# Anyone Speak Australian?



## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

I was just given a Australian cookbook and would appreciate some help with the ingredients.

One of the recipe for a plum pudding calls for sago. A note on the page said that: "sago is the starch extracted from the sago palm. It is dried and formed into balls by pushing through a sieve. It is often called pearl sago and is available from supermarkets or health food stores. It is white when uncooked but goes transparent when cooked."


I think it sounds like tapioca but having never mades a plum pudding before I want to be sure of the ingredients.


Another recipe for miniature panetonne, they look so nice, calls for 2x7g sachets dried yeast. The yeast is is to be put in a bowl with 3/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. The m ixture is to be left in a warm place for 10 minutes unfil foamy. 

I assume I can replace that with regular Fleishman yeast but I've never heard of proofing yeast in milk before. I am also wondering about the difference in the gluten content of the flour. The recipe calls for plain flour which I assume is all purpose flour. Should I be looking for another recipe? Or can someone help me figure this thing out.


Thanks for your help!

Sisi


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Sisi~ I don't speak Aussie....but I read Nick.shu
I've used milk in proofing yeast and it's fine.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Thank you Shroomgirl, I'll try that recipe like it is and see how it goes. As for the sagop, I called the distributer of the book here in Canada and they should get back to me next week with a answer.


Sisi


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

Sago is a thickener like tapioca. 
Proofing yeast in milk is done for rich sweet doughs and makes for a lovely meal for the yeast.

Safe to say Plain Flour is AP flour. Unless you were making a well developed dough or light sponge cake would it make a huge difference.

Let us know how things turn out.
G'day.


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## nick.shu (Jul 18, 2000)

heheh, yers need help with yers strine eh? (just say it slow in one sentence, it'll make sense).

Ok, sago over in oz is quite common. And it does look very much like tapioca. Most asian specialty suppliers should carry this commodity.

Activating yeast in warm, preferably tepid milk is no prob, i refer to "the roux bros - patisserie book" brioche recipe as a good example.

Plain flour, is the normal AP flour that we use here. The approximate protein content does fluctuate between 9% and 14% so it isnt quite a strong flour, more towards a medium.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

See he's still understandable.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Thank you for your help Nick, and everyone else. I'll try Chinatown for the Sago. If I can't find it, could I replace sago with tapioca?


One more question on pudding, one recipe call for wholemeat flour, would that be whole wheat flour?


Last question I swear, in this same book there are a few recipes for mincemeat. My step mother being british I thought I would make her some for xmas. I didn't like the idea of having fresh fruit in a jar for 2 months, no matter how much brandy I put in. I combine the different recipes I had and created my own mincemeat using only dried and candied fruits, pecans, spices, brown sugar and brandy. I sterelized the jar and lid. I assumed since there is no fresh fruits in it that it will keep at room temperature for a few months. I would really like to know if I am right and will it be safe to make some miniature pies with the mincemeat around Chrsitmas.


Thank you all


Sisi


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## judy (Jul 6, 1999)

Sisi, you really do need the apple in it for the moisture.Mincemeat will keep for months.I don't know which recipe you are using and what you have omited but maybe if you add the apple when you use the mixture you have put together it will do the trick. Anyway the thoughtfulness of doing this for an english person for christmas is wonderful.Hey, you didn't mention the suet.Did you put that in?


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

noticed the lack of suet....canning would be interesting with suet......Ball jar used to have reliable info on canning....and a pretty darn good 7 day pickle recipe.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

No suet. I didn't see the point of adding the fat to dry fruits and alcohol. I looked at a few recipes and in the end I made my own mixture. One called for a "packet suet mix" the other had no suet and was made with apples and blueberries. The suet recipe said the mincemeat should be set aside for at least three weeks or up to six months. The other recipe was to be used immediately since it had the fresh fruits. 


What have I omitted? Apples. Why? I wasn't sure if putting a fresh fruit in the mix was a good idea since I was going to leave on a shelf until Christmas. I thought I would add the apples 48 hours before making the pies. That way the apple would have enough time to absorb some of the flavours of the dry fruits, spices and brandy and I would be confidant, hopeful, the mix will still be edible. 


What did I put in this mincemeat? Lemon zest and juice. A touch of orange juice concentrate. Sultanas, currants, mixed peel. Pecans, mix candied fruits, dry prunes and apricot and a few dates for good measure. Some candied ginger and cédrat too. Spices lots of them, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. A touch of allspice. Brown sugar and brandy. It tasted quite good but I never tasted mincemeat before so I have no idea if it tasted like real mincemeat.


