Published on: 29 January 2019
Last Updated on: 08 August 2019
Your wedding is the ultimate opportunity to celebrate the love you have for your spouse-to-be as well as the love and friendship you share with your guests. It’s the chance to get creative with your plans and show your guests how much you want them to have a good time and how much you appreciate them.
How do you give your guests a delicious meal without breaking the bank? Simply team up with an expert caterer and they can walk you through the best options for your wedding so you can showcase your personality and satisfy the stomachs of your guests. Want to know what you should skip and what you shouldn’t miss for your wedding food? Read on.
Don’t Miss It: Local Food Options:
Statistically speaking, your wedding is going to generate a decent amount of waste. Even if you only consider the food waste that comes out of preparing multiple meals as well as the plastic and glass that collects from the bar, that’s a sizeable amount of resources. Then if you think about the gas your guests will have used to arrive at the venue and the electricity that goes into powering your wedding, your nuptials will create an impact.
If you’re green-focused then you will have likely already considered sourcing your wedding food and drinks from local outlets. And even if the environmental impact of your wedding isn’t at the top of your list priorities, local options offer the promise of fresh food and unique types of drinks that your guests might not have had elsewhere.
Skip It: the Boring Buffet:
No one needs another boring buffet with rubbery chicken, flavourless iceberg lettuce, and too-oily roast potatoes. When the food comes out at your wedding, that’s the chance to brighten the faces of your guests with something exciting. Whether you serve your food buffet style or sit-down style, the meal options of your event venue can be spiced up with the help of an event caterer.
Don’t Miss It: A Unique Cake:
Are you going for a traditional, white wedding cake? Have you thought of what else you can serve? One way to impress your guests with something unexpected is through the dessert. You’ve gone so far as to customize every other aspect of your wedding, why stop at the cake? Maybe your love for donuts means you’d like to have a gourmet donut station in place of cake. Maybe you’d like to create a tower of pretty-looking cupcakes that anyone can come up to and eat as they like. Don’t limit yourself!
Skip It: Sugary Snacks:
When your guests arrive at the reception, they’re probably hungry in anticipation of the main meal. Don’t make the mistake of serving only overly sugary snacks like brownies and cookies. This type of food will just give your guests a sugar rush followed by an unpleasant crash. And for your guests without a sweet tooth, you can opt for a savoury-sweet dessert option like cheese and fruit that will still end the meal on a nice note without overdoing the sugar.
With all this in mind and an open-minded attitude to unique culinary options from skilled caterers like The Food Dudes, you can ensure your wedding meal and snacks will reflect your style and impress your guests.
Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.
A cold winter night with a delicious dish of chili is all you need to enjoy your moment. But wait, Are you left with too much liquid in your chili? Ah! No need to worry at all. There are numerous ways on "how to thicken chili".
Honestly, you don’t want a thin chili because there is nothing better than a cheerful bowl of thick chili as your winter dish. Many times, just to thicken the chili, people cook it more than it is necessary. Later, other ingredients in it fall apart and turn to mush.
Don’t panic. There are effective and easy ways to thicken chili at your home, and all of these methods are tried and tested. Just be sure to use at least some of these methods to thicken chili before your precious moment turns into sour.
How To Thicken Chili - Tried and Tested
You may be wondering that cooking your dish for a little longer will make your chili thick. But do you know that you are mushing other ingredients in it? So, you must know other effective ways about how to thicken chili. Below listed are the perfect ways to thicken chili for the perfect night.
1. Flour - Standard Thickening Method:
Wheat flour is composed of proteins, sugars, lipids, starch, and enzymes. It is used for making different types of foods. Flour is widely used for thickening chili in most of the kitchens. It really works great. Now its time to try for yourself as well.
Ingredients:
30ml or two tablespoons of flour and 60ml or ¼ cup of cold water.
How to Use?
Take a separate bowl. Mix flour and water thoroughly in it.
Make sure that the resulting mixture has no lumps and is smooth.
Then add the flour mixture in your thin chili while cooking it in medium-high heat.
Stir constantly. Let the mixture boil and thicken well. It will hardly take few minutes.
Make sure to continue stirring an additional few seconds to see if you are able to detect flour in your chili flavor.
