| Saturday, September 17, 2005 |
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Tips on Healthy Cooking - Part 6
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Throw in a handful of soaked beans or sprouts to give the added nourishment, as a combination in any raitha.
Paneer crumbs, bread crumbs and some melted butter, tossed together form an excellent topping if you run short of cheese, for any baked dishes
Blend all ingredients together and keep overnight in a cool place. Use with any savoury dishes like pastas, minestrones, bakes, etc.
Place tomatoes in hot water for 5-7 minutes, before using for easier peeling and better taste in any recipe where tomatoes are required to be cooked.
If pizza sauce (or gravies) has become very thin, thicken by adding 2 slices of dayold bread, run in a mixie to make very fine crumbs. Using too much cornflour may make the sauce taste pasty.
Always use the back of a perforated spoon to make the frying puris puff up. Use the non-puffed ones to make chaat, bhel, etc.
For apt usage of a microwave, compliment microwave cooking with traditional forms. Do the boiling, frying and seasoning part on a gas stove. While leaving the baking, sauteeing, cooking, melting, etc. to a microwave.
Always use the back of a perforated spoon to make the frying puris puff up. Use the non-puffed ones to make chaat, bhel, etc.
Grind cardamom along with skins to make powder. Pass through sieve. While getting more quantity and becoming economical the flavour is also enhanced. Mix the residue in tea leave or tea masala for beautifully aromatic tea.
To keep the green colour of peas bright, put in boiling water and boil on high till done. Drain, pour very cold water over them, drain again. Use as required.
If batter of any bhajias tends to become too thin, wet a slice or two of bread, press out all excess water, and mash it into the batter. This will help greatly in thickening the batter.
Use a knife dipped in hot water to smoothen the icing surface and sides. Repeat the action till the whole icing is smoothened.
Add a few pinches of turmeric, a small spoon of ghee, to dal before pressure cooking. This will impart a better flavour to the dal.
If dried herbs are used in a recipe, crush them first to release their fragrance.
If an onion is too sharp in taste, wash, drain and toss into some beaten curd. Add a dash of salt and pepper, it becomes a tasty raitha.
To bake potatoes crisp and brown, soak the peeled potatoes in hot water for a while, pat dry and pierce all over with a fork before placing them in hot fat along with the roast.
Add a few pinches of salt to cauliflower while boiling. Add a small blob of butter to the drained cauliflower and mix. This will enhance the flavour of the cauliflower in your recipe.
Add a pinch of turmeric powder to the oil before adding green vegetables. The vegetables will retain their greenness better even after cooking.
Place tomatoes in hot water for 5-7 minutes, before using for easier peeling and better taste in any recipe where tomatoes are required to be cooked.
If pizza sauce (or gravies) has become very thin, thicken by adding 2 slices of dayold bread, run in a mixie to make very fine crumbs. Using too much cornflour may make the sauce taste pasty.
Add a pinch of soda bicarb to the water to boil peas etc. faster and also to retain their bright green colour.
Crush chikki coarsely and use as nougat over cakes and icecreams. Use nuts of your choice.
Use the water drained from curdle milk to knead chappati dough. They will turn out softer and whiter.
Always add a tbsp. of oil to plenty of water while boiling pasta of any kind. It will keep them from sticking to each other.
Keep an extra potato or two handy. Boil in their jacket, drain dry and keep in the fridge. Use in a jiffy when you to tired to make tedious things. Either season with salt and pepper or put slices in bread sandwiches or fry and season or make a quick stir fried vegetable. The potatoes will stay good in a refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Add some soaked and ground poha to the leftover dosa batter to make tasty uthappams. Top with chopped onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
Always keep a couple of boiled potatoes (skins intact) handy in the fridge. They are very useful when in a hurry. Either bake them, or make a quick curry, or fry them. Eat them in a sandwich, or just plain with salt and pepper. Stir fry and add spices or make a quick paratha.
While cooking onions or garlic, place an open bowl of vinegar by the stove. The smell will not pervade the house or kitchen.
For a quick chaat, fry leftover pieces of bread in ghee till crisp. Arrange the pieces in a plate. Pour curds, salt, red chilli and cumin powders, coriander leaves and green chillies on them. Top with tamarind and jaggery chutney.
While cutting tomatoes into slices, use a bread sknife instead of an ordinary knife. The skin remains intact - also the task is executed faster.
Sour buttermilk obtained after churning cream into butter can be used for preparing instant dosas. Warm a little fine semolina and maida and add to the buttermilk and prepare dosa batter. Keep it aside for half an hour and fry the dosas. You can add salt, chopped onions, green chillies and coriander leaves.
If you happen to put excess salt in the curry, cut a raw potato into about 10 pieces and drop them into the curry & leave for 15 min. They will absorb the excess salt. Remove the pieces before serving.
To make thick gravy for mutton, chicken or vegetables, grate the onions, squeeze out their juice and brown the onions and the masala. Add the juice as stock, after the onions are brown. The onion flavour is not lost and you don't have to add water to make the gravy.
Add a few drops of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. ghee while steaming long grain rice (basmati) to make the it whiter and keep the grain unbroken.
For those who do not care for a spicy taste, you can sprinkle some grated cheese on the dosa while shallowfrying. Eat with sauce instead of chutney. This will suit the taste of those who are used to bland foods.
When cleaning the yard, gather sticks, twigs and leaves into paper bags. When you need kindling for a fire one bag will do the trick.
Better rhubarb - Add flavour to rhubarb by cooking it with left over juice syrup from canned fruit, such as peaches, pears, and apricots.
Pot-plants - The next time you boil eggs, use the cooled water, which is now filled with minerals from the eggs, to give your pot-plants a good, nourishing drink.
Do not throw away any excess water used in boiling dal. Just keep it in the fridge and use as stock for soups, when required. Will keep in fridge for a day.
To make samosas crisper add some cornflour to the maida for dough.
Dehydrate the residue of coconut used for coconut milk by drying the sun. This dried flaked coconut can be used in dry chutneys, sweets, masalas, etc.
Add a few drops of limejuice and a tsp. of ghee to rice before boiling to separate each grain.
Any extra water in which vegetables have been boiled can be saved and used as stock for soups. Stock prepared in large quantities can be frozen in icecube trays and stored in a plastic bag as cubes. Use as required.
A little lime juice added to beetroot will make them a brilliant red colour.
A tsp. of ghee add to the dal before pressure cooking, will keep it from overflowing out of the container into the cooker. |
posted by Dipali @ 7:38 AM   |
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You might want to read this news report Microwave cooking destroys food nutrients.