Never having made mincemeat before I had no idea how safe this mixture would be. I didn't seal the jar in a water bath. I thought there really wasn't any need for that since it contains dry fruits and alcohol. I did sterilised the jar before filling it though. So now the jar sits in a dark cupboard waiting till the day it will be time to make the pies… Can I, should I, open the jar every now and then to check on it?


If this doesn't sound right [please let me know so I can start over. Don't want to be "mincemeatless" on Christmas.


Thank you all


Sisi


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## nick.shu (Jul 18, 2000)

i do have a recipe for mincemeat tarts - ref: 8th edition practical cookery, ceserani, kinton and foskett - all measurements are in metric.

100g suet
100g mixed peel
100g currants
100g sultanas
100g raisins
100g apples - chopped
100g barbados sugar
5g mixed spice
1 zest and juice of lemon
1 zest and juice of orange
1/2 wineglass of rum
1/2 wineglass of brandy

mix together and use as required.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Nick.Shu,


Thanks you for taking the time to find me a mincemeat recipe. It looks good, better then what I had. I do wonder why they put suet everywhere. Must be a english thing.


Thanks again


Sisi


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## katherine (Aug 12, 2000)

Mincemeat (literally, chopped meat) is actually a typical medieval English dish. It was originally intended to preserve roasted meat by mashing it in a mortar and pestle and cooking it with spices, honey, dried fruit, and fat, which probably floated on top and hardened there to serve as a seal after the mixture cooled.


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## lynne (Oct 6, 2001)

SiSi,

I have a friend who "puts up" her mincemeat in the freezer. Lasts well for approx 6 months. She freezes in tupperware with a layer of Saran Wrap under the lid. It always tastes great!

(Talked to her on the phone last night as she was spooning it into containers...)

Whatever your decision, I hope it works out well and you have a mincemeat filled holiday!

lynne


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Lynne,

I am not sure I understand correctly. Sometimes I get the part where you friend freezes the mincemeat but how can the mincemeat acquire its taste and get old if it is frozen? Is it that after it has age a little she then freezes it? Or could it be that the freezing somehow helps the mincemeat?


Thanks for your help.

Sisi

P.S. Katherine thnaks for the history lesson!


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## lynne (Oct 6, 2001)

Sisi,

Well what do you know? She actually cooks a roast (instead of using suet) for forever until very tender and falling apart. Chops finel adds the apples, etc and cooks it down further. Chills and freezes.

So - I don't know if this is something you're interested in or not. She's supposed to e-mail me the recipe when she gets back--I'll let you know.

lynne


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Thank you Lynne. I am looking forward to trying this recipe.

Sisi


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## katherine (Aug 12, 2000)

Cooking tasty or authentic foods is neither a crime nor a sin, therefore you are not guilty, and should feel no shame.

Partake in moderation, and enjoy!


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

The mincemeat was wonderful. It was spicy and not overwhelmingly sweet. I opened the jar 2 days before baking them and added chopped Granny Smith apple and a bit more brandy before baking the tartlets. My step mother loved her present and said it was a good mincemeat.

At a party the day after Christmas there was Mark & Spencer mincemeat tartlets. The difference between the two were slight. The store bought tartlets were sweeter and the spices weren't as mellow and blended. In all modesty I prefer the taste of mine. 

I am now a mincemeat convert, mincemeat will now be part of the traditional Christmas fare. Next time, I'll make the mincemeat in August or September, with all the alcohol in it, it should keep forever. After all in a book I read that in England a few years ago they found a jar of mincemeat that was 100 years old. Apparently it tasted very good….


Thank you all for your help.


P.S. Welcome to Chef Talk Bea and thanks for the suggestions. Alas I have no mincemeat I gave it all.


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## nick.shu (Jul 18, 2000)

good to har sisi, which recipe did you use?

p.s. bea i live in lane cove and work in Chatswood.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Nick,


I didn't use one recipe in particular. I combined a few recipes, using the elements that I liked. If you look up in this thread I mention everything I put in the mincemeat.


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Sisi,

According to www.foodsubs.com

You can use cornstarch as a sago substitute.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Cchiu,

Wow thank you so much! I would have thought tapioca was the answer. I didn't make that recipe because I was too afraid It would come out as a mess. I'll try it next Chrsitmas. I've put a note in the book right away so I wont forget.


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