5 food trends that are changing Latin America

1. Brazil: Cooking to prevent violence

Hertz first realized that food could help alleviate the poverty and violence of São Paulo’s poorest neighborhoods over a decade ago.

In 2006 he launched a project called Gastromotiva, urging local gang members to come train with him and start their lives anew as chefs.

“By interacting with other people through cooking, you learn confidence, discipline, collaboration,” he told me recently. “So why not use gastronomy to empower people?”

So far, Hertz’s social gastronomy program has trained 1,850 young men and women, 80 percent of whom have gone on to get jobs in the restaurant industry.

Working with the World Economic Forum, chef Hertz urges leaders across Latin America to use culinary training as a violence prevention tactic. Gastromotiva has expanded to Rio de Janeiro, Mexico and El Salvador.

During the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Hertz worked with Italian chef Massimo Bottura to launch a Brazilian version of Bottura’s pop-up soup kitchen in Milan called Refettorio. The Brazilian venture turned food waste from Olympic Village food stands into hot meals for Rio’s poorest residents.

The project continues today, staffed by volunteer chefs and supplied, for free, by Rio food companies.

Rio de Janeiro’s Refettorio turned Olympic food waste into hot meals for hungry people. 

2. Venezuela: Feeding the hungry

At night, Venezuelan chef Carlos García runs Alto, a swanky restaurant in the capital of Caracas. But by day he directs Barriga Llena, Corazon Contento – “Full Belly, Full Heart” – a foundation that delivers daily meals to schools in Caracas’ poorest neighborhood.

Venezuela’s three-year-long economic crisis has led to widespread food shortages. Venezuelans lost an average of 20 pounds each in 2017. Childhood malnutrition has spiked.

Against this backdrop, “each day we prepare meals for 260 children and 100 of their grandparents,” Chef García told me. The Venezuelan government won’t let the group serve inside schools, so kids line up for food in a nearby building.

The foundation also serves 160 people at the J.M. de los Rios Children’s Hospital, where parents often cannot afford to feed their children while they receive treatment for cancer. García feeds 30 doctors as well.

More than an act of charity, García says, he sees feeding starving people as the professional obligation of a chef.

García won’t disclose how he gets ingredients every day in a country with empty grocery store shelves and an inflation rate of over 450 percent. But his project’s crowdfunding campaign, seven co-chefs and a wide circle of allies surely help.

3. The Amazon: Creating a rainforest-to-table movement

Perhaps the most innovative social gastronomy project in Latin America is Cumari, a collaboration of several nonprofit environmental organizations based in the Amazon rainforest of Peru and Brazil.

With 40,000 species of plants, thousands of kinds of fish and 3,000 different fruits, the Amazon is bursting with ingredients. But traditional food production is threatened by development and the rise of industrial agriculture.

Cumari’s founders hope that demand for local ingredients will rise as more people get to know Amazonian cuisine. A bigger market for rainforest foods should, in turn, protect this biodiverse environment.

Working together to attract influential Latin American chefs into the jungle, the Cumari collaborative places them in kitchens across the region. There, the chefs prepare meals spotlighting traditional Amazonian flavors – from super healthy fruits like acai berry and sacha inchi to fleshy river fish – in indigenous village lunch spots and big city restaurants.

This is rainforest-to-table dining.

4. Peru: Fighting inequality with gastronomy

Chef Gastón Acurio put Peru on the map as a culinary destination in the early 2000s, opening outposts of his award-winning Lima restaurant Astrid y Gastón in London, Bogota and beyond.

Now, he’s using global interest in Peruvian food to help young people back home. Acurio’s Fundación Pachacutec Culinary Institute, which opened in Lima in 2007, offers scholarships to budding chefs from marginalized communities in Peru and pays them a living wage while they train.

“Peru is a developing country. Many who dream of being a chef don’t have the opportunity,” Acurio says.

Though its economy is growing quickly, 9 percent of Peruvians still live on less than US$2.50 a day. Acurio believes that education is Peru’s most powerful weapon against inequality, which remains very high.

Today, the institute’s more than 300 graduates showcase their Peruvian cooking skills in many of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, including El Celler de Can Roca in Spain and Acurio’s own Astrid y Gastón.

Chef Gastón Acurio at a Peruvian market.

5. Bolivia: Reclaiming indigenous cuisine

Latin American cooks aren’t alone in seeing the social power of the region’s food.

