Artikel: Tips Mengolah Bahan Roti

Tips Mengolah Bahan Roti
kiriman: Bunda Suhaila, Stabat- SUMUT
Tren mengonsumsi makanan yang serba praktis bagi masyarakat modern seperti sekarang ini merupakan fenomena yang tidak dapat dibendung lagi. Jenis resep makanan yang praktis serta kaya akan nutrisi, pasti menjadi pilihan. Apalagi bagi Anda yang tergolong orang yang sibuk dan tidak ingin repot, mengonsumsi roti merupakan pilihan yang tepat.

Membludaknya bakery shop baru yang terus bermunculan atau yang lebih mudah dijumpai yakni tukang roti yang lewat di depan rumah sepanjang waktu, makin memanjakan kita untuk tetap mencicipi resep sepotong roti. Makanan praktis ini begitu populernya disemua kalangan, penggemarnya pun tidak terbatas hanya anak-anak atau remaja saja, tapi juga orang tua.

Tak ada yang bisa menyebutkan secara pasti kapan resep roti ditemukan oleh manusia. Sudah sejak beberpa ratus tahun yang lalu, roti merupakan makanan yang bernilai dalam berbagai bentuknya dan dijadikan makanan pokok oleh banyak penduduk di dunia. Oleh karena kelainan kebisasaan makan di masing-0masing negara, maka ukuran, bentuk dan susunan rotinya berbeda satu dengan lainnya. Berbagai jenis resep roti, ada roti resep Perancis, resep Wina, resep Italia, Rekanan resep Belanda, resep Kismis, resep Rye Egg, resep Twist, resep Gandum Pecah dan yang terkenal adalah roti resep khas Arab yang di bakar di dinding tungku.

Zaman dulu roti dibuat dari resep gandum yang digiling menjadi tepung terigu murni yang dicampur dengan air dan dibakar diatas batu panas atau di dasar oven yang sangat sederhana. Seiring dengan perkembangan zaman dan makin banyak pakar bakery, kini roti yang kita kenal makin banyak macam resepnya.

Ada begitu banyak jenis roti, mulai dari roti tawar polos hingga roti aneka isi, biasanya orang menyebutnya dengan roti manis. Sebutan roti manis ini agak sedikit unik, karena resep rotinya ada isinya, yaitu berasa gurih dan manis.

di negara kita, roti manis sangat variatif sekali. Mulai dari rasa hingga bentuknya yang cukup lucu-lucu dan mengemaskan. Tak heran, banyak orang memilihnya sebgai sajian yang praktis untuk bekal, entah itu untuk liburan ataupun bekal ke kantor.

Nah, daripada selalu membeli roti, tak ada salahnya Anda mencoba membuat roti resep sendiri, pasti mengasyikkan dan jangan takut gagal. Coba!

Bahan Roti Yang Harus Diperhatikan:

1. Tepung
Pada umumnya tepung terigu merupakan tepung yang paling sering digunakan untuk membuat roti, karena kandungan proteinnya cukup tinggi. Saat diadoni, protein akan berubah menjadi gluten yang kemudian akan memberi tekstur yang bagus pada roti. Jadi, makin tinggi proteinnya, makin bagus pula roti yang dihasilkan. Tapi tak jarang pula, untuk mendapatkan resep roti yang lembut, banyak para bakery mencampurkan resepnya dengan tepung terigu yang proteiinnya sedang.

2. Ragi.
Bahan pengembang yang paling populer untuk resep roti ini ada 3 jenis yakni:
1. Ragi basah, aromanya lebih tajam sehingga roti yang dihasilkan lebih khas baunya, namun penggunaanya kurang pas.
2. Ragi kering, begitu juga dengan ragi jenis ini, pemakaiannya cukup ribet karena harus dimasukkan ke dalam air dulu.
3. Ragi Instan, jauh lebih praktis dan penggunaannya cukup mudah karena tinggal diaduk dalam adonan.

3. Gula
Adonan resep roti yang menggunakan ragi, harus menggunakan gula. Mengapa? karena gula berfungsi mengaktifkan ragi. Tidak hanya itu saja, gula juga membuat warna roti lebih cokelat. Macam gula yang bisa digunakan, ada gula pasir, brown sugar, madu atau sirup gula.
4. Garam
Dalam penggunaanya yang sedikit, penambahan garam pada adonan resep sangat besar fungsinya selain memberi rasa asin. Saat memasukkan garam, sebaiknya jangan dicampur dengan ragi karena akan menghambat kerja ragi.

5. Telur
Tidak bisa dipungkiri, roti yang menggunakan telur akan terasa lezat dibandingkan yang tidak menggunakannya. Banyak orang cenderung menggunakan kuning telur ketimbang putihnya. Karena, rasa roti akan lembut dan warna kuningnya akan lebih menarik.

6. Lemak
Yang sering digunakan adalah margarin atau mentega, khusus resep roti buatan Italia biasanya menggunakan minyak salad. Bahan ini akan membuat roti lebih kaya rasa dan juga lebih lembut.

