Rice can help treat cholera better: Study
— By FPJ Bureau | Dec 08, 2014 12:12
am
Scientists at the Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland have shown that glucose
increases the toxicity of the cholera bacterium, whereas replacing glucose with
starch can reduce its toxicity by almost 75 per cent.The usual treatment for
cholera involves feeding the patient water mixed with electrolyte salts and
glucose. The idea is to replace the patient’s lost fluids and essential salts,
while the glucose acts as a source of carbon and helps the intestine to absorb
the salts more efficiently.The patient continues the therapy until the
infection has ran its course. Up to half of cholera patients would die without
treatment, but oral rehydration therapy has been shown to lower the deaths to
around 1 per cent, ‘Medicalxpress’ reported.
However, there are concerns that
using glucose in the rehydration mixture can actually exacerbate the disease.The
problem is that the infecting bacterium also consumes glucose, and that
increases the expression of its genes that make it toxic.Melanie Blokesch and
Andrea Rinaldo at EPFL correlated data from a recent cholera outbreak in Haiti
with the effectiveness of oral rehydration therapy. Blokesch’s lab grew the
cholera bacterium with different sugars (eg glucose, sucrose) and starch from
potatoes and rice to see how each would affect the cholera toxin genes.Scientists
found that both the activity of the genes, as well as the production of the
cholera toxin itself were increased when the bacterium was fed with glucose,
but they were considerably decreased when it was fed with starch from rice.The
research was published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
- See more at: http://freepressjournal.in/rice-can-help-treat-cholera-better-study/#sthash.sVXLWyJE.dpuf
Long dry
spell expected to dampen rice production
Ronnel W.
Domingo
2:36 AM | Monday, December 8th,
2014
MANILA, Philippines–The probability
that the El Niño weather disturbance will occur in the near future has climbed
back up to 70 percent, but a “strong” event is not expected, according to a
United Nations agency.In its latest market monitoring report, the Agriculture
Market Information System (AMIS) said the global rice supply situation would
remain “generally favorable,” although the rice production forecast for 2014
still indicated a decline from that of 2013.The AMIS, which is administered by
the Food and Agriculture Organization, attributes the expected decline—by 2 million
tons to 496 million tons—to contracting output in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka
and Thailand.
Last month, expectations of a long,
dry spell that could dampen food production were pegged at a 50-percent chance.Citing
information from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and the
International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), the AMIS noted
that atmospheric and sea surface conditions pointed to a 70-percent probability
that the El Niño could last until January.The criteria for an actual El Niño,
however, have not been met “because the conditions have not been in place long
enough, and certain atmospheric features have not yet appeared,” the AMIS said.
“A strong event is not expected, in
any case.”Still, the agency noted that the IRI forecast indicated an increased
chance of below-average precipitation in Southeast Asia.Rice farmers in the
Philippines are currently in the latter stage of harvest. But food security
authorities have raised their concerns over the possible effects of Typhoon
“Ruby” on agricultural production.According to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J.
Alcala, some 12,000 bags of seeds are now ready for distribution, and the
department has started to make preparations for what has been described to be
the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year.“We advise farmers, whose
crops are ready, to harvest quickly before Ruby arrives,” Alcala said on
Friday. “We want to minimize the effect of this typhoon.
”A total of 691,692 hectares
planted to palay, and 303,542 hectares planted to corn are ready for harvest,
he said.In the Eastern Visayas alone, Alcala added, a total of 3,800 bags of
certified seeds and 8,300 bags of hybrid seeds—all from the Philippine Rice
Research Institute—have been made ready for quick replanting.Overall, the
Department of Agriculture has prepared a buffer stock of seeds totaling 78,479
bags for rice, and 17,554 for corn. It has also issued directives for the
relocation of livestock and other farm animals from high-risk areas.
source with thanks: http://business.inquirer.net/183153/long-dry-spell-expected-to-dampen-rice-production#ixzz3LJObfs6O
source with thanks: http://business.inquirer.net/183153/long-dry-spell-expected-to-dampen-rice-production#ixzz3LJObfs6O
The monthly report of the
International Cotton Advisory Committee has pointed out a 6pc loss in cotton
consumption because of persistent energy crisis in Pakistan, while persistent
low cotton prices are forcing farmers to shift to other competing crops with
better returns.
For the rice crisis, the
government announced a compensation plan for the basmati farmers, modalities of
which were to be decided later on. Its revenue department has no data about who
sows basmati and who does not. Without such precise data, how would it dole out
compensation — cash or kind? No one really knows; at least in Punjab, where
basmati is sown. Thus, neither the nature of subsidy is decided yet nor the
list of recipients has yet been finalised.
What makes the
situation more frustrating is the government’s failure to tackle the long
standing, underlying and aggravating problems of cotton growers
One needs to imagine that had the
electricity problem not dented consumption by 6pc, the total increase could
have been close to 10pc and disposal of cotton much quicker and consistent,
improving domestic rates.The ministry of commerce still hopes that the
consumption would increase by 2pc to hit a figure of 2.3m bales.Similarly, had
the government institutions planned better for rice and arrested the declining
trend, it would not have needed to come up with any subsidy plan.The cotton
price for farmers has been a persistent problem, which the government had
ignored for long. The farmers responded by decreasing acreage under the crop.
