| Tuesday, October 04, 2005 |
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Tips on various Food Items - Part 4
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Save the peel of apples, cucumbers and peaches. Grind them and add to the ingredients of a green chutney (coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger, coconut, salt and sugar). It makes a tasty and nutritious chutney and when mixed with curd makes an unusual raita.
Rest assured that honey can never be adulterated. If warm water is added, it will ferment. If any type of sugar syrup is added it will solidify. Also, the older the better.
Add some salt or vinegar drops while washing vegetables and greens to make them clean and germ free, eg. cauliflower, spinach, etc.
If curds have become too sour to eat as is, tie as above for 3-4 hours, add milk and use in raitas, curd rice, etc.
Use varied coloured doughs like green one above, to make shapes (leaves, cherries, braids, etc.) and deep fry on low till done. Decorate a variety of festive dishes like baked casseroles, au gratins, pulaos, etc. with them. Store in airtight containers for 2-3 days.
Add a cupful of soaked poha to 5 cupfuls of rice soaked for idlis and grind with the rice for softer and lighter idlis.
If karanjias are used after too many days and feel stale, warm them for 1/2 to 1 minute in the microwave oven before serving. They will taste freshly fried.
To get the best out of saffron: Warm saffron before crushing (you may use microwave: 10 secs on maxi.). Add 1 tsp. warm milk and stir well.
Use tissue papers for reheating fried snacks. Eg. samosa, vada, kachori, bhajji, etc. The paper will absorb the excess oil and moisture and keep the snack crisp. Reheat on high for 1-1 1/2 minute.
Shake the vegetables loose in the plastic bag before thawing, to distribute the heat evenly.
To break open the coconuts easily (the brown ones..), place them in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. This would seperate the shell easily. Ami B Shah
When cutting hard vegetables like potatoes, beetroots or carrots, put them in the microwave oven before cutting them into slices. They will be much easier to cut. Subbu Balakrishnan
Using earthen or stone ware for setting curds will result in firmer and better quality curd. Since they are porous they absorb the excess moisture.
Always use a clean pair of kitchen scissors to trim edges of bread. Much neater and less messy edges as compared to those trimmed with a knife.
Use chilli oil ( given in tips and hints) instead of the ordinary oil, if you want to make the dish spicier.
Use a pizza cutter to cut rounds into strips for fried noodles, instead of a knife. It is faster and less messy.
Make tomato puree in bulk. Transfer to ice cube trays and freeze. Put the frozen cubes in a thick polythene bag. Store in the freezer and use reddy puree cubes as required. Will keep for over 3 weeks in the freezer.
If there is a lot of leftover paneer crummbs, dry in a warm oven. Fry till crisp and store in the fridge. Soften in boiling water, drain and add to thicken gravies of any vegetables and curries.
Use clean skins of boiled potatoes to place as a soothing pack over eyes to refresh and reduce their puffiness.
Use the whey (water) from tied curds to make softer chappati, paratha and naans. Use this water instead of plain water to knead the dough.
To keep your sesame oil fresh for a few months without being spoilt, add a lump of jaggery to the oil.
Mix in 15-20 cloves to a kilogram of dal, while storing. This will keep the dal from getting attacked by insects. The same cloves can be reused.
To a cupful of leftover dal,add 2 leftover chappaties and a dash of leftover rice if desired, and further add some water, coriander leaves, and boil in a saucepan. Add any spices and salt if required. Garnish with a tsp. of fresh ghee. You have a tasty hot wholesome breakfast.
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.
Do not wash eggs when you store them. There is a "coating" on eggs that helps in keeping odours and bacteria from entering.
To make whiter and crisper potato wafers add some alum crystals and salt to the water in which you drop the wafers for soaking.
Use cornflakes as a substitute for sev or papdis. It is available everywhere and give the same crunchiness to a dish, eg. bhel.
Add a few methi (fenugreek) seeds to toor dal while pressure cooking. This makes the dal easier to digest. |
posted by Dipali @ 7:15 AM   |
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