Congee

Speck congee

Posted by Gary

You can jump to the recipe if you do not have time for the obtuse and dreary introduction.

A photograph of Lake Ginninderra and clouds. The sky is blue and the water is calm. You can see the Belconnen Arts Centre in the shot too.
It was lovely this afternoon in the sun, looking at the clouds and the water.

Introduction

Dear Reader, 

How has your week been? Mine has been fantastic. Monday was a gazetted public holiday in the Australian Capital Territory (also known as Canberra). We have one more public holiday before Christmas. I reckon Canberra has more public holidays than any other jurisdiction in Australia. 

During the week, there was a church vestry committee meeting. I enjoy these evening meetings. We discuss what is going well and what is not in the fellowship and plan for improving things.

In the middle of the week, I did a webinar with pathology (microbiology) trainees nationwide as part of their professional development. I loved sharing with them how being a pathologist and working as a public servant in government is a rich and rewarding career path. While not the same as working in a laboratory every day and working with other clinicians, I exposed them to some of the inner workings of how things get done in government.

I attended a workshop on Thursday that brought together different Australian Government agencies. Understanding the perspective and point of view of others always makes for better outcomes (in my opinion). A shared understanding helps develop and maintain cooperation. 

All in all, it was a busy and rewarding week. It has been a week of mercy and grace.

Ramen Daddy and Jasper + Myrtle 

Jasper + Myrtle chocolate with emphasis on Queensland nuts

On Sunday, I was invited to lunch by my friends who own and operate Jasper + Myrtle. It was good to catch up with them. I have not seen either of them since before COVID-19. 

Lunch was at Ramen Daddy in their Canteen in the 1 Dairy Road precinct in Fyshwick. 

I had the “Classic Daddy“, which was fantastic. I didn’t shoot a photograph because I wasn’t in the mood. It was good catching up with friends and enjoying eating the meal. 

After lunch, I got a tour of the Jasper + Myrtle chocolate factory. I remember they started in their garage with a relatively small setup. They’ve been to Italy a few times to purchase equipment for their manufacturing process. They import all the beans from PNG, so they are genuinely bean-to-bar in their manufacturing process. 

There was a lot of gleaming stainless steel and chocolate to see. 

What have I been reading? 

Phillipa Sage’s “Off-road with Clarkson, Hammond, and May” and “The Wonderful World of Jeremy Clarkson.” 

Phillipa recently wrote two books about her work and personal relationships with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. 

I know these three entertainers are polarising in society; however, Phillipa provides some insight that isn’t evident from their TV work. 

Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life 

In the same way, I read Gabor Maté’s “The Myth of Normal” based on a recommendation from blogger Jessica Cyphers; I started listening to this book by Jordan Peterson. 

While Maté’s book is about feelings, emotions, attachment, and embracing customs from first nations people groups, Peterson uses observation and empirical data to emphasise evolutionary biology. I’m part-way through the rules for life. “12 Rules for Life” is an audiobook that requires concentration. Peterson is fond of using words and terms which are technical and accurate, which can make comprehension a challenge when the words are not in everyday use. I’m learning new words.

While Maté takes a post-modern view of identity, Peterson relies on the power and force of evolution. 

The contrasts are fascinating. 

Peterson also takes this empirical view in his description of Christianity. His characterisation is academic, and while his exposition is scholarly, it sounds shallow compared with the depth and winsome conviction of Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Timothy Keller. He understands the bible (he also includes the Apocrypha) as a literary work and a guide for life, but not as the Word of God.

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 

Ingredients 

  • Speck 
  • Brown rice – 1 cup
  • Celery – a few stalks – sliced roughly.
  • French onion soup packet mix 
  • 8 cups of boiling water  
  • Red onion – chopped.
  • Whole black peppercorns for some extra “bite.”
  • Iodised salt is unnecessary because of the salt in the speck and the packet mix.
  • Spring onion 

Instructions 

  1. Wash the rice until the water runs clear.
  2. Combine the soup mix and the boiling water.
  3. Put the rice and French onion soup mix (stock) into the pressure cooker.
  4. Place the speck on top and add the celery.
  5. Add in the onion and peppercorns.
  6. Cook for one hour.
  7. Allow the pressure to equilibrium naturally.
  8. Open the lid and remove the piece of speck. Dice the meat while it is hot and return it to the pressure cooker to stir it through the developed rice gruel.
  9. Transfer the congee to containers for storage, leaving aside enough for dinner.
  10. Put the remaining congee into a bowl and garnish with spring onion.
  11. Give thanks to the Lord.
  12. Eat with a spoon.