For the last few years, the area
under crop has dropped by almost 1m acres. With the power crisis deepening each
year, the industry is unable, or unwilling, to buy crop produced even from that
reduced area. It is the industry’s crisis, which has now attracted official
attention, not the farmers’ plight. Though both are interlinked, the government
prefers industry.Even now, the government is concentrating on one-off
solutions; subsidy for basmati farmers and inducting TCP for cotton growers.
Instead, it should focus on business cycles.The textile industry needs power at
affordable rates. There is no way the government cannot provide it, even during
these crises. With the entire industry needing around 3,000MW — out of total
demand of 24,000MW — and some solution has to be found with better management.
For basmati, the government has
the option of concentrating on the Gulf, Middle Eastern and neighbouring
states, where basmati rice is in huge demand. The European Union pays premier
price for it. The only thing both these commodities need is better domestic
planning — on sustained and efficient level.
Published in Dawn, Economic &
Business, December 8th , 2014
Iran, Sindh govt to enhance bilateral
trade
December 07, 2014
He said that Sindh has wind corridors
from 40 to 45 kilometres where Iran-Pak Wind Power Limited was already working
to establish 50 megawatts wind power project but the government was eager to
allot more land to other Iranian investors for more investments in wind energy
sector. “We should further cooperate to bring progress in economic and social
sectors in the interest of people of the both sides,” he said.Iranian
Ambassador Rasool Islami said he and people of his country considered people of
Pakistan and especially Sindh as their brothers.
He said due to similarities in
religion, culture and literature, people of Iran like Allama Iqbal while the
people of Pakistan/Sindh like poets/writers of Iran. He said Iranian companies
were more inclined to invest in Sindh, whereas Iranian traders were interested
to import Pakistani rice, wheat and meat.He said that the Iranian government
would encourage their investors to do business with Pakistan. The ambassador
said that trade volume between the two countries would be enhanced and hoped by
virtue of their and good relations they could achieve a lot
SP okays
half-rice ordinance
An ordinance ordering food chains, restaurants,
hotels, pension houses, inns, canteens, steakhouses, eateries, carinderias and
all other food businesses in Bacolod City to serve only half orders of rice,
was passed by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on third and final reading
Wednesday.The ordinance authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran said that
globally, the prices of rice continue to surge, which, in effect creates
shortage. Foreign news reports state that, among the countries hit by rice
shortage are Bangladesh and China.The ordinance said analysts have concluded
that the causes of shortages and high prices of rice vary from country to
country and include natural disasters or adverse weather patterns; high cost of
fuel that adds to transport costs, hoarding and smuggling and indiscriminate
conversion of agricultural lands.
Due to its limited lands for rice production,
the Philippines relies on rice imports from other Asian countries,
particularly, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan. In 2008, it was reported that the
country had 4.2 million hectares of land devoted to rice production, however
only 1.4 million hectares of which are irrigated, it said.Among the doable and
proactive measures is to prevent cooked ‘rice wastage’ that is prevalent in the
different restaurants and food businesses in the city.The International Rice
Research Institute reported that the country wastes at least P23 million worth
of rice per day or P8 billion worth of rice a year, it added.
The
ordinance provides penalties to establishment owners who refuse to serve half
order of cooked rice ranging from P1,000 for the first violation, P2,000 for
the second violation and P3,000 for the third offense, and P4,000 following
each successive offenses.*CGS
Rice exports: Is Vietnam subsidizing
foreign consumers?
VietNamNet Bridge – Reviewing the
effectiveness of rice exports and solutions to improve the position and role of
farmers is the subject in the recent research "Structure of the rice
industry and the interests of small producers" by the Agricultural
Alliance.
Export more rice?
He explained that when townspeople
pay taxes, the taxes are used to directly support farmers through the
construction of road and irrigation works. This expense is not included in the
sale price of rice so when rice is sold to townsmen, it is no problem because
it should be seen as the townsmen subsidizing the rice price. However, when
rice is exported, that expense cannot be regained when Vietnam is competing
with low prices.The findings also indicate that rice production in Vietnam
remains at medium quality and low price.
For the same rice variety, Thailand usually
sells it at the highest price and Vietnam at the lowest price. For example, in
July 2012, Thailand exported rice at $592 per ton compared to $415 per ton for
Vietnam.Therefore, Thanh recommended that Vietnam’s agriculture in general and
rice industry in particular should focus on the domestic market instead of
foreign ones. Then Vietnam will move the labor force from agriculture to
industry because if farmers are stuck with land and agriculture, they will
hardly be able to improve their living standards.
Lessons from Thailand
The market structure
characteristics of Vietnam rice is described as a chain with various stages of
production, starting from farmers who sell paddy in the fields to traders.
Traders purchase the paddy and then sell it to the millers and then rice
exporters. Farmers who have no storage and lack of capital have to sell rice to
traders at low prices and often take the highest risk.To deal with this
situation, Dao The Anh, deputy director of the Institute for Food Plants, said
that the role of cooperatives and farmers' organizations is very important.