So, here is your hearty chili dish! Now, it is much thicker and tastier than before. You can even serve this to your guests.
2. Arrowroot- Best Thickening Agent:
Arrowroot contains Vitamin B, Iron, Potassium, low-protein, starch, etc. It is widely used as a thickening agent in all household kitchens. It is a starch that is extracted from the arrowroot plant. When you will use arrowroot in your dish, then it will give an amazing surface gloss to your liquid chili.
Ingredients:
5ml or 1 tablespoon of Arrowroot and 5ml or 1 tablespoon of cold water.
How to Use?
Take a separate bowl. Mix thoroughly water and arrowroot to turn it into a smooth paste.
Make sure that you add only a small amount of arrowroot as it is potent and flavorless.
Then add slurry into your thin chili cooking it in medium heat.
Stir constantly below the boiling point.
Then after 1 to 2 minutes, your thin chili will thicken instantly.
Arrowroot adds gloss like appearance to your chili dish making your dish thicker and delicious. I have used this method and got the result, so now it’s your time!
3. Cornstarch- Anti-sticking Agent:
Cornstarch is also known as Maize starch which is extracted from the maize grain. It is a food ingredient that is used in thickening soups and sauces. Cornstarch gives a moderate glossy appearance and when mixed with liquid, it rearranges itself.
Ingredients:
15ml or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 15ml or 1 tablespoon of cold water.
How to Use?
Take a separate bowl. Mix thoroughly cornstarch and water before mixing it to chili.
After adding cornstarch paste to chili, heat it in a medium to high flame.
Stir it well until the bubbles start appearing.
Wait for few minutes to see the results.
If you still feel that your chili should be thicker then you can add more cornstarch and water on it.
Then let it cook for an additional few minutes.
You can use cornstarch to thicken your chili because it will not alter the taste of your dish of chili as cornstarch is flavorless.
Other Simple Ways to Thicken Your Thin Chili:
4. Mix it in Tomato Paste
Now, no need to worry about how to thicken chili. If you want your chili only a little thick then you can use this method. Tomato is one of the main elements in chili. So adding it to your mixture won’t alter its taste and makes your chili thicker.
Ingredients:
170 grams of tomato paste.
How to Use?
I am suggesting that you should use fresh handmade tomato paste.
Since tomato paste is recognized as bitter in taste, so you can add a pinch of sugar in it.
Sugar will add a mild sweetness to your dish by removing tomato’s bitterness.
During the final thirty minutes of cooking add 170 grams of tomato paste into your thin chili.
Slowly add tomato paste to your thin chili. You can also add it after every ten minutes if you wish (⅓ of the tomato paste).
Stir constantly to combine it well.
You can use tomato paste to thicken your thin chili dish. But keep all the instructions in mind so as not to make any mistakes while preparing it.
5. Use More Beans to Thicken Your Thin Chili:
A bean is a seed of numerous genera of the flowering plant. They have the ability to curl up on any medium. Beans can be use to thicken your thin chili. Do you know that India is the largest producer of dry beans in the world? Yes, it is.
Ingredients:
125ml or a half-cup beans.
How to Use?
If your chili contains beans then strain half cup of beans. Then refry and blend it.
Then again mix this mixture to your chili and cook for a few minutes.
Stir occasionally to warm it well.
You can use canned or home-cooked beans as per your wish.
If you still feel that your chili is thin, you can add extra beans in it but make sure you blend it well.
Here you go! Your thick chili dish is ready now to serve your family. If you don’t like beans then no need to worry. You can add meats to make your chili thicker.
Wrapping it Up
"How to thicken chili" is one of the major problems for all the cook masters. Even I have used many methods to thicken my thin chili but all went in vain!
Therefore, all the above methods are tried and tested about how to thicken chili. So, you can use it to thicken your thin chili. I know nobody likes to serve thin chili to their family or guests. Even I don’t like it. Do you?
Image source: wikihow
Read Also:
3 Variants of Thin Crust Pizzas
How You Can Increase the Value of Your Home with Stone Veneers
How to freeze dry food? - To freeze-dry your food, you need first to freeze your food and then dry it under pressure to remove water content. This process is called lyophilization.