Thoughts on the meal

As I’ve written many times, congee or jook is my favourite food. The meal was excellent and comforting.

Some readers will object to my use of speck because cured pork is unhealthy[1]. If you don’t like cured pork, you can use chicken sans skin and fat. You could also use tofu and increase your plant œstrogen[2] intake.

I’ve got enough left over from this meal to keep me happy for a week.

Final thoughts

  • Do you like supporting local artisans, like Peter and Li Peng and their endeavour with Jasper + Myrtle?
  • Have you had a rewarding week?
  • Would you make tofu congee?
  • Queensland and NSW play again in game two of this year’s State of Origin series this Wednesday. Queensland won the first game in Adelaide. Game two is at Lang Park, with a sold-out stadium. I’d give a body part to be at that game.

Photographs

Brown rice and French onion soup mix
Speck portion
Speck
Speck
Speck congee
Speck congee

References

1.         Bouvard, V., et al., Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat. The Lancet Oncology, 2015. 16(16): p. 1599-1600.

2.         Rietjens, I., J. Louisse, and K. Beekmann, The potential health effects of dietary phytoestrogens. Br J Pharmacol, 2017. 174(11): p. 1263-1280.

Beans and rice

Posted by Gary

If you do not care to read the introductory guff, click here for the recipe.

Dear Reader, 

I hope you had a good week. I had a fabulous week. Everything went swimmingly well, and it ended peacefully. 

Tonight, I am adding beans to my congee. I got the idea from Rebecca Clyde, from the Facebook group “Cooking for One”. Rebecca is a US-based registered nutritionist who shares recipes on her blog. Her recipe for beans and rice cooked in a pressure cooker caught my attention because she separated the beans and the rice in the cooking vessel. I decided against the rice and bean schism and cleaved them in congee.

I’ll have enough leftover congee for many meals and for developing resistant starches to assist my gut microbiota[1–3]. 

What have I been listening to?

Jessica Cyphers blogs about writing, teaching, and travel, and she has been sharing in her weekly newsletter some snippets from a book she’s reading, titled, The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté and his son Daniel Maté and published in 2022. Daniel narrates the audio version of the book. The subtitle for the book is Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. Gabor is a Canadian medical practitioner who clarifies the psychosomatic basis for disease. As a specialist pathologist, I find his thesis interesting. I think clinicopathological correlation should always include psychiatric input.

In contrast to the Armour of God sermon series (sixty-eight sermons) by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 6:10–13, I’ve enjoyed; I am listening to 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene to understand better some behaviours I see around me. While Elon Musk does not enamour me as a person, I have more respect for the name Tesla having listened to the first seven chapters of this book.

Stuff on the screen

Did you hear about the incident with the Spanish MasterChef TV show? I imagine the contestants execrated the food managers on that occasion. I’ve not watched the Australian version of MasterChef or My Kitchen Rules for a few years because I can no longer access free-to-air TV. I don’t know if similar situations have occurred in Australia. 

One food-related program I did watch with interest is Hunger on Netflix. The actors are Thai, and the story revolves around a noodle cook invited to join the restaurant crew under a chef who attracts wealthy clientele. It is not a movie for the faint-hearted. 

Also, on Netflix, I watched Miriam Margoyles in her three-part documentary, “Almost Australian“. I watched it on Anzac Day. Coincidentally, Miriam visits Anzac Hill in Alice Springs in Episode Two. I attended a dawn service on Anzac Hill years ago during my Darwin years. Many of the crew from HMAS Arunta were present (the Arunta name and original motto, ‘Conquer or Die,’ recognise the ship’s history and ongoing relationship with the Arrernte people of Central Australia), with a RAN Chaplain officiating the service. I recommend watching Australia Unmasked.