Dr. Nguyen Van Giap of the
Institute for Rural Strategy and Policy, said in Thailand the milling systems
were invested in the 1940s and they still work very well today, so the
competitiveness of Thai rice is better than Vietnam. Thailand's rice production
chain has only three stages: production, millers and exporters.Dr. Vo Tri
Thanh, Deputy Director of the Institute for Economic Management, said: "To
implement an agricultural revolution, Vietnam must have a scale advantage, a
value chain and capital-technology absorbing organizations, and finally, these
organizations must serve the rights of farmers. The idea on institutional
reform of agriculture was mentioned in a speech delivered by Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan Dung in early 2014."
Rice exports hit over 6 million
tonnes in 11 months
Vietnam earned nearly 3 billion USD
from exporting more than 6 million tonnes of rice in the first 11 months of
2014, according to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA).The association reported
that at present, the prices of dried unhusked rice in the Mekong Delta region
range from VND5,450 to VND5,750 per kg.Rice with five-percent broken grains is
sold at VND7,100-VND7,200 per kg while that with 25-percent broken grains,
VND6,850 to VND6,950 per kg.
This year, the country expects to
export 6.5 to 7 million tonnes of rice, worth about $3 billion, revealed the
VFA.Traditional export markets for Vietnamese rice include Singapore, mainland
China, Hong Kong and Cote d'Ivoire, as well as Algeria and Indonesia.The
association also predicted that 2015 will be a tough year for Vietnam's rice
exporters in the face of fierce competition from their Thai rivals because
Thailand has concentrated on recovering traditional rice markets in Africa and
expanding its markets in Asia, especially the Philippines, Indonesia and China.
Lan Anh
Farming nearly mechanised
Farmers bag more crops; come new jobs, go old ones
Sohel Parvez
FAREWELL TO TRADITIONAL FARMING.
Machines are fast replacing labour-intensive agricultural tools. In the
recently shot pictures, a farmer is using a power tiller to plough his land in
Keraniganj near Dhaka. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Gone are the days when farmers
had to put in backbreaking labour and depend fully on animals to prepare land
and thresh harvested crops. Farmers now thresh more than 90 percent of their
grain crops by machines and till nearly 90 percent of cultivable land by power
tillers and tractors -- a transition that took place over the last two and a
half decades.This has enabled growers to produce more crops in a year and bag
more produce with lower production cost, according to experts at agro-research
institutions and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU).
Aware of the benefits of
mechanised farming, more and more farmers are now using machines for
harvesting, seeding and planting."It has become a big boon for our
farming. Using power tillers, we can prepare land quicker than we do by using
animals. Use of machines has reduced our time for tilling and given us scope to
grow more crops," said ASM Sisnabi Mandal of Dinajpur district, a major
crop zone in the northwest.The 40-year-old farmer grew only two rice crops --
Aman and Boro-- in a year on his 10-acre farmland when he had to depend on
bulls or buffaloes for land preparation. Now by using power tiller, he gets one
additional crop every year.
A group of labourers, carrying a
handheld plough and a ladder are looking for work in Narsingdi. Photo: Anisur
Rahman
"Now I grow potato or mustard after harvesting Aman rice.
It is possible because less time is required for land preparation by using
machines," he said.Sisnabi is one of the tens of thousands of farmers in
the country who are reaping the advantage of using modern tools in farming.
No official estimate on
agricultural mechanisation is available. But various publications and studies
show that use of machines have grown since the 90s."Mechanised farm
practices expanded fast mostly for private initiatives augmented by policy
support from the government," said Monjurul Alam, professor of Farm Power
and Machinery at the BAU.Power tillers and tractors were used to prepare nearly
70 percent of land four to five years ago; their use accelerated in the last
five to six years, he said.Faced with labour scarcity and spiralling wages,
farmers switched to farm machinery, thanks to the emergence of rental services
for tilling, irrigation and other farm operations."Farm wages rose rapidly
in the past decade and a half due to a shift of labour to non-farm sectors. As
a result, farmers have switched to mechanisation," said Economist Mahabub
Hossain, former director general of Bangladesh Institute of Development
Studies.
Use of mechanised instruments in
farming helping farmers lower production cost as a machine in many cases can do
the job of a hundred men. The photo on top shows farmers using a transplanter
to plant rice seedlings onto a paddy field. File Photo
Nearly 20,000 power tillers and
tractors are added every year for farming purposes, according to a 2012
International Development Enterprise estimate, commissioned by the
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre.
"If the current trend
continues, there will be a huge progress in the next five to seven years in
areas lagging behind in terms of mechanisation," said Monjurul, who
conducted a study on value chain in agri-machinery in Bangladesh.
IMPACT OF MECHANISATION
Mechanisation of land preparation
has contributed to timely cultivation and thus increased cropping intensity
(the number of crops grown on a piece of land in a year; one crop a year means
intensity 100 percent), reduced yield losses and wastage. As a result, total
production of food, supported by an increased use of improved seeds, fertiliser
use and commercial farming, has risen, according to analysts.Increasing demand
for agricultural machinery has also created thousands of jobs, facilitated
development of the rural non-farm sector and spurred growth of farm machinery
and spare parts industries.It has also boosted establishment of workshops for
repair and maintenance services.
