Mac and cheese (grown up style).. This i made last night for my family! it was very good and tasty!
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1½ cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in one layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven – there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Chicken Picatta
2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg
¾ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
½ cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon and chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to ¼-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Mix the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and ½ tablespoon of water together. Place the breadcrumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and breadcrumb mixtures.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve one chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Lemon tart
Ingredients
For the tart shell:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
For the lemon curd:
4 lemons, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the tart shell:
Directions
Mix the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the chilled tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
For the lemon curd:
Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler or Zest, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lemon curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.
Fill the tart shell with warm lemon curd and allow to set at room temperature.
Lamb Fry (mutton)
Mutton-1/2kg
Big Onion-4(sliced length wise)
Ginger-one big piece(chopped lengthwise)
Garlic-8 pods(chopped lengthwise)
Green chilly-4
kashmiri chilly powder-2tsp
coriander powder-2tsp
Turmeric Powder-1tsp
Garam Masala powder-11/2tsp
Coconut Oil-3Tbsp
Curry leaves-plenty of
Method
Cut the mutton in to small pieces ,wash and drain them properly … Keep that a side..
Take a kadai..Heat oil and then add sliced onion,ginger,garlic, green chilly d curry leaves,salt d saute well…Saute till the onion become light brown in color…Then add chilly powder and coriander powder and saute for 1 min ,then add turmeric powder and garam masala..Mix this with the onion and stir well…Then add cleaned mutton pieces into that masala mix and saute for 5 minutes.Then pour all this to a pressure cooker and cook till the mutton become soft ..(mostly 5 whistle,no need to add water ).Then open the cooker and pour it into the same kadai and stir ..I am telling this becoz there is a chance of burning the mutton in the bottom of the cooker while getting roast.. ..So use the cooker only for cooking the mutton …Check the salt and add if necessary …So to the cooked mutton add lots of curry leaves and stir it till the gravy become thick and dry .When ready u can see the oil coming out from the mutton … …. …So now your mutton roast is ready …Transfer this to a serving bowl and garnish with curry leaves…Serve this with chapati,rice ,nan etc…
Lamb curry
Refined Oil- 3 tbsp
Onion- 3 big (Sliced - around 2.5 lbs)
Garlic- 2 pods (thinly chopped - around 0.15 lbs)
Ginger- a big piece (thinly chopped - around 0.15 lbs)
Tomato- 2 (chopped - around 0.5 lbs)
Green Chilly- 6 (chopped - adjust according to taste)
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder- 2 tsp
Pepper Powder- 2 tsp
Fennel Powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Beef- 4 lbs (OPTION.. LAMB MEAT CAN BE USED TOO)
Mustard- 1 tsp
Coconut Slices- 2 - 3 handful
Coconut Oil- 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves- 3 twigs
1. In the pressure cooker, add and heat the refined oil.
2. Add 2 of the sliced onions and saute for a few minutes until slightly translucent.
3. To this, add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chilly and tomatoes and mix well.
4. Now add the powders - Turmeric, Chilly, Coriander, Fennel, Pepper and Garam Masala and mix for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the beef and salt to this and mix well. There is no need to add water, as the water from the beef would be enough.
6. Let it pressure cook until 3/4 done. Open the cooker when the pressure is completely gone.
7. Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a saute pan and splutter the mustard.
8. Add the remaining Onion and saute until translucent.
9. Add the coconut slices to this and saute for 5-6 minutes.
10. Using a sieve spoon get the beef together with the onion/ginger/garlic/tomato/green chilly from the pressure cooker to the saute pan, draining out the stock as much as possible. (Save the stock - You could use that as a curry!)
11. Once all the beef has been transferred to the saute pan, start sauteing the beef until it starts to completely dry up. Check salt and add if needed. You could also add pepper powder at this stage, if you feel the dish needs to be spiced up more.
12. At this stage drizzle in the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves and mix well until it is completely roasted.
13. Once done, garnish with the curry leaves.
Some storing tips from experts
Storing Tips:-
1) Remove the stems of green chilies while storing them. This will help them to stay fresh for long.
2) Keep coriander leaves in a muslin (cheese) cloth bag in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for a longer time.
3) You can store garlic for close to a month in the fridge in dry airtight plastic bag/box.
This not only increases shelf life, you will also be able to peel the skin much easier.
