Corn starch sago recipes. What is it - sago groats: where to buy, how to cook

The medicinal effect of eating fresh onions is very diverse. This is probably why people have been cultivating this vegetable crop for several millennia. What do we know about onions today? Is it really that useful? How many calories are in an onion? Why can so many of us eat it in very large quantities, while others can't stand even the smell?

What is an onion and what is it eaten with?

This herbaceous plant is one of the most common vegetable crops on the planet. Depending on the variety, it can be round, elongated or flattened. In this case, the color of the bulb also varies. It can be white, pinkish, red, purple, golden, or even black. It usually has a strong odor and a pungent taste. However, modern varieties are distinguished by a sweetish aftertaste.

It is believed that it is due to the bitterness contained in this vegetable that the appetite increases. However, knowing how many calories are in onions and other foods you eat, you can correctly calculate your diet.

The beneficial properties of the vegetable are fully manifested when consumed raw. It is used for the treatment and prevention of various colds during mass and seasonal exacerbations. It has diuretic properties and affects the secretion of digestive juice, is considered a natural remedy in the fight against helminths. This vegetable is widely used in the manufacture of medicines and dietary supplements in pharmacology, is actively used in home cosmetology and traditional medicine.

Onions contain not only essential oils with phytoncides and organic acids, but also a huge amount of vitamins and important trace elements that affect the functioning of the heart. However, doctors do not recommend eating fresh onions for people suffering from diseases. gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, liver and kidneys.

How many calories are in an onion?

What is not done with this amazing and controversial vegetable: it is dried, frozen, pickled, stewed, boiled, fried, baked. In the process of cooking, the unpleasant smell and bitterness go away, but a sweetish taste and amazing aroma remain. Ready-made golden flakes can be purchased at any supermarket. Demand this product never disappears.

For those people who track their calorie intake, onions that are not fresh are not always allowed. After all, it's not a secret for anyone that the energy value most often depends on the method of preparation. Therefore, subject to various diets for weight loss, nutritionists recommend eating only fresh vegetables.

It is known that the calorie content of fresh onions is 43 kcal. In addition to it, we often eat fresh feathers. This is a storehouse of vitamin reserves for the body. That is why during the spring beriberi people are happy to use green onion. How many calories are in it? Very little - only 19 kcal per 100 grams of fresh product.

Low calorie fresh onion and weight loss

The low calorie content of fresh green or onions allows this vegetable to be used in the diet. Recently, weight loss on onion soup has gained wide popularity. Its use contributes to the burning of a huge amount of extra calories. Many nutritionists claim that onion soup helps fight obesity and cleanses the body. It gives a feeling of lightness and comfort.

According to the recipe, to prepare onion soup you will need: canned tomatoes(500 grams), 1 head of fresh cabbage, 1 kg of fresh onion, sweet bell pepper, a bunch of celery and spices for flavor. Vegetables must be washed and finely chopped, put in a saucepan and pour 3 liters of water. Cook until the vegetables are soft. At the end add salt and spices.

Thanks to vegetables with a high fiber content, the resulting soup eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time. This technique was developed by American doctors. According to them, any obese person, eating during the week only onion soup able to lose up to 10 kg of excess weight.

Energy value of cooked onions

However, a low calorie content is only possible in fresh and boiled vegetable. The product has a low energy value in pickled, baked or stewed form. How many calories are in fried onions will depend on the amount of fat in which the product was prepared.

In this case, the type of oil used should also be taken into account. For example, if cooked on cream or sunflower oil, the energy value of the dish will be significantly higher than when using olive oil. In any case, this indicator fried product increases many times. Nutritionists have calculated that the average calorie value of 100 g of fried onions using 25 grams of fat is 251 kcal. The energy value increases to 330 kcal if cooked in batter.

The popularity of fried onions

Fried onions - a product without which it is impossible to cook almost any tasty dish. it required ingredient not only in home cooking. It is actively used in various fields. Food Industry. In production sausage products, all kinds of pates, semi-finished products and even bakery products one of the main components is fried onions. How many calories are in finished product, the manufacturer indicates on the label.