A reaper mounted on a tractor is
harvesting rice. File Photo
Cropping intensity rose to 191
percent in 2012-13, up from 168 percent in 1988-89 when farm machinery imports
were liberalised and the standardisation requirement was withdrawn for shortage
of draught animals after the 1988 floods.Total food grain production rose to
3.55 crore tonnes in 2013-14 fiscal year, from 1.66 crore tonnes in FY 1988-89,
according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Monjurul said mechanisation was
the main factor behind increased cropping intensity in the last one decade and
spiral in overall food production.The cost of production has also come down,
said Mahabub.Farmer Sisnabi said use of power tillers has reduced tilling cost
of half acre to Tk 1,000 from Tk 1,400 needed if animals are used.Referring to
a study, ATM Ziauddin, professor of Farm Power and Machinery at the BAU, in an
article said that farmers make extra gains by using power tillers for land
preparation. They gain Tk 3,003 more per hectare by using power tillers instead
of animals in Boro season and Tk 1,019 in Aman season.
Farmers separating the grain from
rice plants using a threshing machine. File Photo
Use of machines has also cut down
the cost of threshing.
Sisnabi said it would cost him Tk
1,200 for manually threshing rice output of half acre of land. Now he can do
this by spending half the amount."Crop wastage has also decreased in
mechanised threshing. We could not collect all grains from plant through manual
threshing. Now, we get almost the whole," he said.Shoeb Hassan, chief
scientific officer of farm power division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Institute, said delayed plantation causes yield losses, but mechanised tilling
has facilitated timeliness of operations.He said more than 90 percent of grain
crops are now threshed by using machines.
Traditional means of threshing
causes over 10 percent loss of crops, while mechanisation has brought down
threshing losses to 5 percent, he added."Mechanisation is the only option
for timely crop production. To increase production and cropping intensity, it
has become essential to mechanise certain farm operations," according to a
recent publication by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute.However, progress in
mechanised harvesting remains slow in the absence of harvesters suitable to
fragmented pieces of land.
"Smaller harvesting machines
are needed. Efforts should be made to see whether it is possible to introduce
the smaller ones," said economist Mahabub.Farmer Sisnabi said machines
have relieved them of many hassles and tension and enabled them to do
farm-related jobs timely. They now do not have to wait for labourers.He said he
is not familiar with harvesters as the technology is yet to expand in his
locality. "Power tillers have become suitable for us. If any other
machine is found convenient for us and do not affect our land and environment,
we will adopt that as well."
Boosting exports: Paris gets
taste of traditional Pakistani rice
By APP
Published: December 6, 2014
Rice export from Pakistan to
France was worth $31.72 million during January-September 2014. STOCK IMAGE
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s embassy in Paris organised a rice exhibition in its
premises on Thursday in an effort to promote the country’s rice in the European
nation.
Published in The Express
Tribune, December 6th, 2014.
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Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
ICCI for
focusing on China to improve trade, exports
ISLAMABAD (APP): ICCI on Friday called for developing strategic partnerships with China to improve trade and exports of Pakistan. “The govt should reprioritize its traditional approach of looking towards Western countries”, Acting President, ICCI M.Shakeel Munir said in a statement here Friday. He said “We should be more focused towards China as it offered immense opportunities of promoting Pakistan’s commercial and economic interests.” He said that bilateral trade between India and China had surpassed US$ 65b during 2013 while Pakistan’s trade with China was hovering around $ 10-12 billion despite the fact that there was huge potential to improve it,according to press release issued by ICCI.
He said both countries had signed a Free Trade Agreement in
November 2006 in addition to finalizing almost 358 Joint Agreements, MoUs,
Joint Declarations and arrangements covering almost every sector of economy,
but necessary measures could not be taken to fully materialize these mechanisms
due to which the two-way trade was still far below the desired level.He said
Pakistan enjoyed huge export potential to China due to the advantages in
agriculture, minerals, chemical, textiles and leather products.
Besides, Pakistan has comparative advantage of oil seeds,
fruits, base metals, plastic goods and perfumery and stressed that government
should accelerate efforts to facilitate entrepreneurs in promoting trade with
China.Shakeel Munir said the global economic power was shifting towards Asia
led by China and it was the right time for Pakistan to reorient its economic
strategies to enhance cooperation with China, which would yield beneficial
outcomes for its economy.
He said Pakistan should encourage and facilitate its private
sector in establishing joint ventures with Chinese counterparts in energy,
textile, agro farming, food processing, pharmaceutical, engineering goods and
other areas of potential cooperation.He said China could also help Pakistan in
developing and modernizing its SMEs sector.He said that in evolving
international Political dynamics,China’s rise as a major global power, it was
important for Pakistan to reassess and review the strengths and challenges of
its relationship with China in order to move forward in a positive manner.
Exhibition
held in Paris to promote rice export
ISLAMABAD (APP): Pakistan embassy in Paris has organized a rice
exhibition at its premises on Thursday and facilitated meetings between
Pakistani exporters and French importers for promoting the rice export to the
French market. The import of rice from Pakistan to France was worth $ 31.72
million during January-September 2014, most of which was consumed by ethnic market.
It is expected that the exhibition will help increase the rice export, said a
message received from Paris on Friday.