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 
  • Air fryer 

Ingredients 

  • Brown rice – 1 cup
  • Black beans (or pinto beans) – ½ cup 
  • Vegetable stock – 2 litres 
  • Chicken thighs – 2 thighs 
  • Duck breast
  • Brussels sprouts 
  • Broccoli 
  • Salt 
  • Pepper 

Instructions 

  1. Wash the rice until the water is clear. 
  2. Wash the beans to remove grit and dirt. 
  3. Bisect the chicken thighs with a machete, cane knife, or humungous Chinese meat cleaver. 
  4. Boil the vegetable stock and add some dried porcini mushrooms until the mushrooms bloat and become tender. 
  5. Add the mushroom-enhanced stock to the pressure cooker with the rice, beans, duck, and chicken. 
  6. Cook everything for one hour. 
  7. Allow the pressure to equilibrate and open the lid. 
  8. Remove the bones from the meat, and then with a wooden spoon, mix everything so the rice, beans, and chicken are combined. 
  9. Season to taste. 
  10. Cook some halved Brussels sprouts and broccoli florets in the air fryer. 
  11. Spoon some congee into a bowl and add some soy sauce. 
  12. Serve the congee with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and some spring onions. 
  13. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  14. Eat with a spoon. 

Thoughts on the meal

Congee aficionados might object to the addition of beans. The hue of the congee was darker than normal; however, the taste was amazing. I like to experiment and try new things.

The congee was enjoyable and comforting.

Photographs

Black beans
Brown rice
Porcini mushrooms
Black beans
Brown rice
Porcini mushrooms
Chicken Duck
Chicken Duck
Chicken Duck
Rice and bean congee with mushrooms, chicken, and duck; served with Brussels sprouts and broccoli
Rice and bean congee with mushrooms, chicken, and duck; served with Brussels sprouts and broccoli
Rice and bean congee with mushrooms, chicken, and duck; served with Brussels sprouts and broccoli

What else have I eaten this week?

References

  1. Wen, J.J., et al., Resistant starches and gut microbiota. Food Chem, 2022. 387: p. 132895.
  2. DeMartino, P. and D.W. Cockburn, Resistant starch: impact on the gut microbiome and health. Curr Opin Biotechnol, 2020. 61: p. 66-71.
  3. Raigond, P., R. Ezekiel, and B. Raigond, Resistant starch in food: a review. J Sci Food Agric, 2015. 95(10): p. 1968-78.

    “French” quinoa “congee”

    Posted by Gary

    If you don’t want to wade through my rambling, click here to jump to the recipe.

    “French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.

    Dear Reader,

    I hope you are well and have enjoyed a blissful and joy-filled week. I’ve had a fabulous week and feel happy. I feel lighter from weight loss and the lifting of some other burdens. It’s been good to speak with friends this week about a few matters and have problems resolved.

    Monday is a gazetted holiday in the Australian Capital Territory; it’s also a long weekend in a few other jurisdictions in Australia. I’m looking forward to a day at home on Monday.

    Because it’s Autumn and Winter is approaching, I’m thinking about some recipes for the colder weather. My favourite food is congee (also known as jook).

    I’ve been thinking of variations and trying to enjoy congee while I’m in the CSIRO TWD program. I’ll start with 2 L of water and ½ cup of brown rice, and ½ cup of quinoa.

    I’ve posted many congee recipes here; the most recent was in November 2022.

    After using a packet of low-sodium French onion soup mix to form a cooking liquor last week, I considered French onion soup a flavouring for congee rather than relying on meat and bones. I also thought I’d mix some brown rice and quinoa while at it.

    On the topic of low sodium, you may be interested in a WHO report released this week [1]. I also read an interesting article on a paradigm shift in thinking about sodium regulation [2]. Of course, there is an argument to be salty (English Standard Version, 2012, Mark 9:50) [3].

    I’m still going well with the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet.

    Rugby league

    Last week I mentioned it was round one of the National Rugby League competition. It was the first game in the NRL of my new number-one team, the Dolphins. They won. All four Queensland NRL teams enjoyed victories in their round one matches, viz., the Brisbane Broncos, the North Queensland Cowboys, the Gold Coast Titans, and the Dolphins. It was joyous. I was ecstatic. My father and brothers were all happy as we texted each other during the games.

    The defeated teams, though, will bounce back in round two and make for better competition. A season has victories and defeats, and it all helps build the excitement of the competition. It is, after all, just a game. That said, in the end, rugby league just gets better.

    I tweeted this last week for the DolphinsNRL first-ever game in the NRL.