4) When ginger is cheaply available in the market, it could be purchased in a large quantity. Peel of the skin of the ginger and grind it in the mixer in slow speed for only one second.
Carefully store it in an airtight container in refrigerator. Could be readily used when preparing curd rice or upma.
Crepe (dessert)
after you make the crepe you can fill in the crepe with veggies and chicken or just chicken or also can be used as dessert with mascaporne cheese, strawberries, nutella (choice are endless) but first this is how you make the crepe.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.
5) While storing greens / leafy vegetables, wrap them in a newspaper and store in the fridge. Better to leave them on top of the glass tray(used to cover the vegetable storing container). This will make them last fresh for a week. Not necessary to cook within a day of buying the greens.
6) We all buy coriander in bunches. Here is how you store them fresh for more than a week...Clean and wash them. Let the water drain. In a container place a paper towel/tissue and spread them on top of it. Close and leave the container in the refrigerator. This will help preserve the coriander leaves for more than a week.
7) Here i get big bunches of curry leaves. we cant buy small amounts like in India. As soon as i get curry leaves from the market, i stalk them, spread them on a news paper and leave them indoors for a few hours so that any wet content in them evaporates. Once they r dry, i store them in air tight container and put it in the fridge, In this way i have noticed they stay fresh longer and do not rot soon.
While cooking toor Dal, add a pinch of turmeric and a drop of oil. Toor Dal cooks faster.
2) Potatoes soaked in salt water for 20 minutes will bake more rapidly.
3) While cooking potatoes, Cut them into half and add a pinch of turmeric. This makes the potatoes cook faster.
4) While making chapati, leave the dough for 30 min to make soft chapatis.
5) To make pooris more crispy add a little rice flour to the wheat flour while kneading.
6) When u prepare batter for poori, add a tbsp of sugar along with the salt in the flour. You will get puffy pooris.
7) Puri dough should be made little harder than chapati dough. This prevents puri from retaining more oil when it is deep fried. Also once dough is prepared, make the puri immediately.
8) Poori can be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead and can be Fried before serving.
9) Pakodas will turn out crisper if a little corn flour is added to the gram flour (besan) while preparing the batter.
10) Add some hot oil and 1/2 tsp of baking soda in batter while making pakodas.
11) If you are making patties or tikkis of potatoes, always make sure that the potatoes are boiled well in advance and cooled before you use them. It would be better if they can be refrigerated for a short time. This helps the starch in the potatoes to settle down and the tikkis will not be gooey.
12) While adding tadka(seasoning) to any curry or Dal, add it once the curry/Dal is completely cooked. Close the lid immediately & remove from flame. This will retain the seasoning aroma. Do not cook after adding seasoning.
13) Little plain sugar or caramelised sugar added to the gravy makes it tasty.
14) While using ginger and garlic paste in curries, always use garlic at 60% ratio and ginger at 40% as ginger is very strong and may make your dish sharp and pungent.
15) Never discard water in which vegetables are cooked, use it in gravies, soups, rasam or kolumbu.
16) If poppy seeds are used in grinding,soak it in water for 10 to 15 minutes,if you are grinding it in mixer.
17) While boiling milk, always add a little water at the base of the vessel to avoid the milk from sticking at the bottom.
18) If you forget to soak chana / Rajma overnight. Just soak the chana / Rajma in the boiling water for an hour before cooking.
19) To avoid browning of apples after cutting, apply a little lemon juice on the cut surface. The apples will stay and look fresh for a longer time.
20) After peeling onions cut in half and soak in water for about 10 minutes before cutting to avoid crying.
21) Dry roast fenugreek seeds until it changes to red color and grind it to a fine powder. When u prepare kolambu and sambar, you can add ½ tsp of this powder, so that you will get good smell.
22) If you are a vegetarian, add soy beans in your food more. Because soy is rich in proteins, phosphorous , iron, and it helps to get rid of nerves problems.
23) When u prepare kolambu or sambar, have u added excess salt? Add some cubes of potatoes to it and let it cook a while. Potatoes will absorb the excess salt.
24) When u prepare payasams at home, if you find water coming separately out of the dish after you add jaggery (brown sugar) or sugar, do not worry. Take any type of biscuits and powder it and add this powder to the payasam, you will get good payasam with different taste also.