A number of French importers were
invited to participate and meet some Pakistani rice exporters who were invited
to Paris especially for this event. The embassy coordinated their meetings
to have detailed discussion over their business proposals.The services of a top
French chef Alian STRIL was acquired to serve the Basmati made French dishes on
the occasion. He prepared three different French dishes made of Basmati rice
while traditional Pakistani rice dishes like Biryani, Zarda and Kheer made by
Pakistani cooks were also presented. The guests took keen interest in the
exhibition and were impressed by the quality, aroma and taste of rice.Different
varieties of Basmati and other rice were also put on display.A signer presented
classical and folk songs to entertain the participants.
Mamnoon
hails EU’s role for strengthening democracy in Pakistan
December 06, 2014
He said
that Pakistan valued its relations with the European Union and wanted to
further strengthen it.He said the five-year engagement plan between Pakistan
and European Union in 2012 had provided new avenues of cooperation in various
fields.He said that Pakistan wanted good relations with its neighbours and
international community and had special importance in its foreign policy with
its relations with Afghanistan, India, China and Iran.The president said that
Pakistan started a new phase of its relations with Afghanistan and wanted
serious, durable and result-oriented talks with India on all issues including
Kashmir.
The
President told Nirj Deva that Pakistan supported the UN Security Council
efforts for resolution of the Palestine issue.He said that Pakistan had started
military operation Zarb-e-Azb for elimination of terrorists in FATA, which was
going on successfully, adding that the government was taking all steps for
rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
The
president said the member countries of the European Union were playing
important role in investment field and the UK, Germany, Italy and Holland were
the greatest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Pakistan.He said the
trade volume between Pakistan and the EU was $11 billion, which needed further
boost. He said the inclusion of Pakistan in GSP plus would be proved
significant for managing economic difficulties and creating job opportunities.Meanwhile,
President Mamnoon Hussain while talking to Speaker of Iranian Parliament Dr Ali
Larijani, who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr said Pakistan wanted to
have good relations with every country of the world, but the ties with
neighbouring countries and the Muslim world formed the basis of its foreign
policy.
The
President said Pakistan desired peace at borders with all the neighbouring
countries and also wanted to resolve all issues with India through meaningful
and constructive dialogue.He said the resolution of Kashmir dispute in
accordance with the UN resolutions will not only promote peace in the region
but also help boost development in the region.Referring to his recent meetings
with the Afghan leadership, the President said particularly his meeting with
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani remained very productive.
He was
happy to note that a new era of Pak-Afghan relations had started.The president
said since Pakistan and Iran were facing the common challenge of terrorism, the
two countries will have to make joint efforts to tackle this menace.President
Mamnoon said that ongoing operation against the militants and extremists in
tribal areas would soon meet its logical end and ensure peace in the region.He
said regional peace would help Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran to work for
betterment of the region.President Mamnoon said Pakistan was determined to
complete the project of gas pipeline with Iran.
He
stressed cooperation with Iran in different fields including trade and defence
and added that Iran could benefit from the Pakistani defence equipment.Speaker
of Iranian Parliament Dr Ali Larijani emphasized the need for prudence to deal
with the problems in the Muslim countries.He said that Iran wants to increase
trade volume with Pakistan and expressed interest in the import of rice from
Pakistan. The Iranian Speaker lauded Pakistan’s efforts and vigilance to
protect its geographical borders and hoped that Pakistan would soon overcome
all its issues.
He said
any unwanted third party should not be allowed to interfere in this regard.
President Mamnoon and the Iranian Speaker called for opening the branches of their banks on reciprocal basis and added that it would enhance their bilateral relations.Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq and higher officials of the Aiwan-e-Sadr were presen
President Mamnoon and the Iranian Speaker called for opening the branches of their banks on reciprocal basis and added that it would enhance their bilateral relations.Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq and higher officials of the Aiwan-e-Sadr were presen
The
nation
Course recipes
Stuff the turkey and try
something different instead
Roast poussins with blood orange and coriander seeds
I prefer serving several smaller
birds at the Christmas table, rather than one enormous one that presides over
its minion side dishes. There’s something more attractive and less daunting
about a table where the dishes are on an equal footing. Blood oranges look
fantastic here, if you can get them, but use regular oranges if that’s all you can
find. Serves four.
4 poussins (about 500g each)
200ml blood orange juice (about as much as you’d get from 3-4 oranges), plus 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 large onions, peeled and cut into 2cm-wide wedges
2½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp red-wine vinegar
40g muscovado sugar, plus ¼ tsp extra for the oranges
2 large cinnamon sticks, broken in half
2 red chillies, cut in half lengthways but with stems intact and seeds in
3 tbsp olive oil
4 bay leaves
20g thyme sprigs
Salt and black pepper
2 blood oranges (or 1 large regular orange), topped, tailed and cut into 5mm rounds
1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
3 tbsp coriander seeds
200ml blood orange juice (about as much as you’d get from 3-4 oranges), plus 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 large onions, peeled and cut into 2cm-wide wedges
2½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp red-wine vinegar
40g muscovado sugar, plus ¼ tsp extra for the oranges
2 large cinnamon sticks, broken in half
2 red chillies, cut in half lengthways but with stems intact and seeds in
3 tbsp olive oil
4 bay leaves
20g thyme sprigs
Salt and black pepper
2 blood oranges (or 1 large regular orange), topped, tailed and cut into 5mm rounds
1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
3 tbsp coriander seeds
Put the poussins in a large bowl
with all the other ingredients apart from the extra quarter-teaspoon of sugar,
the orange slices, ghee and coriander seeds. Add a teaspoon of salt and some
black pepper, mix well and leave to marinate for at least two hours, and
preferably overnight, stirring a few times to make sure that everything stays
well coated.