    This week, the Dolphins are playing the Canberra Raiders. Many of my Canberra friends are fans and members of the Canberra Raiders club. I look forward to conversations about the game next week.

    Instagram post with my new DolphinsNRL keyring.

    Recipe

    Equipment

    • Pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • Brown rice (½ cup [100 g], uncooked)
    • Tri-colour quinoa (½ cup [100 g], uncooked)
    • French onion soup mix (low sodium)
    • Tap water (8 cups [2 L])
    • Freshly pounded and ground black peppercorns
    • Spring onions
    • Red chilli flakes (1 tablespoon)

    Instructions

    • Wash the rice and quinoa until the water runs clear. Did you know the water draining from the bowl as you clean rice looks like the faeces of patients with cholera? Hence the description, “rice water stool.”
    • Add the rice, quinoa, pepper, soup mix, and water to the pressure cooker.
    • Cook under pressure for 30 minutes and allow 15 minutes for a natural release.
    • Stir the rice gruel and keep heating to the desired thickness.
    • Season to taste (I know I’m trying to lower my sodium intake, so do this carefully).
    • Add and stir through chilli to taste.
    • Transfer everything to a large serving bowl
    • Transfer congee to individual bowls
    • Give thanks to the Lord.
    • Serve with spring onions, shredded cabbage, and soy sauce (low sodium if you have it).

    Thoughts on the meal

    It’s not often I go meat-free, but tonight I did.

    Given a choice, I’d go with the traditional congee using arborio rice and some meat, like chicken or some fatty pork. One tablespoon of red hot chilli flakes is also a bit much. The mucosa of my throat is on fire.

    The mass of the food before cooking was 2200 g. The mass of the food after cooking was 1720 g. I’m figuring if I have a cup full of congee it’ll be roughly a tenth of the nutritional value (detailed table of all values) of the total.

    It was a bit soupy but I’ve got heaps of time to get it right before winter really hits. I think I may reduce the ratio of quinoa because it really is quite nutty in flavour.

    Because I’m lazy and do not like mathematics:

    ElementValue per cup
    Kilojoules300
    Protein2.3 g
    Total fat1 g
    Total carbohydrates14 g
    Sugar
    Fibre0.7 g
    Sodium17 g
    Nutritional values (approximations only)

    Final thoughts

    I hope you have a wonderful week.

    Are you doing anything exciting? Let me know in the comments.

    Photographs

    Brown rice and tri-colour quinoa
    Brown rice
    Tri-colour quinoa
    Spring onion, red cabbage, and red chilli
    “French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
    “French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
    “French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
    “French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.
    “French” quinoa “congee” with red cabbage, spring onion, and red chilli.

    Nutrition information

    Brown riceQuinoaFrench onion soup (Sodium reduced)
     Nutrition per 100 gNutrition per 100 gNutrition per 100 mL
    Kilojoules1450158055
    Calories34737613
    Protein7.9 g15.2 g0.3 g
    Total fat3.1 g7.3 g<0.1 g
    Saturated fat0.5 g1 g<0.1 g
    Total carbohydrates69.1 g68.4 g3.0 g
    Total sugars1.1 g5.2 g0.5 g
    Fibre3.5 g10.6 g0.1 g
    Sodium2 mg5 mg160 mg
    Alcohol0 g0 g 
    Beta carotene equivalent0 μg8 μg 
    Caffeine0 mg0 mg 
    Calcium7 mg40.8 mg 
    Cholesterol0 mg0 mg 
    Folate36.8 μg183.1 μg 
    Iodine20.4 μg0.5 μg 
    Iron0.8 mg4.9 mg 
    Magnesium118.4 mg167.2 mg 
    Monounsaturated Fat1 g2 g 
    Niacin5.8 mg0 mg 
    Niacin equivalent7.5 mg2.8 mg 
    Omega 3 Fat0 mg48.7 mg 
    Phosphorus312.4 mg375.1 mg 
    Polyunsaturated Fat1.1 g3.4 g 
    Potassium230 mg560.2 mg45 mg
    Retinol0 μg0 μg 
    Retinol equivalent0 μg1 μg 
    Riboflavin0 mg0 mg 
    Selenium13.9 μg0 μg 
    Starch and dextrin67.7 g49 g 
    Thiamine0.4 mg0.3 mg 
    Trans Fat0 g0 g 
    Vitamin B120 μg0 μg 
    Vitamin B60.2 mg0.3 mg 
    Vitamin C0 mg0 mg 
    Water13.9 g12.3 g 
    Zinc1.7 mg3.6 mg 
    Nutrition information

    References

    1.         World Health Organization. WHO global report on sodium intake reduction. 2023  [cited 2023 20230311]; Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240069985.

