Post by SeaDragon on Dec 17, 2017 20:34:22 GMT 10
An orange feast
By Majorie Chiew (circa 1997)
ORANGES originated in the Far East some 3,000 years ago. They were widely cultivated in the Mediterranean area in the Middle Ages after their introduction by traders from the East.
This fruit became a sign of great wealth. It is said that the richer the person, the more oranges he used in his food. Baths and make-up were also scented with orange flowers.
Oranges take their name from the French town of Orange - a major growing area of this fruit - during the Middle Ages.
Orange peel can contain more Vitamin C than any other part of the fruit. However, even without its peel, one medium orange supplies about 66mg of vitamin C, 110 per cent of the daily dietary requirement for adults. Oranges should be kept in the freezer to conserve their vitamin C.
Orange juice is a source of folic acid (folacin), a compound important in the diet of pregnant women and those taking oral contraceptives. A six-ounce serving daily helps to combat the anaemia associated with folic acid deficiency. Oranges are also a good folic acid source when children won't eat their greens.
In conjunction with this year's orange season promotion, the Australian Horticultural Corporation (AHC) hosted a special high-tea treat for the press.
AHC marketing manager Brian Hall said: "Malaysia is still the No. 1 market for oranges. Some 29,000 tonnes were exported to Malaysia this year compared to 27,000 tonnes last year.
"The 11 per cent growth in orange exports sees it firmly maintaining its position as the number one fruit export with '95/'96 shipments valued at A$90 million (RM180 million), up from A$80 million (RM160 million) in the '94/'95 period."
Oranges remain one of the most widely cultivated fruits Down Under with two major varieties - Navels (season June - August) and Valencia (season September - March).
Navels are the main eating orange while Valencias are excellent for juicing.
The fruit is part of the citrus industry which has existed in Australia since 1800, when the country was first settled by Europeans.
Aussie chef Neil Burridge of Moomba Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur was invited to demonstrate the versatility of oranges - used in dishes from appetisers to main courses to desserts.
Burridge said: "When using oranges in cooking, I try to keep the natural flavour of the meat. The oranges can be used in a sauce or as an accompaniment."
He also pointed out that many people "waste" orange zest which has a lot of flavour and oil. When peeling the zest, one must not get to the white part which is bitter.
"Zest are best grated and used immediately. Extra zest can be immersed in a light sugar syrup and kept for a day or two, he said.
If you have not used oranges in your cooking before, the following recipes should give you a good start to more zesty dishes.
Pavlova With Orange And Kiwi Fruit
(Recipe by Neil Burridge)
Ingredients:
300g egg white
250g sugar
25g cornflour
8ml white vinegar
1 drop vanilla essence
2 oranges (segmented and membranes removed)
Method:
BRUSH a 28cm cake ring with some melted butter, then dust with sugar.
Whisk egg white until soft peaks are formed. Add vinegar, cornflour and vanilla essence. Whisk until the mixture is stiff.
Add half portion of the sugar and whisk the mixture again until it appears to be glossy. Fold in the remaining sugar and chopped orange segments.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake ring. Bake at 100°C for an hour.
Turn out and serve pavlova with whipped cream. Garnish with kiwi fruit and orange segments.
Below are recipes by the Australian Horticultural Corporation:
Chicken Fillets With Orange Sauce
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 chicken fillets
seasoned flour
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp orange zest
3 oranges (squeeze for 1 cup juice)
300ml chicken stock (made with 2 chicken cubes seasoning)
1 tsp soy sauce
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp cornflour mixed to a thin paste with water
1/2 cup pineapple pieces
1 or 2 oranges (segmented and membranes removed)
Method:
WASH and pat dry chicken fillets. Flatten with mallet to even thickness. Coat fillets with flour and dip into beaten eggs, then combined zest and breadcrumbs. Chill.
When ready, heat butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken fillets until golden in colour and cooked through.
To make sauce, place sugar and vinegar into saucepan. Stir over gentle heat until sugar caramelises slightly. Remove from heat.