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas
mark 6. Take a large, high-sided baking tray (about 40cm long x 30cm wide x 5cm
deep) and line with baking parchment. Put the poussins breast-side up on the
paper, spacing them evenly apart. Pour the marinade around the poussins, then
sprinkle with a third of a teaspoon of salt. Cover tightly with foil and roast
for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and raise the heat to 220C/425F/gas mark
7.
Take off the foil (keep it for
later), baste the birds and add the orange slices to the tray, spreading them
around between the birds. Roast, uncovered, for another 35 minutes, until the
poussins are cooked through and browned. Lift the birds and orange slices out
of the tray and pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Return the poussins to
the tray to rest, and cover with the foil to keep warm.
Put the marinade on a medium-high
heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, to reduce until about 150ml of liquid is left
in the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, spread out the orange
slices on a small parchment-lined oven tray, sprinkle with the reserved sugar
and return to the oven for 10 minutes, until starting to caramelise, then
remove and set aside.
Put the poussins on a large
platter, pour over the thickened marinade and arrange the orange slices in
between the birds.
Put a small frying pan on a
medium-high heat and add the ghee. Once melted, add the coriander seeds and fry
for a minute, until golden-brown and aromatic, then spoon over the poussins and
serve at once.
Persian vine leaf and saffron rice tart
If ever a dish could be a present – all wrapped up and filled
with hidden jewels – this would be it. You can prepare the whole thing a day in
advance, too: just take it up to the point where it’s ready to go in the oven,
then cover and leave in the fridge overnight. With thanks toRamael
Scully, our head chef at Nopi and a man of many culinary gifts.
Serves six.
40g raisins
40g barberries
40g almonds, skin on and lightly crushed with the flat of a large knife
40g shelled pistachios, lightly crushed with the flat of a large knife
250g vine leaves (or about 40 large leaves, either from a jar or fresh, if you can get them)
75ml olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 small parsnips, peeled and coarsely grated
1 tsp ground coriander
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp caster sugar
600ml vegetable stock
Salt and black pepper
¼ tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp boiling water
200g basmati rice
240g Greek yoghurt
40g barberries
40g almonds, skin on and lightly crushed with the flat of a large knife
40g shelled pistachios, lightly crushed with the flat of a large knife
250g vine leaves (or about 40 large leaves, either from a jar or fresh, if you can get them)
75ml olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 small parsnips, peeled and coarsely grated
1 tsp ground coriander
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp caster sugar
600ml vegetable stock
Salt and black pepper
¼ tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp boiling water
200g basmati rice
240g Greek yoghurt
Put the raisins and barberries in
a small bowl, pour over 150ml of hot water, set aside to soak for 10 minutes,
then drain and set aside.
Heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas
mark 2. Spread out the almonds and pistachios on a roasting tray and bake for
15 minutes, until crunchy, then remove and set aside.
Separate and rinse the vine
leaves (take care, because they are very delicate and rip easily), then lay
them in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to cover, bring up to a boil, then
reduce the heat to medium and leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, refresh
under cold water, cut off and discard the tough stalks and spread out the
leaves on a clean tea towel to dry.
Put three tablespoons of oil in a
large sauté pan for which you have a lid, and over a medium heat sweat the
onion for five to six minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft and
translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for two minutes, stirring once or
twice, then stir in the carrot and parsnip and cook for a minute longer.
Add all the ground spices, as
well as the coriander seeds, sugar, 150ml of the stock, a teaspoon of salt and
a good grind of black pepper. Cook for two minutes, until the stock has reduced
a little and coated the vegetables, then pour in the remaining stock, the
saffron and its soaking water, and the rice.
Turn up the heat to high, stir
well and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer
very slowly, covered, for 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked but still has a
little bite. Remove the pan from the heat, stir through the fruit and nuts, and
set aside.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas
mark 4. Brush a tablespoon of oil in a large, wide (29cm or so)ovenproof sauté
pan or skillet. Lay half of the vine leaves, one at a time and shiny side down,
around the inside edge of the pan, so that they are slightly overlapping and
their tips hang over the edge of the pan. Continue working inwards until the
entire base of the pan is covered with vine leaves, then tip in the rice mix.
Level out the rice as best you
can, then draw the overhanging parts of the vine leaves over the rice. Now
cover the rice with the other half of the vine leaves, laying them out shiny
side up and in overlapping circles, until the rice is completely covered and
all the leaves are used up. Press down firmly to flatten the leaves and
compress the cake, and brush the top with the remaining oil.
Bake the tart for 30 minutes,
until hot throughout and the vine leaves on top are dark and crisp. Remove from
the oven and set it aside to rest and cool for 10 minutes.
Carefully invert the tart on to a
plate, then place your serving plate over the parcel and invert again – the
idea is to serve the tart crisp side up. Serve warm, with a bowl of yoghurt
alongside.