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1½ cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in one layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven – there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Chicken Picatta
2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg
¾ cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
½ cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon and chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to ¼-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Mix the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and ½ tablespoon of water together. Place the breadcrumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and breadcrumb mixtures.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. On medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve one chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Lemon tart
Ingredients
For the tart shell:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
For the lemon curd:
4 lemons, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
For the tart shell:
Directions
Mix the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the chilled tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
For the lemon curd:
Remove the zest of the lemons with a vegetable peeler or Zest, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the lemons to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lemon curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat.
Fill the tart shell with warm lemon curd and allow to set at room temperature.
Lamb Fry (mutton)
Mutton-1/2kg
Big Onion-4(sliced length wise)
Ginger-one big piece(chopped lengthwise)
Garlic-8 pods(chopped lengthwise)
Green chilly-4
kashmiri chilly powder-2tsp
coriander powder-2tsp
Turmeric Powder-1tsp
Garam Masala powder-11/2tsp
Coconut Oil-3Tbsp
Curry leaves-plenty of
Method
Cut the mutton in to small pieces ,wash and drain them properly … Keep that a side..
Take a kadai..Heat oil and then add sliced onion,ginger,garlic, green chilly d curry leaves,salt d saute well…Saute till the onion become light brown in color…Then add chilly powder and coriander powder and saute for 1 min ,then add turmeric powder and garam masala..Mix this with the onion and stir well…Then add cleaned mutton pieces into that masala mix and saute for 5 minutes.Then pour all this to a pressure cooker and cook till the mutton become soft ..(mostly 5 whistle,no need to add water ).Then open the cooker and pour it into the same kadai and stir ..I am telling this becoz there is a chance of burning the mutton in the bottom of the cooker while getting roast.. ..So use the cooker only for cooking the mutton …Check the salt and add if necessary …So to the cooked mutton add lots of curry leaves and stir it till the gravy become thick and dry .When ready u can see the oil coming out from the mutton … …. …So now your mutton roast is ready …Transfer this to a serving bowl and garnish with curry leaves…Serve this with chapati,rice ,nan etc…
Lamb curry
Refined Oil- 3 tbsp
Onion- 3 big (Sliced - around 2.5 lbs)
Garlic- 2 pods (thinly chopped - around 0.15 lbs)
Ginger- a big piece (thinly chopped - around 0.15 lbs)
Tomato- 2 (chopped - around 0.5 lbs)
Green Chilly- 6 (chopped - adjust according to taste)
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder- 2 tsp
Pepper Powder- 2 tsp
Fennel Powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Beef- 4 lbs (OPTION.. LAMB MEAT CAN BE USED TOO)
Mustard- 1 tsp
Coconut Slices- 2 - 3 handful
Coconut Oil- 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves- 3 twigs
1. In the pressure cooker, add and heat the refined oil.
2. Add 2 of the sliced onions and saute for a few minutes until slightly translucent.
3. To this, add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chilly and tomatoes and mix well.
4. Now add the powders - Turmeric, Chilly, Coriander, Fennel, Pepper and Garam Masala and mix for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the beef and salt to this and mix well. There is no need to add water, as the water from the beef would be enough.
6. Let it pressure cook until 3/4 done. Open the cooker when the pressure is completely gone.
7. Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a saute pan and splutter the mustard.
8. Add the remaining Onion and saute until translucent.
9. Add the coconut slices to this and saute for 5-6 minutes.
10. Using a sieve spoon get the beef together with the onion/ginger/garlic/tomato/green chilly from the pressure cooker to the saute pan, draining out the stock as much as possible. (Save the stock - You could use that as a curry!)
11. Once all the beef has been transferred to the saute pan, start sauteing the beef until it starts to completely dry up. Check salt and add if needed. You could also add pepper powder at this stage, if you feel the dish needs to be spiced up more.
12. At this stage drizzle in the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves and mix well until it is completely roasted.
13. Once done, garnish with the curry leaves.
Some storing tips from experts
Storing Tips:-
1) Remove the stems of green chilies while storing them. This will help them to stay fresh for long.
2) Keep coriander leaves in a muslin (cheese) cloth bag in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for a longer time.
3) You can store garlic for close to a month in the fridge in dry airtight plastic bag/box.
This not only increases shelf life, you will also be able to peel the skin much easier.