Onion different varieties is such a familiar vegetable in the beds and in the kitchen that few people think about its qualities and health effects. But it can be both useful and dangerous for a person, it can help in losing weight and be an independent basis for dishes, and not just an addition.

Onion: features and benefits

With its valuable composition, the "turnip" is not inferior to many other representatives of the vegetable series. In it you can find:

• vitamin C - defender of the immune system;
• enough vitamins A, B and PP;
• essential oils that can resist colds, even if you just sniff onions;
• iron, which maintains hemoglobin at the desired level;
• potassium, which brings health to the cardiovascular system;
• proteins and carbohydrates that build muscles and energize;
• amino acids, whose task is to maintain an ideal metabolism and optimal absorption of minerals and vitamins.

This is not a complete list of trace elements and useful properties, which can boast of onions. Many chemical elements act in combination, mutually reinforcing the effect of each other. It perfectly replenishes the body's strength during beriberi, prevents the occurrence of viral diseases or minimizes complications, fights pathogens of bacterial infections: tuberculosis, dysentery, diphtheria, streptococcus. Onions can help with insomnia and even, as some studies show, inhibits the growth of cancerous tumors.

Negative consequences

Despite the valuable composition, in some cases, onions can be harmful to health. Consuming large amounts of this vegetable, especially raw, often worsens the condition of people with a number of diseases:

• damage to the liver and kidneys;
• cholecystitis;
• pancreatitis;
• gastritis;
• ulcers;
• chronic diseases digestive system during periods of exacerbation.

There is deterioration due to the fact that onions increase acidity due to irritation of the mucous membrane. Under some conditions, it can not be eaten even in minimal doses.

In some cases, the fetus causes disturbances in the work of the heart, leads to hypertension, and a high concentration essential oils provokes asthma attacks. Allergy sufferers and nursing mothers should be wary of onion crops, in whose milk an unpleasant taste can be felt.

Generally, taste qualities and the aroma of raw onions is not to everyone's liking. Use it in medicinal purposes not everyone will decide, because the smell does not disappear for a long time and nothing can interrupt it. With a thermally processed vegetable, the situation is slightly better, especially since it is able to retain its benefits after cooking.

Onions for weight loss

The onion diet is considered very effective and allows you to get rid of seven kilograms in a week, depending on the initial weight. Due to the rich mineral composition, the body is provided with almost everything necessary during the diet, which makes it not only effective, but also useful. Weight loss occurs due to the fact that the plant acts as a diuretic and choleretic, lowers cholesterol, regulates metabolic processes, stimulates the work of the digestive organs and normalizes the water-salt balance. This is enough to get the body working and use its strength to break down excess fat cells.

Diet recipes with onions

The best dishes for those who want to lose weight are soups. Heartily cooked soup allows you to almost neutralize the onion taste and smell.

Fat burning soup

To prepare the soup, you will need several large onions, cabbage, 6-7 tomatoes, a couple of green peppers and a celery root. Boil chopped vegetables until tender, without overcooking.

Finnish soup

It's quite satisfying and tasty soup, which will not let you get bored on a diet. To prepare it, you need to take:

• 1 liter of chicken broth;
• 100 grams of celery and cabbage;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 1 piece of onion, carrot, processed cheese and pepper.

Diced vegetables are poured with broth and boiled until almost ready, shortly before which chopped processed cheese is added.

Pickled Onion Salad

It can be both an independent dish on a strict diet, and healthy snack on the proper nutrition. Marinate the onion yourself with salt, sugar and vinegar, 20 minutes is enough. You can add chopped vegetables to the salad.

The principle of the onion diet

The diet with onion soup is designed for a week. It is necessary to cook a new portion every day in order to get the maximum benefit from the soup, both for health and for the figure. In addition to soup, it is allowed to eat some meat, milk, other vegetables and fruits. The main thing is to exclude products prohibited on any diet: sweets, soda, alcohol, pastries.

