Raisin - Description
Raisins - grapes dried in the shade or in the sun. From Turkish, the word "raisin" and translated: "grapes". As a food product, he loves all the Mediterranean, Middle and Near East. Over the past 2500 years, the number of types of raisins has remained unchanged, although trade names change quite often. Therefore, in cookbooks published earlier, they are slightly different from modern ones.
Most often on the market or in the store you can see 4 main types of raisins:
Korinka - in the old terminology, “shigani”, or “bidana” is a modern trade name. It is dark, blue or almost black, sometimes burgundy raisins, without seeds. It happens very sweet and slightly sweet, dryish consistency.
Kishmish, or Sabza (trade name) - is a light, small raisin of sweet varieties. White or green seedless grapes are used.
Common single-edged raisins, medium size, light olive light. Husayne raisin - “ladies fingers” - large, very sweet, fleshy, with several large bones.
In the trade sphere, there are manual and factory-made raisins. Raisins, processed by the factory method, are better cleaned, more even, but not as fragrant as the one that is processed by hand. Otherwise for culinary use, the nature of the processing does not matter.
Raisin - useful properties
Nature has given us as a gift almost inexhaustible resources. Natural food is rich in vitamins, minerals and other elements essential for the human body. Use all the benefits of raisins to maintain physical and mental health. Raisins are very rich in potassium, vitamins B1, B2, calcium, sodium and other elements. Also, its composition includes niacin (nicotinic acid), which is a component of the enzymes involved in protein metabolism and cellular respiration, as well as regulate nervous activity.
Thanks to niacin, raisins have a calming effect and strengthen the nervous system. Raisins assist in eliminating edema and enhancing urine excretion. This is due to the potassium content, which has a positive effect in case of poisoning. With a cold, cough, it is recommended to use a decoction of raisins. To do this, pour a glass of boiling water with 100 g of dry berries, leave for 10 minutes, strain, mix with a spoon of onion juice. Drink 3 times a day, half a cup. Broth raisins are also useful for bronchitis, pneumonia, hypertension. To prepare it, pour 100 g of raisins (crushed) with a glass of water, boil for 10 minutes over low heat, squeeze using gauze. This dried fruit contains 8 times more glucose and fructose than the grapes, so it is easy to replace candy and toffee. In addition, the composition of raisins include antioxidants that prevent the occurrence of caries. Raisins are only dried grape berries, but they are far ahead of them in terms of their beneficial properties.
Contraindications: should not be used by people suffering from acute heart failure, obesity, gastric ulcer.
Raisins - calories
The calorie content of raisins is 264 kcal per 100 grams.
Raisin - use in cooking
Kishmish and dark seedless raisins are used for the production of various bakery products in the confectionery industry, the second - especially often in Easter cakes and muffins. Common raisins with one bone are mainly used for preparing drinks, compotes, as well as meat dishes and pilaf. Large stone raisins are also widely used in cooking. Crushed and pitted, it is used for the preparation of puddings and pastries, whole - in drinks (kvass, fruit drinks). Fine compotes are also cooked from it, and the raisins themselves will keep their true taste for a long time.
Recipe examples with raisins
Recipe 1: Jelly cake with raisins without baking
If you are too lazy to bake, and the cake is very necessary - this recipe is just for you. Does not require baking, done quickly and easily. To make it, we will make several jelly options, one of them is sour cream.
Ingredients: sour cream - (fat content 20% - 700 g), crispy crackers with poppy seeds (300 g), steamed raisins (100 g), chocolate (200 g), instant gelatin (25 g), green jelly (90 g), sugar (1 stack), vanillin (1 pack). For decoration, take some white grapes.
Method of preparation
Dilute gelatin in hot water (150 ml). Allow to cool. Dilute jelly according to the instructions (300 ml). Allow to cool too. Cracker break in half. If the crackers are large, then break smaller. Whip sour cream with granulated sugar and vanilla, then add the cooled gelatin, beat again. Chop chocolate with a knife, it is better to freeze it beforehand. In a bowl with sour cream add steamed raisins and cracker and mix well. In a form (detachable) put a third of the cream and sprinkle it with chocolate. Put another third of the cream on top and sprinkle with chocolate and lay out the last third. Put the form in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cut grapes into halves. Put the halved grapes on the frozen cake and pour over the cooled green jelly. Put in the fridge, soak for 2-3 hours. Delicious jelly cake waiting for your guests. The recipe can be changed: use other fruits, jelly of a different color, instead of chocolate - cherry.