In fact, it is one of the best methods to use if you want to dry your food. Actually, it is a common practice in both the pharmaceutical and food industries.
In this article, you will learn how to freeze dry food at home with simple methods. However, before that, you will also understand the freeze-drying process and the types of food you can freeze-dry.
Moreover, you will also learn the benefits of freeze-drying and essential tips to freeze-dry your food successfully.
Hence, to learn more, read on to the end of the article.
Understanding Freeze Drying
Freeze drying is a process where you remove water from a food material by freezing it. Then, you turn the ice into vapor by putting the item under pressure. Hence, you can see that this process is a dehydration technique where you sublimate the water in a product.
It means that the water content in your product changes from a solid state to a gaseous state (sublimation). Here, the water does not turn into liquid.
Generally, this method is helpful when you want to preserve any perishable materials. Here, the goal is to extend the shelf life of the material. In this case, you freeze the material and reduce the pressure. Then, you add heat to allow the frozen water in the food (material) to change directly to vapor.
How Does Freeze Drying Work?
Freeze drying consists of three stages: freezing, sublimation, and desorption.
Here is an explanation of the three stages:
1. Freezing
This process involves freezing the food at a very low temperature. Generally, you have to freeze to -30 to -50°F.
2. Sublimation (Primary Drying)
In this stage, you have to pass mild heat over the frozen material while the material is under vacuum. Hence, the ice crystals vaporize into water vapor. After that, you remove the water vapor with the help of a vacuum pump.
3. Desorption
This is the second stage of drying. Here, you have to remove all the remaining moisture from the surface of the food.
Benefits Of Freeze Drying Food
The following are the major advantages of freeze-drying that will benefit you a lot:
Generally, the foods that you freeze-dry retain up to 97% of their nutritional value. For instance, the food retains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Those foods have a long shelf life. Moreover, you do not need to store it in cold chains.
Once you freeze-dry your food, you will end up removing 98% of its water content. Hence, you will reduce its weight by 90%. Thereby, it will be easy for you to carry that food on camping and backpacking trips.
Freeze-dried food is easy to prepare. This is because you just have to add water to rehydrate them. Moreover, the shape and size of the food remains intact. Also, freeze-drying helps in preventing the growth of pathogenic organisms.
You can preserve a wide range of foods with freeze-drying. This includes meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, eggs, ice cream, and more.
When you freeze-dry food, it does not get brown or caramelize. However, this is quite common when you dry food traditionally.
How To Freeze Dry Food At Home?
Here are the steps you must follow to freeze dry food at home:
Wash your food items that you want to freeze-dry. Also, remove dirt and residues from the food. This way, you can ensure food safety.
Cut your food into small pieces. This way, you can make the freeze-drying process faster.
Place your food on a flat tray. Moreover, make sure to spread the food evenly. Basically, if you spread your food properly, you can freeze the food evenly.
Place your food in your freezer, and set the temperature correctly. Then, place the food in your freezer for two weeks. Actually, you need this time to remove the moisture in the food.
After the completion of two weeks, remove the trays from the freezer. After that, quickly place the food items in airtight bags. Make sure to take out one tray at a time to ensure that the food does not rehydrate.
Make sure to place the food bags in the freezer, and also in a cool, dark spot.
Check the food after a couple of days. This way, you ensure whether all the food is dried-up or not.
Tips For Successful Freeze Drying
The following are some essential tips by following which you can successfully freeze dry your food:
1. Preparing the Food
Harvest the food produced when it is ripe. Then, wash the food, remove the damaged parts, and prepare it as desired. This is because if you cut your food into small pieces, it will dry faster.
2. Arrange the Food
Place your food on a tray and arrange it into pieces. Also, make sure to place those pieces in such a way that they do not touch each other.
3. Use A Freeze Dryer
With the help of a freeze dryer, you can automatically lower the temperature. Moreover, a freeze dryer also helps you to create a vacuum.
4. Store The Food
Once you freeze-dry your food, store it in an airtight container. Also, you can store it in a bag which you can vacuum-seal it.
5. Cook Raw Foods:
One of the drawbacks of freeze-drying is that it does not kill harmful bacteria. Hence, you must cook freeze-dried foods thoroughly before consumption.