7. Cairan
Bisa menggunakan air ataupun susu cair, karena fungsinya sama-sama melembutkan roti.***

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source: Tabloid Lezat

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Buying a Barbeque Grill

Do you enjoy eating outdoors? Many people appreciate the fresh air and attractive views available at many camping spots or sometimes from their own backyard. One way to get the most from having a meal outside is by cooking it yourself over a barbeque grill, which is not difficult if you become familiar with a few safety tips and helpful hints. But before reaching that point, you will want to purchase a suitable grill for outdoor use. Here are some tips that can help you select one that will suit your lifestyle.

1. Decide how much you can afford to spend. A $50 charcoal brazier might fit your budget best for now. Over time, you could save a few hundred dollars to buy a more deluxe model with an outdoor light and optional side shelves. Plan your purchase before walking into the store so you won't be talked into spending more than you can afford.

2. Select a preferred style of cooking grill. Some people prefer the old fashioned method of charcoal briquettes that are ignited by lighter fluid. Other folks like to use a plug-in electric model that cooks more evenly. Some outdoor cooks want to use a gas grill. Check out each type at your favorite sporting goods or department store. Each style requires the purchase or preparation and storage or maintenance of fuel components like charcoal, kerosene, gas, or electric outlets.

3. Carefully choose the most useful auxiliary items. Don't be lured into paying hundreds of dollars more for items you won't use. You can get stainless steel casings, a warming section, burner controls, a nighttime light, the barbeque utensil kit, and a host of other options that look great at the store but may sit idle at home. You can always add more features later if you feel they are needed.

4. Shop for the best deal. Try to plan ahead and buy your grill at the end of the summer when patio and lawn items go on sale. Compare styles, costs, and features among various stores, and ask about sales events or rebates to further reduce the cost.

5. Have a storage area in mind. To make your barbeque last, get one that will fit a suitable place in the garage, shed, patio, or basement. You may want to invest in a vinyl or other type of cover to help prevent rust and mold.

If you plan to cook outdoors, it may be helpful to check out patio furniture or a picnic table when you shop for a grill. Sometimes you can buy a certain amount of merchandise and get a ten percent or higher discount. To cut costs, think about using paper plates and plastic table service for family and/or guests. If desired, you can always use regular dishes for special occasions. ***

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by Charles Kassotis
About the author: For more information about selecting and using barbeque grills, along with a variety of features and options as well as safety tips, visit The Barbeque Spot at http://www.barbequespot.com

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Health Benefits for Chai Drinkers

What is Chai Tea?
"Chai" actually means "tea" in Hindi, so calling "chai" "chai tea" is actually rather redundant. However, marketers in the western world thought that "chai tea" would help them sell the "new" product to the western market. Chai is actually centuries old, with its origins in India. Generally, it is a milky, spiced tea made with black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, pepper, and various other spices. It is usually sweetened - most commonly with sugar, but some drinkers prefer honey. There is not a universal recipe for chai, as different drinkers like it different ways, so the spice list can change depending on who's making it.

It is most likely this list of ingredients not often found in western beverages that makes chai seem "exotic" to westerners. But in India, chai is as common as tea is in Britain and coffee is in the United States. In fact, it's so common that in many Indian households, the first thing a host offers a guest is a cup of chai.

Potential Health Benefits of Chai
Some tea companies tout the health benefits of drinking their chai product - but buyer beware. While chai is certainly better for the body than a drink such as coffee, because not all chai is made with the same ingredients, it's not really possible to state that chai is universally beneficial. And it's also more likely to benefit the drinker when the drinker has brewed his/her own chai, rather than buying boxed chai or chai in tea bag form. Why? Simply because the spices and herbs being used are much fresher. Here is a list of some of the benefits of the different ingredients in most chai recipes:

1) Cinnamon: In a recent study by the US Agricultural Research Service, cinnamon has been shown to benefit diabetics because the cells are less likely to let insulin in. In lab rats with Type 2 diabetes, cinnamon helped lower blood pressure and prevented cell damage. Cinnamon's oils also help to stop the growth of certain bacteria and yeasts.

2) Ginger: In the Far East, ginger has been used for over two millennia to treat upset stomach, diarrhea, arthritis, and heart disease. Recent research by western scientists also suggests that ginger may help lower the risk of colon cancer.

3) Cardamom: Like ginger, cardamom is often used to soothe digestion problems. But it is also used to treat respiratory problems such as asthma or people suffering from other kinds of respiratory spasms. Further, in Saudi Arabia, animal studies have shown cardamom to have anti-inflammatory properties, reducing muscle spasms.

4) Cloves: Used in Ayurvedic medicine as an analgesic, cloves are most often used to soothe toothaches and remedy halitosis. It also has antiseptic qualities, and can be used to kill intestinal parasites, fungi, and bacteria. These latter qualities have also led cloves to be used for treating diarrhea and similar digestive ailments.

5) Pepper: Most chai recipes do not usually contain enough black pepper for it to be of significant benefit to its drinkers. However, black pepper does reduce intestinal gas and works as an antioxidant.

Just remember: The best way to ensure that your regular cup of chai provides you with the health benefits you're looking for is to brew it yourself. Then you can select the herbs and spices that benefit your specific health condition. ***

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by Rachel Medlock
About the author: Rachel Medlock is a connoisseur of hot drinks, including chai. She runs the informational website, http://www.MyChaiTeas.com.