    2.         Kirabo, A., A new paradigm of sodium regulation in inflammation and hypertension. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2017. 313(6): p. R706-r710.

    3.         Collins Anglicised ESV Bibles, Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV) Anglicised Edition. 2012: HarperCollins Publishers.

    Congee

    Posted by Gary

    Hello there,

    I’ve cooked congee (jook) many times. Tonight, I’m sharing a couple of versions for readers to consider. The recipes are identical apart from the meat used.

    I went with chicken for one version, and for the other, I went with pork.

    Regular readers may notice that I’m doing something different with these recipes. I’m using more liquid to approach the texture and consistency of Mum’s jook. I usually cook my congee to a thicker consistency. Still, I know many people who like something a little less dense. I’m also using porcini mushrooms for a flavour burst to give greater umami. If I had easy access, I would substitute dried scallops for the mushrooms. The other ingredient I’d like to add is wood ear mushroom for the mouthfeel.

    Recipe

    Equipment

    • Pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • White long-grain rice (1 cup)
    • Chicken stock (8 cups [2 L]) (you could also use a vegan broth)
    • Porcini mushrooms
    • Mushroom water (1 cup [250 mL])
    • Chicken (3 maryland[i] pieces) (you could omit this for a vegan version or exchange it with a slab of pork belly for a porcine version)
    • Salt
    • Spring onions
    • Chilli flakes

    Instructions

    1. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms with hot water and wait for 30 minutes
    2. Wash the rice until the water runs clear
    3. Add the rice, stock, and mushroom water to the pressure cooker
    4. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces
    5. Add mushroom pieces, chicken maryland pieces, or pork belly into the pressure cooker.
    6. Cook under pressure for 30 minutes and allow 15 minutes for a natural release of pressure
    7. Carefully remove the meat and transfer it to a bowl
    8. Pull the flesh (from the bones of the chicken) using forks
    9. Discard the bones if using chicken
    10. Stir the rice gruel and keep heating to the desired thickness
    11. Stir through the pulled meat
    12. Salt to taste
    13. Add and stir through chilli flakes to taste
    14. Transfer everything to a large serving bowl
    15. Transfer congee to individual bowls
    16. Give thanks to the Lord
    17. Serve with spring onions, shredded lettuce, and soy sauce

    Thoughts on the recipe and meal

    • If I were cooking for more than just me, I’d use a whole chicken or more thigh pieces and perhaps add a carcass. Sometimes I see necks and giblets on sale, which would also be suitable for flavour.
    • If you like a nice bit of pork, I recommend butt, which is shoulder and not gluteal muscle.
    • This dish is vegan if you remove the meat and use a vegan stock.
    • When I was a child, we had shredded lettuce, ham, and soy sauce to add to our bowls.
    • Each recipe makes five large bowls of congee.

    [i] For non-Australian readers, the chicken maryland is a thigh and drumstick piece in Australia. I know chicken maryland is a dish in the USA, and Maryland is a state of the union.

    Rehydrated porcini mushrooms
    Diced rehydrated porcini mushrooms
    Unwashed white long-grain rice
    Washed white long-grain rice
    Chicken maryland
    Chicken maryland
    Pulled chicken meat
    Congee with chicken
    Congee with chicken
    Congee with chicken
    Leftover congee with spring onions and chilli flakes
    Leftover congee with spring onions and chilli flakes
    Leftover congee with wombok
    Leftover congee with wombok
    Leftover chicken and wombok
    Leftover congee
    Leftover congee
    Photos for the chicken congee
    Pork belly
    Pork belly
    Pork belly congee
    Pork belly congee
    Photos for the pork congee

    Chicken and speck congee with some duck

    Posted by Gary

    Hello Reader,

    Welcome to Canberra, where this morning, when I alighted from bed at 4 am, it was –5.9 °C with an apparent temperature of –8.6 °C.

    The best food for such a cold morning is my favourite food. Congee transports me back to my childhood, except at home, we called it jook.

