk food, skipping meals altogether or surviving on beans on toast will have a serious effect on your health…

MASTERING THE BASIC COOKING SKILLS

• Start with a positive attitude and set your goals. Being optimistic is the most important attitude that you need to help towards both your cooking success and your studies.
• Learn how to chop an onion, then take time to understant cooking terms and learn basic techniques like slicing, dicing and chopping. Be sure to practise: try making simple recipes that ensure that you use a lot of techniques. Oriental salads, for example, are great for improving your knife skills.
• Select the freshest ingredients possible
• Invest in cooking tools and simple kitchen equipment to make your cooking a lot easier. Don’t forget to use a sharp knife and remember that charity shops are good places to buy pans and other kitchen items.
• Don’t be afraid to get messy, but be sure to tidy up afterwards
• Buy a cheap timer to ensure that your efforts aren’t burnt
• Plan ahead of time, or as chefs would say, mise en place (everything in its place)
• Taste, taste and taste again. It is good to taste your creations at the beginning, middle and end. When cooking, imagine yourself eating the dish and that will help you to get the proportions right. Always season with yoru fingers and never a spoon because you are more likely to get the quantities right.
• Practise, practise and practise again, but have fun and include your friends: this way you will always improve and not find it a chore.
• Remember, cooking should be fun!