Whole roast sea bass with soy and ginger
Fish is a popular Christmas Day
tradition in the southern hemisphere, which to my mind makes sense if you want
to indulge in all the various vegetables and side dishes, and not exhaust a
limited appetite with heavy meat. This particular alternative is as
festive-looking as it gets. Thanks to Helen Goh. Serves four.
1 whole sea bass (about 1kg, and 45cm long), scaled, gutted and
rinsed
Coarse sea salt
10 spring onions, trimmed
1 small medium white cabbage, cut in half, core cut out, and leaves separated one by one
3.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1 chilli (red looks prettier), deseeded and julienned
100ml groundnut oil
10g coriander leaves
Coarse sea salt
10 spring onions, trimmed
1 small medium white cabbage, cut in half, core cut out, and leaves separated one by one
3.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1 chilli (red looks prettier), deseeded and julienned
100ml groundnut oil
10g coriander leaves
For the sauce
100ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock, if you prefer)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (failing that, use dry sherry instead)
3½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
100ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock, if you prefer)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (failing that, use dry sherry instead)
3½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
Put all the sauce ingredients in
a small pan, put on a high heat and, once boiling, cook for a minute, swirling the
pan slightly so the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas
mark 6. Cut five 0.5cm deep and 8cm long diagonal slits on both sides of the
fish. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt evenly over one side of the fish and rub in;
repeat on the other side with another teaspoon of salt.
Cut eight of the spring onions
into 5cm lengths and set aside in a small bowl; finely slice the remaining two
onions and set those aside in a separate bowl.
Line a large, high-sided 30cm x
40cm baking tray with baking parchment and spread the cabbage and larger spring
onion pieces on top. Lay the fish diagonally in the tray (this helps give it a
bit of extra room), then sprinkle over the ginger. Pour the sauce over the fish
and cover the tray tightly with foil.
Roast for 40 minutes, basting
twice, until the fish is cooked through. To make sure it’s done, gently insert
a knife into one of the slits and check that the flesh comes away from the
bones and is no longer transparent. Sprinkle over the reserved finely sliced
spring onion and the chilli, and set aside.
Pour the oil into a small pan and
place on a high heat for about two minutes, until it starts to smoke. Very
carefully pour this evenly over the fish, so that it starts to crisp the skin
and vegetables.
You can serve the fish at the
table in its baking tray, or arrange the cabbage leaves and chunks of spring
onion on a larger platter – you’ll need to pull them out from under the fish –
and carefully lift out the fish to sit on top. Pour over the cooking sauce and
serve at once, with coriander scattered on top.
Beef stifado with fennel orzo
SStifado is often a one-pot
dish in which the starch element is cooked with the meat. Here, however,
I’ve made the orzo as an independent, flavour-filled dish
to be served alongside (if you want to simplify things, just boil the
orzo and serve it plain alongside the beef and sauce); it also works
very well as a veggie side dish. Serves six.
1.5kg beef brisket
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp whole cardamom pods, lightly bashed with the flat of a knife
2 small cinnamon sticks
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp whole cardamom pods, lightly bashed with the flat of a knife
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
400ml red wine
200ml ouzo (or raki)
100ml red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
20g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
400ml red wine
200ml ouzo (or raki)
100ml red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
20g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
For the fennel orzo
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium fennel, trimmed and cut into 1cm dice
2 large sticks celery, cut into 1cm dice
1 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
250g orzo
30g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
15g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium fennel, trimmed and cut into 1cm dice
2 large sticks celery, cut into 1cm dice
1 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
250g orzo
30g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
15g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
Heat the oven to 160C/320F/gas
mark 2½. Sprinkle the brisket on both sides with a teaspoon salt and set
aside.
Put a large pan for which you
have a lid on a medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of oil and, once hot,
add the brisket. Sear for 10 minutes, turning halfway through so it browns all
over, then remove from the pan and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil to
the pan, tip in the onion and fry on a medium-high heat for six to
seven minutes, stirring a few times, until soft and golden. Add the
spices, stir for a minute, then add the tomato paste and cook for minute more.
Pour in the wine and ouzo, and cook on a medium-high heat for five minutes.
Return the meat to the pan with the vinegar, sugar and enough water just
to cover (you’ll need about a litre and a half), bring to a boil,
cover first with a circle of parchment paper and then the lid, and transfer to
the oven. Cook for four hours, until the meat can be easily pulled apart but is
still holding its shape. Carefully lift out the meat into a large bowl and
set aside.
Strain the liquid, discarding the
whole spices, then measure out 300ml of the cooking liquor into a jug and
tip the rest back into the pan. Put the pan on a high heat and boil for roughly
30 minutes, until you have 300ml of thick sauce left. Remove from the heat,
return the brisket to the pot, cover and set aside somewhere warm.
To make the orzo, in a large
sauté pan for which you have a lid, heat the olive oil on a medium-high flame.
Once hot, add the onion, fennel, celery, fennel seeds, three-quarters of a
teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Fry for 12 minutes, stirring every once
in a while, until the vegetables are soft and caramelised. Stir in the orzo,
the jug of reserved stock and 300ml water, lower the heat, cover and leave to
simmer for 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until all the liquid
has been absorbed and the orzo is cooked through but still has a little bite
(some brands of orzo take longer to cook and need more liquid, so if yours is
still uncooked after 12 minutes, you may need to add up to 150ml or so of water
and cook for a further 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir through
the herbs.