In 2013 Claus Meyer, the Danish founder of Copenhagen’s award-winning restaurant NOMA, wanted to open a great restaurant abroad that could also make a difference.

Bolivia is the Western Hemisphere’s second poorest country, after Haiti. Over half the population lives in poverty.

The Andean country of 11 million also has a large indigenous population. An estimated 40 to 60 percent of people identify as a member Bolivia’s 36 recognized indigenous communities.

Meyer launched Gustu in La Paz, Bolivia’s capital, in 2013. The restaurant’s menu highlights the “unreleased potential” of indigenous Bolivian cuisine.

Chef Raman: Why Bacon Is Healthy ?BY CHEF Ramandeep Anand

Chef Raman: Why Bacon Is Healthy ?BY CHEF Ramandeep Anand: Bacon is one of the most iconic meats in America. It is part of our culture, glamorized in fast food advertisements and served at breakfas...

Why Bacon Is Healthy ?BY CHEF Ramandeep Anand

Bacon is one of the most iconic meats in America. It is part of our culture, glamorized in fast food advertisements and served at breakfast tables around the country. Who can resist that irresistible crunch and savory taste that only bacon can provide? However, despite its delicious reputation, bacon has long been considered dangerous to our health. Critics have cited bacon's high fat, cholesterol, sodium, and nitrite levels as health detractors, to the extent where bacon is seen as an indulgence to avoid. New evidence, however, shows that this long-standing belief may not be justified. Check out why bacon is actually good for you.

Healthy Fat  

Bacon's main attraction is its high fat content. Half of the fat in bacon is monounsaturated, made up mostly of oleic acid, the same kind of acid found in healthy olive oil. Another type found in bacon, palmitoleic acid, has valuable antimicrobial properties that add to the health benefits of bacon. While the other forty percent of bacon fat consists of saturated fat, this saturated fat is actually healthy! It helps to keep bacon fat stable and prevents it from going rancid. Other benefits of bacon fat include high levels of vitamin D and high antioxidant levels.

Necessary Cholesterol

Another concern of critics is a high cholesterol level in bacon. However, new evidence shows that dietary cholesterol is actually important for us to consume and is not associated with increased risk of heart disease or other health problems. Furthermore, cholesterol is even necessary to regulate our hormones and bodily functions. Oxidized cholesterol, however, can contribute to these health risks. This type of cholesterol is often found in powdered milk and powdered egg in processed food, and can be responsible for heart disease. It is important to avoid this processed cholesterol, and supply your body with natural cholesterol like from bacon.

Important Salt

The high salt content of bacon has also caused fears, as nutritionists often warn of the dangers of sodium. However, salt is actually very important and necessary for correct bodily function. For example, it is used to create blood, sweat, tears, and mucus in our bodies. Low-salt diets can even increase the chance of heart disease, osteoporosis, and hypertension. Today, Americans eat half as much salt as in the times before refrigeration when meat was preserved with salting. Even animals know the importance of salt, as they seek out sources for sodium, such as salt licks. There is therefore no reason to avoid bacon because of its salt content. In fact, the extra salt might even make you healthier!

Conclusion

In summary, the fat, cholesterol, and salt in bacon is nothing to be concerned with. These things are all important to out diets and should be consumed regularly. However, the one thing to watch out for in bacon is preservatives added to extend the shelf life. In processed bacon there are usually several artificial preservatives added, such as nitrates. These are a problem in most processed meats and can cause health problems. To avoid these it is best practice to buy fresh, natural bacon. Then you can enjoy your delicious and nutritious breakfast, bacon and all!

Thanks

Chef Ramandeep Anand

Aronia berries and its importance

Aronia Berries - By Chef Ramandeep Anand


Aronia plants  are an American native that have many health benefits that are causing major interest. This article discusses how they can be consumed. One of the answers is to make juice. After the European and Russians discovered the health benefits from eating the berries their juice has probably become the world's most widely selling super fruit juice. You can find this juice in stores all over Europe. This article discusses examples of other value added products that can be made from the berries and their juice. In addition to juice this includes a number of unusually good items such as syrups, wines, sauces, marinades, berry chews, berry Crumb Bars and chutney.

Aroina Berry Products

Apart from being eaten fresh, these berries are now appearing in different forms of food that offer the same amount of nutrition. Some examples are discussed below.

1.) Juice is the most common use of the berries.