4) When ginger is cheaply available in the market, it could be purchased in a large quantity. Peel of the skin of the ginger and grind it in the mixer in slow speed for only one second.
Carefully store it in an airtight container in refrigerator. Could be readily used when preparing curd rice or upma.
Crepe (dessert)
after you make the crepe you can fill in the crepe with veggies and chicken or just chicken or also can be used as dessert with mascaporne cheese, strawberries, nutella (choice are endless) but first this is how you make the crepe.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.
5) While storing greens / leafy vegetables, wrap them in a newspaper and store in the fridge. Better to leave them on top of the glass tray(used to cover the vegetable storing container). This will make them last fresh for a week. Not necessary to cook within a day of buying the greens.
6) We all buy coriander in bunches. Here is how you store them fresh for more than a week...Clean and wash them. Let the water drain. In a container place a paper towel/tissue and spread them on top of it. Close and leave the container in the refrigerator. This will help preserve the coriander leaves for more than a week.
7) Here i get big bunches of curry leaves. we cant buy small amounts like in India. As soon as i get curry leaves from the market, i stalk them, spread them on a news paper and leave them indoors for a few hours so that any wet content in them evaporates. Once they r dry, i store them in air tight container and put it in the fridge, In this way i have noticed they stay fresh longer and do not rot soon.
While cooking toor Dal, add a pinch of turmeric and a drop of oil. Toor Dal cooks faster.
2) Potatoes soaked in salt water for 20 minutes will bake more rapidly.
3) While cooking potatoes, Cut them into half and add a pinch of turmeric. This makes the potatoes cook faster.
4) While making chapati, leave the dough for 30 min to make soft chapatis.
5) To make pooris more crispy add a little rice flour to the wheat flour while kneading.
6) When u prepare batter for poori, add a tbsp of sugar along with the salt in the flour. You will get puffy pooris.
7) Puri dough should be made little harder than chapati dough. This prevents puri from retaining more oil when it is deep fried. Also once dough is prepared, make the puri immediately.
8) Poori can be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead and can be Fried before serving.
9) Pakodas will turn out crisper if a little corn flour is added to the gram flour (besan) while preparing the batter.
10) Add some hot oil and 1/2 tsp of baking soda in batter while making pakodas.
11) If you are making patties or tikkis of potatoes, always make sure that the potatoes are boiled well in advance and cooled before you use them. It would be better if they can be refrigerated for a short time. This helps the starch in the potatoes to settle down and the tikkis will not be gooey.
12) While adding tadka(seasoning) to any curry or Dal, add it once the curry/Dal is completely cooked. Close the lid immediately & remove from flame. This will retain the seasoning aroma. Do not cook after adding seasoning.
13) Little plain sugar or caramelised sugar added to the gravy makes it tasty.
14) While using ginger and garlic paste in curries, always use garlic at 60% ratio and ginger at 40% as ginger is very strong and may make your dish sharp and pungent.
15) Never discard water in which vegetables are cooked, use it in gravies, soups, rasam or kolumbu.
16) If poppy seeds are used in grinding,soak it in water for 10 to 15 minutes,if you are grinding it in mixer.
17) While boiling milk, always add a little water at the base of the vessel to avoid the milk from sticking at the bottom.
18) If you forget to soak chana / Rajma overnight. Just soak the chana / Rajma in the boiling water for an hour before cooking.
19) To avoid browning of apples after cutting, apply a little lemon juice on the cut surface. The apples will stay and look fresh for a longer time.
20) After peeling onions cut in half and soak in water for about 10 minutes before cutting to avoid crying.
21) Dry roast fenugreek seeds until it changes to red color and grind it to a fine powder. When u prepare kolambu and sambar, you can add ½ tsp of this powder, so that you will get good smell.
22) If you are a vegetarian, add soy beans in your food more. Because soy is rich in proteins, phosphorous , iron, and it helps to get rid of nerves problems.
23) When u prepare kolambu or sambar, have u added excess salt? Add some cubes of potatoes to it and let it cook a while. Potatoes will absorb the excess salt.
24) When u prepare payasams at home, if you find water coming separately out of the dish after you add jaggery (brown sugar) or sugar, do not worry. Take any type of biscuits and powder it and add this powder to the payasam, you will get good payasam with different taste also.
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