Bread in all its forms, is an integral part of most cuisines across the globe. A daily staple, bread continues to be baked, roasted and cooked in various shapes and sizes to be sopped, rolled and dabbed with delicious accompaniments. Check out this list of homemade bread recipes savored globally.
Pitta
This middle-eastern flat bread is usually eaten at just about every meal! It is mostly scooped up with hummus or stuffed with falafel. The dough is kneaded with flour, yeast, nigella seeds and salt. Pitta is then baked at high temperatures to be puffed up. Freshly baked pittas taste divine with kebabs, gyros and chicken shawarmas. Making these puffed pockets at home compares nothing to buying them.
Naan
South-east Asian cuisines don’t work very well in the absence of this indispensable flat bread. A typical naan is made by kneading flour, yeast, cooking fat and yogurt to an elastic dough and baking on a tandoor or an oven. This delightful bread is enjoyed best with some ghee or butter on top. What’s best, you could also stuff mashed potatoes, cheese or even garlic to make it a delectable and wholesome meal. These naans are best enjoyed with chicken curries and lamb gravies.
Pretzel
These non-symmetrical twisted breads are great fun to make for people with artistic vision and dexterity! Some basic ingredients used in the dough include all-purpose flour, yeast, butter, egg yolk, baking soda and kosher salt. You could also use sugars, chocolates, nuts and glazes as seasonings. Fillings like tomato-herb-mayo, chicken salad, tuna blob and the like go well with pretzels rolls.
Challah
This is a Jewish ceremonial bread that is typically made with eggs, white flour, water, sugar, yeast and salt. You could replace the traditional white flour with whole-wheat or oat for a healthier treat. Challah also has an eggless variant called water challah that has a texture and taste of baguette. This bread is usually braided before it is baked. You may stuff some raisins in the dough and top the loaf with sesame or poppy seeds for an added flavor. This bread is great in accommodating a dense and chewy stuffing.
Zopf
A rich buttery bread, Zopf comes mainly from Switzerland. Generally made with white flour, milk, eggs, yeast and butter, the dough is plaited and brushed with egg before it is baked to a golden crust. This bread is best enjoyed on a Sunday morning along with some butter, jam, cheese or cold meat.
We are a coffee-drinking nation and every form of the beverage – decaf, regular, expresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and ristretto is consumed everyday by millions of us. It’s the first thing we need in the morning and the last (for some) after dessert. Black, with cream, with sugar, no sugar, flavored, each of us has a preference with regard to strength. Nespresso’s taken heed of this and given us a gift in a pod with the Nespresso capsules. Available in the regular Arabica and Robusta capsules, they have some amazing seasonal flavors as well.
Nespresso capsules are hermetically sealed in a capsule that holds 5-7 gms of coffee – enough for one serving of coffee. They offer five ranges in Ristretto (25ml), Espresso (40 ml), Lungo (110 ml), Decaffeinated (40 ml and 110 ml) or Flavored (40 ml).
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Ristretto range are:
Ristretto Origin – Made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has toasted flavors with cocoa notes and woody undertones.
Ristretto Origin India – A blend of the finest Arabicas with a smidgen of Robusta from Southern India, this full-bodied coffee has hints of spices.
Ristretto Intenso – A strong blend of South and Central American Robustas and Arabicas, the Ristretto Intenso is a full-bodied coffee with a creamy texture and peppery notes.
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Espresso range are:
Espresso Origin Brazil: A pure Arabica coffee, it has a mild sweet flavor.
Espresso Leggero: A blend of South American Arabicas and Robusta, it has smooth notes of cocoa and cereal.
Espresso Forte: Exclusively made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has an intensely roasted balance of espresso and fruity notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Lungo range are:
Lungo Leggero: Lightly roasted East African, South and Central American Arabicas, with mild notes of jasmine is what makes up this delicious brew.
Lungo Forte: A complex mix of South and Central American Arabicas, this coffee has heavy roasted notes with a slight hint of fruit.
Lungo Origin Guatemala: A mix of Arabica and washed Gourmet Robusta coffee, Lungo Origin Guatemala is smooth and well balanced with dry and malty cereal notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules in the Decaffeinated range are:
Espresso Decaffeinato: Dark roasted South American Arabicas with a touch of Robusta enhances the cocoa flavors and roasted cereal undertones of this decaffeinated espresso.
Lungo Decaffeinato: This is a slightly more complex blend of separately roasted South American and East African Arabicas. It includes toasted cereal and sweet notes with subtle and floral hints of East African Arabicas.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Flavored range are:
Espresso Vanilla: This silky-flavored coffee is the result of a base of Espresso Forte, which is a complex and heavily-roasted blend of South and Central American Arabicas and a slightly caramelized aroma of vanilla. Espresso Caramel: On a base of Espresso Forte, this complex and intensely roasted blend made from South and Central American Arabicas has the sweetness of caramel.
Here are a few easy and healthy recipe ideas that are both quick to make and light to digest on hot summer days. With very few ingredients, the preparation of these recipes is a breeze. So go on, enjoy these easy, healthy recipes that are brimming with nutrition and taste heavenly too!
Greek Cucumber Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
This is popular among easy and healthy recipes. Slice cucumber into thin flat strips using a vegetable peeler and arrange them in slices of two on a clean tray. Smear the hummus on top of each slice, then toss some feta cheese, black olives and cut tomatoes on each of the cucumber strips. Squeeze a little lemon juice and sprinkle some finely chopped dill and cilantro. Finally, roll the strips, serve the Greek cucumber rolls and see them being gobbled up by the young and old alike!
Flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the directions on the label. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots. After about a minute or so, add the other vegetables along with salt and toss them gently for a few minutes. The vegetables must cook and be crunchy at the same time. When they are done, add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper to it and mix well. Serve this flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables for lunch or dinner as a filling, yet light meal.
Sunshine juice
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Direction
Squeeze juice from the oranges and blend the strawberries in a juicer. Then in a pitcher, take the orange juice, strawberry juice, and chilled water together and mix well. Refresh yourself with this yummy sunshine juice with ice cubes on a hot day.