In this article, we will look at how to download product information from your...
At proper nutrition white refined flour is not a desirable ingredient as it is a "blank" product. When it is obtained, the shells of the grain, rich in minerals and vitamins, are removed. Semolina is also made from wheat, it contains gluten, but its particles are larger in size. The grinding method determines the differences between the products:
- Calorie content. For semolina, it is only slightly lower: 328 kcal per 100 g, for premium flour, 334-360 kcal.
- Useful material. There is a little more protein in cereals (11.3 g versus 10.3 g), in terms of the amount of fat, it is slightly inferior to grains ground into dust. The content of carbohydrates and starch is practically the same.
- Minerals. Semolina contains 2 times more sodium, magnesium and iron. There is no difference in the concentration of potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
- Glycemic index. Since both foods contain a significant amount of starch, their GI is high. In refined “white dust” it is 90 units, in semolina this figure is lower and amounts to 60-70 units.
For diet or weight loss, there is no huge difference between these two wheat products. But from a culinary point of view, baking with the addition of cereals instead of flour turns out to be more tender and fluffy, so semolina can be used in most recipes.
What is semolina made from?
According to GOST 7022-97, the product is produced only from wheat, other plants are not suitable. According to the standard brand of semolina, there are the following:
- M- it is obtained from soft varieties of wheat, it is opaque, white or yellowish in color;
- T- from hard varieties, it is translucent;
- MT- products made from a mixture of soft and hard grains, and durum should be at least 20%.
Grade M is more useful for obtaining a viscous mass (porridge, dough), as well as a binder in minced meat. Products marked T are suitable for breading.
For baking, the replacement can be full or partial (50:50). The most semolina is suitable for:
- cooking cheesecakes, lazy dumplings, cottage cheese casseroles, fillings for succulents, cheesecakes and pies (if the cottage cheese is watery);
- kneading dough for charlotte, jellied pies;
- breading cutlets and zrazy to get a golden crust, and also instead of a loaf to add to minced meat;
- baking bread, cereals need to replace a third or half of the flour, no more;
- frying vegetable pancakes: in pancakes and pancakes from zucchini, this ingredient is appropriate;
- obtaining dumplings that are served with first courses;
- preparing pizza dough to make it more elastic (replace no more than 20%);
- sprinkling baking sheets and molds after greasing them so that the products do not stick.
In case of replacement, after mixing, let the dough stand for 20-30 minutes so that the cereal swells and absorbs water. In recipes, use exactly the same amount of semolina as flour without recalculations. In 1 tbsp. without a slide, 10-12 g of cereal is placed, with a slide - 20 grams, in a glass with a volume of 250 ml there will be 200 g.
Where not to use
Wheat groats are not useful for all dishes. As a thickener, it is not suitable for making pancake dough, classic custard, delicate sauces, otherwise “grains” will be felt in them. In pancakes and pancakes, semolina can only be used after pre-soaking in water overnight. For cream, starch is an ideal alternative to flour. If you add grits to bechamel sauce, it will turn out more like porridge.
If you figure out what cereal semolina is made of, it becomes clear: it can be safely replaced with flour in various recipes. This is especially true for baking: it acquires a more delicate texture.
Many are accustomed to believing that apart from white wheat flour for baking and other dishes where it is used, nothing else exists. This is not at all true, and moreover, it turns out that the highest grade flour, which has always been considered the best, is not at all useful and even harmful. Why? We understand in more detail, and also - we are looking for what is more useful to replace wheat flour without compromising the taste of baking.
How to replace regular flour
Many are accustomed to believing that apart from white wheat flour for baking and other dishes where it is used, nothing else exists. This is not at all true, and moreover, it turns out that the highest grade flour, which has always been considered the best, is not at all useful and even harmful. Why? We understand in more detail, and also - we are looking for what is more useful to replace wheat flour without compromising the taste of baking.
Why is white flour bad?
"Highest grade" - we used to associate these words with something better and certainly not harmful to our health. However, as it turned out, white wheat flour of the highest grade - this is the flour of the finest grinding. Yes, baking from it turns out to be very tender and airy, but the flour itself, ground almost into powder, will not bring us any benefit. There is no fiber (dietary fiber) in such flour at all. In the process of grinding, only the endosperm of the grain is used, and its shell and germ are sifted out.
As a result, we get flour with an abundance of starch, which negatively affects the digestive processes.. In addition, in the process of combining with the liquid and further baking, the flour turns into gluten, which is deposited on the walls of the intestine, accumulating toxins and decay products on itself.
White flour can also raise blood sugar levels and cause diabetes.. And also wheat itself contains gluten - one of the main sources food allergies for many people.
What can replace white flour?
1. Oatmeal
The simplest and most affordable substitute. You don’t even have to buy oatmeal: just take oatmeal or flakes (only not those that need to be boiled for 5 minutes, but those that need to be boiled) and grind them in a blender. Everything! useful flour, rich in fiber, slow carbohydrates and trace elements is ready! Use it for baking, and even better - for making pancakes, fritters, cheesecakes, etc.
2. Corn
Problems with overweight? Then feel free to replace wheat flour with corn flour - it can lower blood cholesterol levels and even naturally remove body fat. Yes, by itself, cornmeal is quite high in calories, but eating it in the morning, you are energized and gain strength for many hours ahead. Corn flour contains a lot of protein, valuable vitamins (A, E, group B), iron and phosphorus.
3. Coconut
Surprised? Yes, flour is also made from coconut, and, of course, it costs many times more than wheat flour or from other cereals. But there is also a sense in its use. This is not only a savings (since coconut flour absorbs much more moisture, and less is needed to prepare a particular dish), but also an incredible benefit!