Combine next six ingredients. Add to syrup, stirring well. Return syrup to the heat, simmering for 5 minutes. Add pineapple and orange segments. Heat through gently. Stir occasionally.
Serve sauce with fillets and vegetables or salad of choice.
Deep Fried Seabass With Citrus Sauce
Ingredients:
1 seabass (cleaned and cut to open up)
5 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
grated zest of half an orange
1/2 tsp ground pepper
oil for frying
Citrus sauce:
10 fresh button mushrooms (sliced)
1 orange (peeled and diced)
300ml freshly squeezed orange juice
60g sugar or castor sugar
5 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 orange
100g young ginger (minced)
5 bird's eye chilli (finely chopped)
3 tbsp rice vinegar
50g spring onions (chopped)
3 tsp cornflour
3 tsp juice of Australian orange
Method:
Preparing the fish:
Heat oil till hot for frying. Mix flour with salt, pepper and orange zest. Dust the fish with the seasoned flour. Deep fry the fish till golden brown. Dish out unto a serving plate. Pour the prepared citrus sauce onto the fish.
To prepare citrus sauce:
Put all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to simmering point. Mix cornflour and orange juice and add to the simmering sauce. Bring to the boil till the sauce thickens.
Pour onto the fried fish. Sprinkle with the chopped spring onions.
Orange Fried Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups rice grains (washed and drained)
3 cups water
1 tsp oil
Condiments:
4 tbsp oil
8 bird's eye chilli (minced)
5 shallots (minced)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
400g prawns (peeled but with tails intact)
Mix seasoning in small bowl:
500ml juice of orange
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt
300g oranges (peeled and diced)
Rest of ingredients:
3 tbsp onion (sliced and fried)
50g dried prawns (roasted and pounded)
50g coriander leaves (chopped)
zest of half orange (very finely shredded)
Method:
Boil rice with the water and oil in a rice cooker. Cool rice thoroughly, preferably chilling it.
Heat oil and fry the minced condiment ingredients until fragrant. Add prawns and stir fry till cooked.
Add the seasoning ingredients and the diced oranges.
Add the cooked rice and stir fry over high heat till well mixed. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve hot.
By Majorie Chiew (circa 1997)
ORANGES originated in the Far East some 3,000 years ago. They were widely cultivated in the Mediterranean area in the Middle Ages after their introduction by traders from the East.
This fruit became a sign of great wealth. It is said that the richer the person, the more oranges he used in his food. Baths and make-up were also scented with orange flowers.
Oranges take their name from the French town of Orange - a major growing area of this fruit - during the Middle Ages.
Orange peel can contain more Vitamin C than any other part of the fruit. However, even without its peel, one medium orange supplies about 66mg of vitamin C, 110 per cent of the daily dietary requirement for adults. Oranges should be kept in the freezer to conserve their vitamin C.
Orange juice is a source of folic acid (folacin), a compound important in the diet of pregnant women and those taking oral contraceptives. A six-ounce serving daily helps to combat the anaemia associated with folic acid deficiency. Oranges are also a good folic acid source when children won't eat their greens.
In conjunction with this year's orange season promotion, the Australian Horticultural Corporation (AHC) hosted a special high-tea treat for the press.
AHC marketing manager Brian Hall said: "Malaysia is still the No. 1 market for oranges. Some 29,000 tonnes were exported to Malaysia this year compared to 27,000 tonnes last year.
"The 11 per cent growth in orange exports sees it firmly maintaining its position as the number one fruit export with '95/'96 shipments valued at A$90 million (RM180 million), up from A$80 million (RM160 million) in the '94/'95 period."
Oranges remain one of the most widely cultivated fruits Down Under with two major varieties - Navels (season June - August) and Valencia (season September - March).
Navels are the main eating orange while Valencias are excellent for juicing.
The fruit is part of the citrus industry which has existed in Australia since 1800, when the country was first settled by Europeans.
Aussie chef Neil Burridge of Moomba Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur was invited to demonstrate the versatility of oranges - used in dishes from appetisers to main courses to desserts.
Burridge said: "When using oranges in cooking, I try to keep the natural flavour of the meat. The oranges can be used in a sauce or as an accompaniment."