In addition to onions, it is recommended to generously add green onions and other varieties to dishes and salads: leeks, shallots. fresh salads help to lose weight due to low calorie content, and the presence of onions doubles the effect. It is necessary to remember about contraindications and not to abuse raw onions.

Energy value of different varieties of onions

There are several hundred varieties of onions in the world, but only a small part of them are edible. It turns out, however, an impressive list of varieties that differ in calorie content and properties. Even onions are just a species that combines varieties of different shapes, sizes, colors and tastes. The same goes for many other species. Below is a table with data on the caloric content of the most common varieties in raw form, based on which you can build a diet. Interesting fact that the sharper and bitter taste the higher the calorie content.

How to choose and store onions

Choosing a quality vegetable and proper storage is the key to its benefits for a long time. Residents of city apartments rarely face the issue of long-term storage, it is easier to buy it regularly, but the question of choice arises. Rural residents and site owners, on the contrary, are puzzled by the need to save stocks until spring, as well as the choice of seeding for a new planting.

What to look for when buying onions, in particular onions?

• on size: medium bulbs are optimal both in quality and for long-term storage;
• smell: it should be only onion without impurities of dampness and rot;
• on the appearance: the husk is intact, the tail is dry, the bulb is dense and even to the touch;

If it is supposed long-term storage, already dry vegetables need to be dried additionally. If possible, this is best done in the open sun.

The ideal place for storage is a dry cellar or basement with zero temperature. This is not possible in apartments, so other options are used: wicker boxes, fabric bags, nylon tights, string bags - the main thing is to ensure good ventilation. To maintain dryness, onions are regularly sorted out and sprinkled with chalk or special harmless preparations.

Onions in every kitchen

Popularity in cooking is due to its unique interaction with other products. Seasoned with onions (raw or thermally processed), vegetables, meat, fish, soups enhance their taste and aroma, and at the same time become more useful. Onions are used in cooking different ways: boiling, stewing, frying, canning, baking. In a freshly prepared dish, the benefits of onions are most significant and refined taste feels sharper.

For those who care about their figure or use onion plants for weight loss, information on the calorie content of the main varieties after processing is useful:

Fried onions have a high calorie content due to the addition of oil. This processing method is not suitable for a diet, although the dishes become very tasty.

You can find out about the calorie content of green onions in the following video:

A correctly chosen onion will replace a whole vitamin complex, if you actively supplement your daily routine with it. culinary masterpieces. In the absence of contraindications, onions can guard health and immunity and have a dietary effect. And the process of storing it can be played creatively by decorating the kitchen with nets and string bags with onions, which will provide additional ventilation.

In contact with

Most of us love delicious food. But no matter how tasty the dishes are, sooner or later they get bored, you want something new. And from the point of view of usefulness - food should be varied. Sago groats are one of the few products that few people know about. It is of artificial origin and is prepared from various starches.

Natural sago is native to Southeast Asia, Malaysia and India. The palm tree of the same name grows here, from which this product is prepared. bears fruit once in a lifetime, by this time the maximum amount of nutrients and starches accumulates in its trunk. Before flowering, the locals cut it down, the core is processed, crushed and dried. After that, the sago groats are ready. First and second courses, puddings are prepared from it, used as a filling or as independent dish. Such “multifunctionality” is due to the fact that sago does not have a pronounced taste and smell, but it perfectly absorbs the taste and smell of other dishes.

This product is also extracted from some other types of palms, but all these plants do not grow in our climatic conditions. If you import ready-made cereals, then it will cost quite a lot, so in our country it is made from high-quality potato or cornstarch. The technology is quite complicated, because the cost of the product is also quite high.

Accurate chemical composition it is difficult to specify this cereal: it all depends on the production technology and the source material. But absolutely sago groats contain quite a lot of calories (100 grams of the product contains 300-350 kcal), most of which are carbohydrates (up to 85% of them).