Coconut is not a cereal, there will be no gluten in it at all, and there is also a minimum glycemic index, so flour from this exotic nut is suitable even for those who suffer from diabetes. 40 grams of fiber per 100 grams of flour, about 20 grams of protein, 9 grams of healthy saturated fat, manganese and iodine, potassium and magnesium, as well as lauric acid, which has strong antibacterial properties and stimulates the immune system.
4. Buckwheat
There is no need to talk much about the benefits of buckwheat. Just imagine the special aroma of delicious buckwheat pancakes that will spread throughout your kitchen when you bake them! And all this with a minimum of calories. Therefore, feel free to change wheat for buckwheat.
Almost all B vitamins, zinc and calcium for healthy skin, hair and nails, phosphorus and iodine to increase the body's defenses, as well as folic acid, which is actively involved in the processes of hematopoiesis - this is what is in abundance in buckwheat flour.
5. Chickpea
Chickpea flour is easy to find on store shelves; it has long ceased to be something unusual. Chickpea is a legume, and it is grown in our latitudes, and not just in Ethiopia or India.
Like all legumes, chickpeas are high in protein, which vegetarians can safely substitute for animal protein. A tortilla or bread made from chickpea flour will be an excellent side dish for meat or fish, to vegetable salad. Yes, there are a lot of calories, but there are also many benefits - vitamins A, C, E, PP and K, group B, potassium and calcium, copper and silicon, and even molybdenum and boron, which are involved in the metabolic processes of our body cells.
Well, now you know well how to replace premium wheat flour, which was previously considered so useful, but in fact can be harmful to the body. published
Even the most experienced and prudent housewife has such unpleasant embarrassments when, in the midst of the process of preparing a certain dish, it suddenly turns out that one of the necessary ingredients is not available or is not available in sufficient quantities. It always happens unexpectedly.
And okay, if there is a shortage of some seasoning that can be replaced with something with similar taste properties. What if we are talking about the main ingredient, like flour? True, many find a way out even from such situations, replacing flour with semolina.
But in fairness, it must be said that such culinary experiments also have opponents who argue that such substitutions do not benefit the final product, its taste and nutritional properties. Is this really so and is it possible to replace flour with semolina without losing quality? Let's try to understand this issue using specific examples, having considered several options for using flour at once.
Connecting link
Very often, wheat flour is used not only as the main ingredient, but as a binder. For example, when preparing potato pancakes, it is added in order to give the products additional stickiness. Without this, the pancakes will not keep their shape. Is it possible to replace flour with semolina in such cases?
According to experienced housewives and professional chefs, it's not worth doing it. The bottom line is that in terms of gluten content, semolina cannot be compared with wheat flour. Accordingly, the result in the case of such a replacement will not be satisfactory.
Bakery products
But in the case of baking, the use of semolina is beneficial to the final product. True, here it is necessary to make a reservation - completely replace the flour with semolina will not work for the same reason as stated above. But the addition of a certain amount of semolina to the mass of wheat flour gives the baking additional splendor and an unusual, rather pleasant flavor.
The main thing with this approach is to accurately observe the proportions of the products. After all, if the semolina is too small, then its presence will not be felt. But you can’t overdo it either, as this can have the most unpleasant effect on the quality of the test. In this way, it is extremely important to consciously approach the issue of compliance with the recipe.
It should also be borne in mind that pies, in the dough of which there is a similar additive, dry out much faster than products made from pure wheat flour. Therefore, in order to extend their shelf life, it is recommended to use vacuum containers, or freeze them, first place them in sealed packaging.
Breading
One of the traditional uses of wheat flour is breading. For those who do not know, breading is a single product or a mixture of products that are in a crushed state and are used to form a special crispy crust on the surface of culinary products. Most often, modern chefs use breadcrumbs or flour as a breading.
So, if we consider the question of whether it is possible to replace flour with semolina in terms of breading, the answer will definitely be yes. In this case, the crust, for the sake of which everything is started, comes out softer and more tender. Undoubtedly, such a result is far from always acceptable, but there are some dishes that require just such a crust, which means that the use of semolina instead of flour in this case is quite acceptable and advisable.
Consider semolina alternatives that can be used in almost any dish: cheesecakes, casseroles, pastries, creams, powders, as a thickener, etc.
Any flour
It is better and healthier to use oatmeal (grind cereals grinder) or whole flakes. Oatmeal should also be used in the same proportions as semolina.
If you use it as a powder, then this is the best alternative to semolina.
In baking, they can be used as a complete substitute or mixed with another substitute such as wheat flour.
As a thickener and in a cream, they will not work.
starch
The best alternative as a thickener and cream. In this case, it must be added 2 times less than the semolina in the recipe.
In baking, starch should be mixed with other flour in equal proportions. You can use flour other than wheat flour. Starch, like semolina, dilute cold water no need.
Grated fruits and vegetables and even mashed berries
For example, grated carrots. It is able to completely replace semolina in almost all areas of application, with the exception of cream, in which a banana mashed in puree is well suited.
Grated fruits and vegetables need 4 times more than semolina. In this case, that part of the liquid ingredient that is intended for soaking semolina should be removed. Additionally, you need to add any flour, which should be 10 times less than semolina in the recipe. If the recipe says to add, then it can be missed without losing the quality of the product.
Boiled rice or noodles
In the worst case, you can use this alternative. Rice ( the best option) or noodles (it is better to use vermicelli) should be slightly undercooked, as it will be subjected to further heat treatment.