Carve the brisket and divide
between the plates, then pile up the orzo alongside. Pour the sauce on top,
sprinkle with parsley, orange zest and garlic, and serve.
Seared venison with mustard and sour cherries
You can prepare everything in
advance for this sweet, sour and creamy celebration, up to the stage when the
venison gets warmed up in the sauce. Once ready to serve, make sure you heat up
the sauce very gently, so it doesn’t split, and add the venison for a final two
minutes only. A mix of white basmati and black wild rice is a lovely
accompaniment. Serves four.
100ml red-wine vinegar
100g dried sour (or morello) cherries
2 endives, quartered lengthways
Salt and black pepper
60ml olive oil
1 tbsp plain flour
500g venison steaks, cut into 1cm x 5cm strips
200ml port
20g unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
3 thyme sprigs
150g creme fraiche
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp English mustard powder
15g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
100g dried sour (or morello) cherries
2 endives, quartered lengthways
Salt and black pepper
60ml olive oil
1 tbsp plain flour
500g venison steaks, cut into 1cm x 5cm strips
200ml port
20g unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
3 thyme sprigs
150g creme fraiche
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp English mustard powder
15g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Put the vinegar in a small
saucepan on a high heat, bring to a boil and stir in the cherries. Remove from
the heat and set aside for 30 minutes.
Cut out and discard the core of
each endive quarter, taking care to leave the leaves attached to each other,
then put in a bowl and sprinkle with an eighth of a teaspoon salt and a good
grind of pepper.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a
large sauté pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the endive quarters for
four to five minutes, turning once, until golden-brown all over. Transfer the
endives to a plate and set aside.
Put the flour in a medium bowl
with half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Add the
venison slices, toss to coat and shake off any excess.
Return the sauté pan to
a medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add
a quarter of the venison slices and sear for two to three minutes, turning
once, so the meat browns all over, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with
the remaining venison, adding more oil if you need to. Once all the venison is
browned, deglaze the hot pan with port, cook for a couple of minutes to reduce
by half, then tip into the meat bowl.
Wipe clean the pan and add
a tablespoon of oil and the butter. Lower the heat to medium and add the
shallots, chilli and thyme. Cook for 10 minutes, until the shallots have
softened and are starting to caramelise, then add the cherries and vinegar, and
cook for three to four minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Add the creme
fraiche, both mustards, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black
pepper. Cook for two to three minutes, then return the meat and endive to
the pan, stir in the parsley, heat through for two minutes and serve.
Gary Ralston's restaurant review: Usha's, Byres Road, Glasgow
GARY reckons the spice is right but
the seating is tight as he dines on fine street food in the city's West End.
Phil Dye
Stuffed Paneer Shimla Mirch
But a word to the wise – if they offer you the booth that has been fitted into the former entrance, ask to be seated elsewhere.
Phil Dye
Okra Dopiaza, Palak paneer and
Aubergine Bharta
Sure, the picture window offers
first-class views but you’ll find yourself tighter for space than the buses
turning off Byres Road towards the Kelvin Hall.We raised the issue, although only
at the end of the meal, by which time our legs were hanging to the one side
like Gourock.Our waitress, otherwise on the ball, said she would have moved us sooner – the place wasn’t so busy – but we were obviously a better prime site advertisement for passing trade, even as plates and pots piled up and our elbows were tucked tighter to our ribs.
The quality of the cooking was the evening’s saving grace, the menu put together with the help of top Indian chef Sameer Shegal. He worked at The Dorchester and has cooked veggie feasts for Madonna, who was so impressed she re-worked two songs – Crazy For Aloo and La Isla Bhoonita.
A third of Indians are vegetarians and my wee sis Laura, who doesn’t eat meat, was drooling as she scanned the menu.Usha’s offer a range of tempting taster starters and it was the street dish section that caught our eye. We put our faith in the knowledge of the waitress, which paid off big style. She chose superbly as we mixed and matched a selection of dhosa masala, papri and samosa chaat and fresh, crispy poppadoms with freshly spiced onions.
Phil Dye
Usha's
Laura lapped up her papri chaat of boiled potatoes, chickpeas and chilli and it was a strong undercard to a marvellous roast Indian vegetable biryani for her main course. It was packed with flavours – paneer (Indian cheese), okra, aubergine and tinda, a pumpkin-style veg, all sauteed with spices and accompanied with basmati rice. The veg was delicately sliced and evenly introduced, a far cry from the chunky potatoes and cumbersome cauliflower florets that so often dominated veggie options in our curry houses.
Hec had the stuffed tandoori mushrooms, filled with spiced potatoes. My paneer jaipuri was a taster pot of mixed peppers, onions and mushrooms with those roasted chunks of cheese, supplemented by a superb naan of garlic and coriander – almost like an Italian focaccia.
We skipped dessert – a restaurant offering food of this quality must do better than serving up cheap, pre-packed ice creams and sundaes.
Still, it’s worth another go – maybe a case of Play It Again, with Sam, when our Hollywood hotshot is in town.
Do you have a restaurant recommendation? Contact Gary at g.ralston@dailyrecord.co.uk or via twitter @garyshotplate