    As I was showering yesterday, I decided on jook for tea tonight. Coincidentally, Lorraine’s Friday blog post also mentioned congee, so the deal was sealed in my head. 

    In the title of this post, you’ll see I’ve mentioned duck. Last weekend I cooked two duck breasts, and I still had a portion to use. There’s no way I would waste duck breast, especially since I kept the skin and fat. 😊

    Chicken and speck congee with a hint of duck

    Recipe

    Photo Gallery

    Equipment

    • Pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    1. Wash the rice in tap water until the starch has been removed. Did you know that the consistency and appearance of the stools associated with cholera diarrhoea is described as rice water? (Alexakis 2017) When you look at the water as you finish washing rice, think of the ongoing cholera pandemic (seventh), which started in Indonesia in 1961 and continues today. Check out the reference for photographs of the rice water stool.
    2. Add some cold stock to the rice in a pressure cooker vessel.
    3. Slice the shallots and chillies and toss them in along with a few dried shiitake mushrooms.
    4. Mix through the duck breast pieces and lay the chicken thighs and speck on top.
    5. Splash some sesame oil over the skin of the chicken.
    6. Seal the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes.
    7. When the pressure inside the cooking vessels equals the pressure outside, remove the lid and carefully scoop out the chicken pieces and speck. The meat may tear off during the lifting from the pressure cooker so be careful.
    8. Place the chicken in a large bowl and the speck on a cutting board.
    9. Pull the chicken meat and skin with two forks and sucks the bones of the juices and remaining tit bits of flesh. 
    10. Roughly cut up the speck with a knife.
    11. Put the meat back into the cooking vessel and with a spoon stir the meat through the rice gruel.
    12. Slice some spring onion for garnishing.
    13. Transfer some jook to a bowl, add a splash of soy sauce, and garnish with the spring onion.
    14. I also prepared some crispy kale sprouts with my meal. Mum would often have shredded ham and iceberg lettuce too.
    15. Give thanks to the Lord.
    16. Eat with a spoon and feel good knowing this rice gruel will pass through your œsophagus into your stomach and feel like it will warm you from the inside.

    Thoughts on the meal

    I remain impressed with my electrically powered pressure cooker. It is more convenient than a traditional stovetop version. Last night, I had a chicken though, a small portion of pumpkin, some vegetable stock, and some chillies. Within an hour I had a delicious chicken soup.

    Spicy chicken and pumpkin soup
    Spicy chicken and pumpkin soup

    I feel full. I think tomorrow when I weigh myself, I might be a kilogram heavier than I weighed this morning. 

    Photograph Gallery

    Here are some photographs of my dinner.

    Duck breast
    Chicken thighs
    Speck
    Arborio rice
    Bird’s eye chillies and a shallot
    Shiitake mushrooms
    Cooked speck
    Cooked speck
    Cooked chicken thigh
    Cooked chicken thigh
    Chicken and speck congee with a hint of duck
    Chicken and speck congee with a hint of duck
    Chicken and speck congee with a hint of duck

    Final thoughts

    I hope you enjoyed reading this recipe and let me know if you try it.

    References

    Alexakis, L. C. (2017). “Cholera -“Rice water stools.” Pan Afr Med J 26: 147.

    Chen, X., et al. (2021). “Duck breast muscle proteins, free fatty acids and volatile compounds as affected by curing methods.” Food Chem 338: 128138.

                The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different curing methods on protein structure, protein and lipid oxidation, lipolysis and volatile compounds in duck breast meat. The results showed that compared to static brining and pulsed pressure salting, the vacuum tumbling curing significantly decreased the oxidation of proteins and lipids, and the surface hydrophobicity of proteins, increased α-helix structure but decreased the proportion of β-sheet, and increased actomyosin dissociation, liplysis and the free fatty acid content in meat. Meanwhile, vacuum tumbling curing decreased the amount of volatile flavor compounds, hexanal, 2,3-octanone, and off-flavor compounds 1-octen-3-ol and 1-hexanol. This study suggests that concerns on healthiness and the sensory quality of processed meat products should be paid in the selection of curing methods and vacuum tumbling curing is superior in terms of both aspects.

    Obayashi, Y. and Y. Nagamura (2016). “Does monosodium glutamate really cause headache? A systematic review of human studies.” J Headache Pain 17: 54.