He also pointed out that many people "waste" orange zest which has a lot of flavour and oil. When peeling the zest, one must not get to the white part which is bitter.
"Zest are best grated and used immediately. Extra zest can be immersed in a light sugar syrup and kept for a day or two, he said.
If you have not used oranges in your cooking before, the following recipes should give you a good start to more zesty dishes.
Pavlova With Orange And Kiwi Fruit
(Recipe by Neil Burridge)
Ingredients:
300g egg white
250g sugar
25g cornflour
8ml white vinegar
1 drop vanilla essence
2 oranges (segmented and membranes removed)
Method:
BRUSH a 28cm cake ring with some melted butter, then dust with sugar.
Whisk egg white until soft peaks are formed. Add vinegar, cornflour and vanilla essence. Whisk until the mixture is stiff.
Add half portion of the sugar and whisk the mixture again until it appears to be glossy. Fold in the remaining sugar and chopped orange segments.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake ring. Bake at 100°C for an hour.
Turn out and serve pavlova with whipped cream. Garnish with kiwi fruit and orange segments.
Below are recipes by the Australian Horticultural Corporation:
Chicken Fillets With Orange Sauce
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 chicken fillets
seasoned flour
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp orange zest
3 oranges (squeeze for 1 cup juice)
300ml chicken stock (made with 2 chicken cubes seasoning)
1 tsp soy sauce
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp cornflour mixed to a thin paste with water
1/2 cup pineapple pieces
1 or 2 oranges (segmented and membranes removed)
Method:
WASH and pat dry chicken fillets. Flatten with mallet to even thickness. Coat fillets with flour and dip into beaten eggs, then combined zest and breadcrumbs. Chill.
When ready, heat butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken fillets until golden in colour and cooked through.
To make sauce, place sugar and vinegar into saucepan. Stir over gentle heat until sugar caramelises slightly. Remove from heat.
Combine next six ingredients. Add to syrup, stirring well. Return syrup to the heat, simmering for 5 minutes. Add pineapple and orange segments. Heat through gently. Stir occasionally.
Serve sauce with fillets and vegetables or salad of choice.
Deep Fried Seabass With Citrus Sauce
Ingredients:
1 seabass (cleaned and cut to open up)
5 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
grated zest of half an orange
1/2 tsp ground pepper
oil for frying
Citrus sauce:
10 fresh button mushrooms (sliced)
1 orange (peeled and diced)
300ml freshly squeezed orange juice
60g sugar or castor sugar
5 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 orange
100g young ginger (minced)
5 bird's eye chilli (finely chopped)
3 tbsp rice vinegar
50g spring onions (chopped)
3 tsp cornflour
3 tsp juice of Australian orange
Method:
Preparing the fish:
Heat oil till hot for frying. Mix flour with salt, pepper and orange zest. Dust the fish with the seasoned flour. Deep fry the fish till golden brown. Dish out unto a serving plate. Pour the prepared citrus sauce onto the fish.
To prepare citrus sauce:
Put all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to simmering point. Mix cornflour and orange juice and add to the simmering sauce. Bring to the boil till the sauce thickens.
Pour onto the fried fish. Sprinkle with the chopped spring onions.
Orange Fried Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups rice grains (washed and drained)
3 cups water
1 tsp oil
Condiments:
4 tbsp oil
8 bird's eye chilli (minced)
5 shallots (minced)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
400g prawns (peeled but with tails intact)
Mix seasoning in small bowl:
500ml juice of orange
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt
300g oranges (peeled and diced)
Rest of ingredients:
3 tbsp onion (sliced and fried)
50g dried prawns (roasted and pounded)
50g coriander leaves (chopped)
zest of half orange (very finely shredded)
Method:
Boil rice with the water and oil in a rice cooker. Cool rice thoroughly, preferably chilling it.
Heat oil and fry the minced condiment ingredients until fragrant. Add prawns and stir fry till cooked.
Add the seasoning ingredients and the diced oranges.
Add the cooked rice and stir fry over high heat till well mixed. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve hot.