Related: The Importance Of Proper Cutting When Preparing Meals
Common Uses For Freeze-Dried Ingredients
The following are some of the common uses of freeze-dried foods:
Works as essential food supplies at times of emergencies.
They have a long shelf-life and you can use it to maintain food quality.
You can use freeze-dried food in stews, soups, baked goods, etc.
You can eat freeze-dried food as a healthy snack any time.
If you freeze-dry your seasonings, you can retain the flavor and freshness for years.
Wrapping Up
You now know how to freeze dry food. Generally, in manufacturing, food companies and manufacturers prefer freeze-dried food over regular food.
This is because they are easy to prepare and are portable and lightweight. Also, such food removes the moisture from the food to make it compact.
Do you have more suggestions for freeze-drying to offer? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.
Additional Readings:
How to Thicken Chili – Tried and Tested
What To Look For And What To Avoid In Healthy Dog Treats
The Difference Between Bacterial Amylase and Fungal Amylase
The Swiggy Is Popular food delivery app in India. Swiggy specializes in Providing food delivery services from the local restaurant to the home of the customers. The Local Restaurant owner needs to just register their restaurant, submit all required documents and Pay Registration fees.
Now there is must be a question in your mind like can you start a business like swiggy. The Answer is Yes, You can start Business like swiggy.
The business model of Swiggy :
The Swiggy generates major revenue from the commission it collects from restaurants for promotion and For generating sales for the restaurant and for delivering their food as a delivery partner. It Also charges a nominal delivery fee from customers on orders below 200 rupees for most cities. The Swiggy is using Both Offline and Online medium to Promote its business in India. Swiggy is highly active on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, etc.
How to Start Business like Swiggy
Conduct market research :
To form a Business like swiggy first step you need to take is to conduct a market research to find out how a Food Delivery business works, What are the equipment and Technical aspect that are required for this kind of business, What is The Investment For Food delivery Business, how many vehicle and type of vehicle You will require in this Business and what are the Legal Formalities etc.
Draft A Business Plan :
You have done Market research and have established clear Understanding of the industry and your Internal Capability and have decided to open a business like swiggy. Now its time to form a business plan which will serve as a medium to guide you towards progress and will also help in securing much need Funds and Finance for Your Business. You take help of experts to write a business plan
Apply for Loan Or funds with Bank Or Financial Institutions
When you have prepared the business plan, Now You must approach a bank or financial Institute to get a loan or funds For your business. You can also Approach a venture capitalist or private Investor to secure Loan.
Get Business registration :
Meanwhile, Your loan Is Under processing, you should also apply for Business registration . for that all you have to do is select a business entity such as Private Limited company, partnership, LLP and One Person Company, etc and Visit The government Portal to apply for business registration. You can also get Business registration With the help of Udyog Aadhar Registration and Shop Act License registration.
Apply for Food Registration :
If you are involved in any business that deals with Food Items and Products then You must apply for FSSAI Registration That Is granted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. You can take the help of my online a to apply for FSSAI Registration
Create a good Website and Mobile app :
Swiggy is an online food delivery app, it means that it delivers its service using the internet. So To form a business-like swiggy You must have a good Website and Mobile app that is designed and works very effectively and efficiently. To make a website You can take help of a professional Web developer or a web designer.
Make a strategy for Marketing and promotion of Business
You can market Your Business with the help of newspaper ads, tv ads, radio ads, and other Traditional Marketing Methods or you can market your services by using social media platforms, Digital marketing, and other Internet services.
Hire People For Business :
You require people that will look after customer service, Delivery boys for delivering food
And Administrative staff for the office. You can Hire staff By giving Ads In Newspaper, By posting job requirement in Job Portal or you can take help of Hr Consultant.
Commence Business :
When You Have Completed All The steps above It is now time to commence the business and Start Promotion of Your business using marketing campaigns.
Conclusion :
The Online ordering of food In India has Increased Very hugely in India. People are finding it more comfortable to order food online. Food Delivery business is growing consistently in India, which can present good opportunities for people who wish to Start a Business like swiggy in India. If you are considering opening a Food Delivery business, you must keep in Mind all The points that we have discussed above for successfully opening Your Food Delivery Business.