                Although monosodium glutamate (MSG) is classified as a causative substance of headache in the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition (ICHD-III beta), there is no literature in which causal relationship between MSG and headache was comprehensively reviewed. We performed systematic review of human studies which include the incidence of headache after an oral administration of MSG. An analysis was made by separating the human studies with MSG administration with or without food, because of the significant difference of kinetics of glutamate between those conditions (Am J Clin Nutr 37:194-200, 1983; J Nutr 130:1002S-1004S, 2000) and there are some papers which report the difference of the manifestation of symptoms after MSG ingestion with or without food (Food Chem Toxicol 31:1019-1035, 1993; J Nutr 125:2891S-2906S, 1995). Of five papers including six studies with food, none showed a significant difference in the incidence of headache except for the female group in one study. Of five papers including seven studies without food, four studies showed a significant difference. Many of the studies involved administration of MSG in solution at high concentrations (>2 %). Since the distinctive MSG is readily identified at such concentrations, these studies were thought not to be properly blinded. Because of the absence of proper blinding, and the inconsistency of the findings, we conclude that further studies are required to evaluate whether or not a causal relationship exists between MSG ingestion and headache.

    Vici, G., et al. (2021). “Nutritional Properties of Rice Varieties Commonly Consumed in Italy and Applicability in Gluten Free Diet.” Foods 10(6).

                Gluten-free diets are often characterized by an inadequate intake of nutrients and are generally monotonous for the limited number of products celiac patients can use. As rice is the most used cereal by celiac consumers, studying rice varieties nutritional characteristics is of interest to manage diet quality and variety. Proteins, total carbohydrates and amylose content of six rice varieties (Ribe, Vialone Nano, Carnaroli, Arborio, Basmati, and Fragrance) were analyzed. Analyses were performed in raw products and after boiling, stewing, and microwaving. A decrease of proteins and total carbohydrates amount was observed in cooked rice. The same was reported for amylose content with boiling showing the highest loss (average retained amylose 53%). Considering amylose percentage with respect to total carbohydrates, each variety showed either an increase or a decrease depending on cooking method. The highest values were obtained with stewing above all for Basmati rice and Arborio rice. However, exceptions can be underlined as Carnaroli rice, showing the highest percentage when boiled. In this context, nutritional characteristics of cooked rice varieties appear to be of great importance to increase specific nutritional knowledge to better manage gluten-free diets.

    Zhang, X., et al. (2022). “Effects of different breeds/strains on fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism-related genes expression in breast muscle of ducks.” Poult Sci 101(5): 101813.

                Fatty acid composition contributes greatly to the nutritional value of meat, and breeds/strains are important factors affecting the composition of fatty acid. Recently, few studies have focused on the fatty acid composition in breast muscle of different duck breeds. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to compare the fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism-related genes expression in breast muscle of Jianchang duck (J), Cherry Verry duck (CV) and 3 crossbred strains (BH1, BH2 and MCmale symbol x (BGF2male symbol x GF2female symbol)female symbol (MBG)). Our results showed that the breast muscle of J had the highest contents of C22:1(n-9) but the lowest ratios of -omega 6 (n-6)/-omega 3 (n-3), -mono-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)/-saturated fatty acid (SFA) and -polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)/SFA. The PUFA/SFA ratio was higher in breast muscle of MBG than in that of BH2 and CV, and the contents of C22:1(n-9), MUFA and PUFA were higher in BH1 than in BH2 and CV. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of SCD1, FADS2, ELOVL2, and ELOVL5 were significantly higher in MBG (P < 0.05), while those of FASD1 and ACACA were significantly higher in BH1 than in BH2 and CV (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis showed that fatty acids variation exhibited extensive positive loading on principal components (PCs). Correlation analysis showed that PC1 and PC3 of BH1, as well as PC1 of MBG were correlated with the mRNA levels of ACACA and FABP3, respectively. Thus, it could be concluded that the breast muscles of MBG and BH1 have better fatty acid composition, which was closely related to the increased expression levels of SCD1, FADS2, ELOVL2, and ELOVL5 genes in MBG but FADS1 and ACACA in BH1. Moreover, these results also showed that crossbreeding could optimize the composition of fatty acid in breast muscle of ducks.