Features of the production process led to the almost complete absence of complex proteins in sago. This made it possible to use it in dietary nutrition with protein intolerance (celiac disease or phenylketonuria). dishes,

made from this cereal are digested quickly and have a high calorie content. Therefore, they are often recommended after serious illnesses, to restore weight and strength, as well as for children and adolescent nutrition.

Natural sago is easy to prepare, but you should be careful with a product made from potato or corn starch. If the cooking rules are not followed, problems may arise: porridge can stick together into one lump, or dissolve into a jelly-like mass.

High-quality cereals look like milky-white balls without foreign inclusions or lumps. Some manufacturers add yellowish-brown groats to the composition then. Pay attention to the smell of sago - the groats should not have a moldy or musty aroma. To taste - extraneous aftertastes, bitterness or acidity are unacceptable. The product is often affected by barn pests. In this case, the saga groats are warmed up, dried, the pests are separated. After opening the package, it is better to store this product in an airtight container ( glass jar with a tight lid) to avoid the absorption of foreign odors.

Abundance on store shelves can make even the most experienced hostess. Especially the grocery department has recently been pleased with the variety. You go there, and you start asking questions that you would never have thought of before. For example, how to cook sago? And what is it anyway? It turns out that your parents know this cereal firsthand. Relatively recently, it was very popular, but in the post-Soviet era it disappeared from the shelves and from the everyday menu. So, if you ask your loved ones, you will surely find out from them proven recipes for making sago. And if not, then we ourselves will gladly share this information with you. And at the same time, we will explain what sago is made of, how to cook sago correctly and what this product will bring to your diet.

What is sago? Natural and artificial sago
The origin of the obscure name "sago" is explained by the exotic origin of this cereal. It is mined in southern Asia, in Thailand, Indonesia, New Guinea and other oceanic islands where sago palms grow. The wood of their trunks contains a large number of starch, especially valuable for its chemical composition. The kernel is extracted from the core of the tree, crushed, washed, and through such complex step-by-step manipulations, sago is obtained: a whitish round grain with a matte surface. True, it is undesirable to focus only on appearance. Before you buy sago in the store, do not be too lazy to read the text on the package. Read information about the composition of cereals. You are almost equally likely to have one of the following types of sago in your hands:

1. Real sago has long been extracted from the trunks of sago palms, which are cultivated or cut down wild trees before flowering. One palm tree can produce up to 150 kg of sago, but only once.
   
2. Cassava sago is obtained from the roots of a plant that has nothing to do with palm trees. This is an edible cassava, rich in starch, but containing, in addition to it, poisonous glycosides. Cassava is commercially grown for the manufacture of rubber and food products, so that sago from it is cheaper than palm sago.
   
3. Potato sago is an invention of the Soviet food industry. Since neither palms nor cassava can be found in our latitudes, they have found a replacement in the form of potatoes, also rich in starch.
   
4. Corn sago - Similar to the potato product, fake sago is made from corn starch suitable for the production of such cereals.
   

Potato and corn starch is wetted and driven through a centrifuge where it is collected into balls. After steaming, they really look very similar to palm sago. You can distinguish them, focusing on the price of cereals and the specified composition of the product.

The composition and benefits of sago
Real sago is very popular not only in Asia, but also abroad. For the indigenous inhabitants of the Guinean Islands, this cereal is as important as rice for the Chinese and wheat for the Europeans. The nutritional value sago lies in its composition, and quite specific. There is very little protein in this cereal, but plenty of carbohydrates (complex and simple), dietary fiber and a little fat. Vitamins are represented by group B, fat-soluble vitamins A, E and PP. Many minerals: iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iodine and even molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt, strontium and zirconium. But the main advantage of sago over other cereals is not what it contains, but what it does not contain. Here is a paradox: the minimum protein content and the complete absence of gluten, or gluten, allows sago to be included in the diet of people with food allergies and low-protein therapeutic diets.