As already mentioned juice is one of the primary products made from the berries. As a general rule, 1 to 2 pounds of berries yields approximately 2 cups of juice. The juice can either be consumed as is, sweetened with stevia or blended with other fruit juices. Some say using an apple cider press 16 lb of berries can produce 1 gallon of juice.

2.) Syrup can be made from the juice.

The Ingredients are as follows:

• 7 cups juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 package Pomona pectin not gelatin
• 3 cups fructevia

3.) Southwest Barbecue Rib Sauce is a delicious item.

The Ingredients are as follows:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup juice
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/8 cup Fructevia
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne

4.) Teriyaki Marinade made with Berries, Ginger and Garlic

The Ingredients are as follows:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

5.) Chutney is a condiment similar to relish. This is a condiment used in South Asian cuisine.

The Ingredients are as follows:

• 1 cup apple (peeled and chopped Granny Smith)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen Aronia berries
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider
• 1 teaspoon pinto bean flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

6.) Aronia Salsa, this homemade salsa begins with healthy, vine ripened ingredients.

The Ingredients are as follows:

• 6 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of chopped dandelion leaves or chopped cilantro
• 1 cup diced red peppers
• 1 cup diced green peppers
• 1 cup of a diced onion
• 3 diced jalapeo peppers
• 1 cup chopped aronia berries

Combine all ingredients and serve

7. Frozen berries, you can freeze the berries for later use or dehydrate fruit.

8. Muffins, pancakes, bar cookies can be made. Aronia berries and juice is the perfect ingredient for delicious recipes like muffins and pancakes. You get great taste plus antioxidants, and anthocyanins all at the same time. Top pancakes filled with aronia berries with cereals or add it to your fruit salad.

9. Aronia berry leather is convenient, delicious, and healthy since it is unadulterated by the addition of sugar.

I just love the aronia berries

Thanks ,  Regards 
Ramandeep Anand

Ten Singaporean Foods That will rock your taste buds -BY CHEF RAMAN

CHEF ARVIND SARASWAT AND CHEF RAMANDEEP ANAND

Ten Singaporean Foods That will rock your taste buds -BY CHEF RAMAN   ( recently Came In world chef magazine issue 5)        

Bak Kut Teh.

Without any uncertainty, Singapore is one of the most wonderful places when it comes to food and culture. What is interesting about the place is that its cuisines are as culturally diverse as its people are. The foods in the country feature a combination of Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Malay, and Western influences, which makes the Lion City a good place to visit. If you are a food aficionado, here is a list of the most savory Singaporean foods that you should not miss:


• Bak Kut Teh. This dish is a pork ribs soup that had its origins in China. It is cooked in different herbs and spices, which include garlic, pepper, and salt, amongst others. Typically, one consumes the food with rice and other complementary dishes such as fried dough, bread, and salted vegetables.

Black Pepper Crab

• Black Pepper Crab. 
One may find this dish in almost all restaurants over the Lion City, principally for the reason that it is one of the most popular Asian dishes known to tourists. The black pepper crab is mixed with bird's eye chilies, butter, curry leaves, dried shrimps, pepper, and further seasonings.  

Chicken Rice.

Chicken Rice. This savory Singaporean dish simply entails rice cooked in a palatable chicken broth. The skinless breast meat is simmered to create a savory and juicy chicken. With regard to consuming the dish, one may choose to eat it with a chili sauce or with green onions and cucumbers.

• Chili Crab. 

This is probably the most popular Singaporean food, and most people associate the chili crab as the face of the country's cuisine. In the main, this dish is made of meaty crabs in a sweet and spicy sauce. You may choose to consume the dish with rice or deep fried mantou, but whichever way you prefer, eating chili crab is still going to be one of the most satisfying experiences that you

can have in your life.

• Duck Rice. This is somehow similar to the Hainanese chicken rice, but this dish focuses on rice cooked with duck and vegetables. It is also served with a syrupy sauce, which has been a common way for people to consume Singaporean dishes.

• Fish Head Curry. This dish is made of a huge fish head that is boiled in curry gravy. The dish, which is also popular in china and India, is best consumed with white rice.

• Katong Laksa. This famous piquant noodle soup had its origins in the Perankan civilization. Katong laksa has numerous variations, which have sprung from the number of cultures that influenced the dish.

• Nasi Lemak. This dish is made of anchovies, chili paste, coconut rice, cucumber, and omelette.

