Unusual ingredients explained

Unusual ingredients explained

Over the years, Dave and I have enjoyed using several unique products that can cause confusion for people who have never used them in the kitchen before. Whenever we talk about it, people inevitably have questions. Today we've put together a list of 4 items that we personally use a lot and explain what they are and how to use them.

Clear Jel is a refined cornstarch that is more responsive, especially for freezing and canning recipes; Cornstarch tends to become cloudy in these situations. Clear Jel is used in baking recipes in the same ratio of cornstarch (1:1). Like traditional cornstarch and the health food store alternatives - arrowroot and potato powder, etc. - this product must be combined with the sugar (or flour) specified in the recipe before adding to other ingredients to avoid the formation of lumps.

Sea salt is healthier than regular table salt; Because it requires less processing, it also has a lower environmental impact. It is a natural source of iodine, which, along with other nutrients, is essential for a healthy sex life. A local herbalist once told us that you can use sea salt in your bath water instead of Epsom salt.

Tamari is considered less salty than soy sauce and is often found in health food stores. You can find low-salt versions of tamari and soy sauce. However, tamari sauce contains enzymes that aid digestion and promote healthy gut bacteria.

Orange peel, citrus peel or citrus powder are all terms that refer to a similar product – we personally call it “citrus peel” in simple terms. It is used to bring out other flavors and condition flour. Chop and dry lemon, orange or lime peel (or use a food dehydrator) - process this into a powder using a blender or grinder and store in the cupboard like any spice or herb. 1 tbsp fresh peel equals 1 tsp. of dried; while 1 tbsp fresh peel equals 6 tbsp. Juice. Therefore, having this one ingredient in the cupboard offers more opportunities to reduce food costs.

Making your own citrus peel at home is a fantastic way to approach a more economical kitchen while reusing “waste” (the peels). Reducing salt, chemicals and preservatives from your diet will certainly improve your health too. Hopefully, knowing more about these items will help you use them in your kitchen.