How to cook sago
The fact that sago is considered a cereal may be a reason to cook it using standard cooking technology. But in the case of sago, this will be wrong: neither the taste nor the benefits will be fully revealed. Moreover, a special cooking technique applies to all types of sago: both real and simulated from potatoes or corn. And all because even sago substitutes are not identical to starch. Their chemical composition is more concentrated and undergoes certain processes during cooking, therefore it requires the right approach:

1. Sago porridge is prepared in several stages. First, the dry cereal is sorted out (although it cannot contain scales, but sometimes garbage and other foreign particles get into it), then they are washed under a tap with cool water a couple of times.
   
2. Meanwhile, salted water should boil on the stove at the rate of 1 liter of liquid per 1-1.5 cups of sago.
   
3. Pour the cereal into a pot of boiling water, reduce the heat to a low level and cook for about half an hour. Do not forget to stir the porridge so that the grains do not stick together.
   
4. After half an hour, the sago porridge will be only half cooked, but it's time to remove it from the fire. Drain the contents of the pan on a sieve and drain the water.
   
5. Return the semi-cooked sago to the same pot or a smaller one. Cover with a lid, and even better - press down with oppression. Set the pot with the grits on water bath and soak for another 30 minutes.
   
6. After half an hour, put a generous piece of sago porridge butter, mix and leave covered for 10 minutes for impregnation.
   

Popular wisdom says that porridge cannot be spoiled with butter. So, just in relation to sago porridge, this is especially true. Some housewives even believe that it is butter that gives this dish a special charm. So do not be stingy and use at least 100 grams of quality oil per porridge from a glass of cereal.

Sago Groats Recipes
Of course, porridge on the water is far from the only way to cook delicious sago. Once you've mastered the basic recipe for making sago grits, you can try to complicate it in one of these delicious ways:

1. Milk porridge made from sago. For 1 cup of sago you will need at least 1 liter of whole milk (cow or goat), a packet of vanilla sugar (or a tablespoon granulated sugar and vanillin on the tip of a knife), half a pinch of salt and 100 grams of butter. Butter, like milk, can be used ghee. Sort the grits and rinse with cool water. Salt the milk and put on fire. Put sugar, cereals into boiling milk and stir. Do not stop stirring for another 25-30 minutes, while the porridge is cooked on low heat. Then remove the pan from the stove and, having covered with a lid, rearrange it in an oven preheated to 160-180 ° C. There, sago porridge will reach readiness in about 30-40 minutes, but you can leave it for a longer time, as in a thermostat. Before serving, season the porridge with oil and mix so that it is evenly distributed.
   To avoid moving the pot of porridge from the stove to the oven, you can immediately cook sago in a slow cooker. The proportions of the products will remain the same, the device mode is “milk porridge”. You can leave it on the heating for a while, and season with oil before eating right in the bowl or already in the plates.
   
2. Sweet sago porridge with rice. To complete the taste, it is also better to boil it in milk or milk diluted with water 1:1. In any case, for 1 liter of liquid, take half a glass of sago and half a glass of white polished rice, two packets of vanilla sugar (or 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a little vanilla or vanilla essence), half a coffee spoon of salt, a handful of raisins, 100 grams of butter, and also any other dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts and / or candied fruits to your taste. Sort both cereals and rinse. Sago is enough to rinse with cool water once, and rice will require several rinses. Soak raisins in boiling water. Salt milk and / or water and bring to a boil in a saucepan suitable for volume. Put the sago and rice into the boiling liquid, add the vanilla and sugar and simmer, stirring, over low heat for about half an hour. Then remove from heat, put the squeezed raisins and cover with a lid. Move the pan to the oven, preheated to 150-170°C. After 30 minutes, the porridge will be ready. Toss with butter and garnish with fruit/nut pieces, jam, jam or honey when serving.
   Sago can be prepared for future use by preparing a kind of semi-finished product from cereals. It keeps well in the refrigerator and is quickly brought to readiness as needed to be used as a side dish, pastry filling or whatever you like. To do this, it is enough to cook the sago on the stove until half cooked (within 30 minutes), and then dry it on a towel and transfer to a clean container. You can safely make such a preparation for several days in advance and cook from it not only cereals, but also first courses:
   