• Roti Prata. This popular breakfast dish is cooked from cheese, flour, egg, and numerous spices. One may choose to add further ingredients to the dish, and consume it either plainly or with a bowl of curry.

• Satay. This dish is similar to barbecue in other Asian countries, since it features sliced and roasted meat on wooden sticks. With regard to how you may consume Satay, you may choose to eat it with vegetables, peanut sauce, or rice cubes, amongst others.

Thanks & regards

Ramandeep anand

Caviar & facts - Chef Raman

Caviar & facts - Chef Raman

Air Beluga Merges with Buluga Caviar

Caviar has a long and fascinating history as a highly prized delicacy, it's usually extremely expensive, and frequently enjoyed only by the rich. There are many types of caviar, ranging in price from unaffordable for most people, to within the average family budget. Made from numerous different fish sources, it's caviar from the Sturgeon fish that commands the highest prices and is most commonly favoured by people with discerning palates. Here are eight more things you may not know about caviar.

* Caviar is made from fish eggs, sometimes called 'roe', and the best, made from Sturgeon eggs comes in four main varieties: Beluga, Ossetra, Sterlet and Sevruga.

* Eggs from the Beluga Sturgeon as the largest and have a creamy flavour and vary in colour from light to dark grey.

* Ossetra caviar tastes quite nutty and varies in colour from dark brown to greenish grey.

* Sterlet caviar has a golden colour, hence the reason it was sometimes reserved for aristocrats and royalty.

* Sevruga is the smallest and most common species of Sturgeon fish, and is usually light grey in colour and has a stronger flavour than most other caviars.

* Most Sturgeon caviars come from the seas around Russia and Iran, although recently the United States and China have begun farming their own Sturgeon fish to produce their own caviars.

* Size and colour of eggs leads to some types of caviar being much more expensive and desirable than others. The most expensive eggs, favoured by connoiseurs worldwide, are generally coloured gold or silver and give the appearance of precious metals that make them much more attractive to look at than caviars made from small eggs and coloured dark grey or black.

* Experts say the best caviar comes from wild Sturgeon, both tasting and looking better than roe taken from farmed fish. That said, however, farmed caviar is becoming more popular with consumers and chefs alike and generally costs less than the wild variety.

So maybe one day caviar will be accessible to everyone, regardless of budget, and that's something we can all look forward to with glee.

What is Tikka Tikki Tikiya Kebab Boti? By CHEF Raman

What is Tikka Tikki Tikiya Kebab Boti? 

                              BY CHEF RAMAN

These are forms of meats or vegetables that are dry-cooked over charcoal, baked in oven or pa-fried

Boti

Most of the Lamb Goat or Mutton curries are made with pieces of Bone-in shank, and bone-less. shank. The boneless pieces of shank are called Boti. Boti is a general term used for whole muscle meat from leg or shank area.
Chicken Boti is the meat from thighs and drumsticks.

Boti does not imply method of cooking. The Boti pieces are normally used to make Balti or Jalfrezi, as well as curries such as Rogan Josh or Korma.

Kebab

In India, Kebab may is made of whole muscle meat or minced meat. Normally, the meat is marinated and cooked over charcoal, baked in oven, pan-fried on stove-top, or baked in a Tandoor.

Tikki Tikiya Cutlet

Tikki is a ground or chopped meat, seafood, or vegetables. Spices and binders are added. It is formed into a ball, and pressed to make a patty like a hamburger. Sometimes, it is also called the cutlet. The patty is pan-fried on stove-top.

Tikka

In the olden days, Tikka and Kebab were one and same. Tikka was a whole muscle meat Kebab. Tikka has its roots in Hindi, Kebab has its roots in Arabic.

Tikka is a whole muscle meat. Normally, the meat is marinated and cooked over charcoal, baked in oven, pan-fried on stove top, baked in a Tandoor.

Chicken Tikka

Chicken Tikka Masala originated in UK during 1950s. The Tandoori Chicken was too dry for British. A new dish was born. Marinated skinless boneless chicken was cooked in Tandoor. The Tandoori marinate was reduced and made bright red with more Degi Mirch, it served as a dip. The Tikka was the red-colored skinless-boneless Tandoori chicken, and Masala was the bright red color dip.

During 1980s the five star restaurants in Delhi added Chicken Tikka Masala to their menu on the demand by visiting British patrons.

Chicken Tikka is made of skinless boneless chicken breast. In India, Chicken Tikka and Chicken Kebab became interchangeable.

Chef Raman