Recipe 2: Apple-raisin bread
Delicious and healthy sweet bread with apples and raisins. This original recipe is very fond of all children, even the most capricious.
Ingredients: yeast (you can take dry, 2 tbsp. L.), Milk, sugar (half a cup), raisin without stones (1 cup), salt (1/2 tsp), cinnamon ground (2 tbsp. l.), wheat flour (2 cups + a little on podpyl), apples (4-5 pieces).
Method of preparation
To prepare the brew mix sugar, warm milk and yeast. Mix cinnamon, flour and salt. Pour the flour into the dough until a thick, viscous mass is obtained. Add more milk if necessary. Then add the soaked raisins and diced apples, and leave for 2 hours. Then put the dough on the greased form, leave for another couple of hours. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes. Choose a moderate temperature. The bread should harden and become hollow inside. Grease it with oil and let it cool for 15 minutes. Now you can take out of the form.
Recipe 3: Apples with curd and raisins
Delicious, light and healthy dessert. Munk will make it more saturated, cottage cheese goes well with raisins.
Ingredients: sugar (2 tbsp. L.), A few hard apples, cottage cheese (150g), raisins (4 tbsp. L.), Egg yolk (2 pieces), semolina (20 grams).
Method of preparation
Grind cottage cheese, mix with semolina, sugar, yolk, raisins. With apples, cut off the top with a sharp knife, remove the middle, without breaking the wall. Fill them with a mixture and place on the dish, with the hole up, bake for 3-4 minutes at high temperature. After baking, sprinkle the apples with icing sugar. Enjoy your meal!
Recipe 4: Meat salad with raisins
Description: tasty and original meat salad with raisins. It will decorate any table, and the combination of meat and raisins will create an exquisite taste. Please yourself and your guests with this wonderful dish.
Ingredients: beef (300 grams), 1 carrot, quail eggs (6 pcs.), Raisins (100 grams), mozzarella (200 grams), olive oil.
Method of preparation
First of all, wash the meat, boil it and cut it into large pieces, put it in a salad bowl. To dry the raisins, it is necessary to pre-soak it for a couple of hours. Cut the mozzarella in small cubes. Peel and boil carrots, then cut into large pieces. In that salad all the ingredients should be cut large enough. Boil quail eggs (4 minutes), peel and cut in half. To make the salad not too fatty, season it with olive oil. Add spices to taste. Salad is ready! Serve at the table and delight guests.
Recipe 5: Pork with raisins in the oven
Aromatic meat with a variety of spices and tea sauce. Slightly sweet taste of meat, a pleasant taste of raisins, spicy bitterness.
Ingredients: pork (400 g), some black tea, seedless raisins (2 tbsp. L), water (40 ml), coriander, vegetable oil (2 tbsp. L), red pepper and black ground , salt, flour (1 tbsp.), nutmeg on the tip of a knife, mustard (1/2 tsp.).
Method of preparation
Brew tea in a glass of water. Then strain it and pour it into a large container and add a glass of boiling water. Wash the raisins and add to tea, let it brew. Prepare the meat: wash it, dry with a paper towel or napkin, cut into cubes by centimeter. Fry the meat in hot oil until golden brown, stirring it. Then reduce the heat and add a glass of tea. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Do not add raisins yet.
Season with pepper, nutmeg, mix well and stew until meat is cooked (about 15-20 minutes). While the meat is being stewed, as the liquid boils away, add a tea brew or water (if it ends). When the meat is almost ready, add raisins, a small amount of water, half a teaspoon of mustard, simmer another 10-15 minutes. To thicken the sauce, flour the flour in a dry frying pan, stirring it all the time. When the flour begins to change color, add it to the meat. On the side dish is proposed to serve rice. Enjoy your meal!
Raisins - useful tips from experienced chefs
Sweet yeast dough is always a magic wand. From it you can always cook cakes or pies, as well as Easter cakes or wedding loaves. For the preparation of pastry, it is best to use chopped raisins, roll it beforehand in flour, so that it can be evenly distributed in the dough and in the baked product itself.