3. Sago chowder. For 2 liters of cooked meat or vegetable broth take about half a glass of sago (raw or half-cooked from the refrigerator), a bunch of fresh herbs, a pinch of salt, ground pepper and/or other spices to taste. Salt the broth and bring to a boil on the stove. While it is heating, sort and rinse the sago. Put the cereal into the boiling broth and cook for about 15 minutes. Then add spices, cover and bring to readiness for another 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the greens. Pour the stew on plates and sprinkle each serving with a pinch of herbs. Similarly, you can prepare a soup with sago and meat or fish, potatoes and/or other vegetables.
   

Like semolina, housewives got the hang of using sago for baking cookies and making casseroles. Try it and you will replace the semolina with half-cooked sago groats - for sure the taste will turn out to be interesting and new. Moreover, good quality sago groats do not have a pronounced taste and perfectly adapt to the components of either a salty or sweet dish. Use this versatility of sago and treat loved ones with healthy and hearty meals. Enjoy your meal you and your family!

Cereals are indispensable products for everyone. Someone does not like some cereals, but eats others with pleasure, and someone loves everything without exception, but there is not a single person who does not eat cooked cereals at all. It is quite nutritious and healthy food. Each type of plant, from which raw materials for cereals are obtained, has its own characteristics and useful substances. One of the most useful is starch cereals.

A real starch cereal is called sago and it is made from the trunk of a palm tree of the same name. Sago loves the tropical climate and it is not possible to cultivate it in our regions. The peculiarity of this palm tree is that inside the trunk consists of pure starch, which is rubbed through a sieve and grains of future porridge are obtained. Transporting this substance is quite problematic, but dried palm starch groats sometimes enter our market in special packages that retain all its properties for a long time.

Also in Soviet times starch groats were sold in our stores. And the raw material for its production was potato or corn starch. Of course, this is not real sago, but it is also very healthy cereal. This product contains only starch. No special components are required at all. Due to the ability to store raw materials for a long time, preservatives are not added to the cereal.

Groats from corn starch (as well as from potato starch) require a special approach to production. At the first stages of the development of this production, mistakes were made that led to large losses of the product and raw materials, so starch groats were quite expensive. Now it costs the same as ordinary cereals, because. the technological sequence of its manufacture was revised and brought almost to perfection.

Palm starch grits look just like fake sago: white balls, small in diameter, about 3 mm. When cooking, its volume increases by 2 or more times. The main use is in cereals, pastry fillings, puddings, sometimes it is added to soups and confectionery. The peculiarity of this cereal is that it gives density to any dish, and its delicate and mild taste is absolutely universal in culinary terms.

For the preparation of artificial sago, only high quality starch is selected, which is slightly gelatinized with natural ingredients. The first type of raw material that was used was entirely from potatoes. Over time, it became possible to use corn starch.

Modern domestic production consists of the following stages:

• dehydration (not complete, but to a certain level);
• screening. As a result of this, a mass is obtained, which is called "snowflakes";
• seaming. "Snowflakes" are rolled into small balls;
• sorting. Select grains of raw sago;
• steaming. The groats are steamed so that it keeps its shape well;
• drying sago;
• sorting sago already in dry form to determine the variety;
• polishing or polishing the finished sago;
• weighing and packing.

Sago refers to diet food, but only for those who have Great for baby food. However, it is not recommended for overweight people. The fact is that cereals from starch are quite high-calorie. But for those who need strength for training - this is great food.

Among useful substances, which are part of this cereal, it is worth noting vitamins E, PP and choline. Also present, but in a smaller ratio, vitamins of group B, H, A. Minerals include calcium, potassium, molybdenum, boron, phosphorus, zinc, iron, titanium, vanadium, iodine, magnesium, zirconium, copper, strontium, etc. .P. Of course, heavy substances are contained in acceptable and useful norms. So, starch cereal not only quickly saturates, but also nourishes with many useful substances.

We wish you tasty and healthy food!