Some basic Indian recipes, Helpful links and Handy Tips

Some Basic Indian recipes/ingredients needed in Indian Cuisine

Want to know more about Indian Cuisine, cooking terms, ingredients used in cooking, this will surely help you..................


How to make Paneer at home ?


Ingredients :
1 litre Milk 
1 and 1/2tsp. vinegar or 1 tsp. lemon juice

How to prepare:

• Boil the milk in a pan.
• When it's boiling add lemon juice or vinegar, while stirring.
• When milk curdles fully, turn off the gas and keep aside for 5 minutes. Let it cool for 5-7 minutes.
• Pour it on to a cotton/muslin cloth and tie it with a tight knot. Hang it on a high level so water can drain faster.
• When all the water is drained from the paneer, shape it into a rectangular block.
• Now place the cloth under heavy weight for 2-3 hours before using it.
• Take paneer out of the cloth and slowly cut in 1" cube or rectangular pieces.

How To Make Khoya at Home ?

What is Khoya : This milk based product is very essential in making many of the Indian sweets. This is easily available in India. It is very easy to make many Indian sweets if this is available. Make ahead of time for ease of use. 

Ingredients :

2 Cups Ricotta cheese

2 tablespoon Butter

3 cups of Carnation Dry Milk powder

How to Prepare :

• Heat a non-stick pan. 
• Add the ricotta cheese, cook it for about 10 minutes. Add the butter and milk powder.  
• Keep on stirring constantly, until it reaches a thick consistency. ("Khoya" consistency) , about 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat.

  

How to make Ghee (Clarified Butter) at home ? 

What is Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter and is widely used in Indian preparations.

It adds a lot of flavor to the recipe when used. Ghee is mostly used in sautéing and less commonly for deep-frying. It is very high in saturated fat, therefore should be used sparingly. It is available in Indian grocery stores in a bottle.

  

How to make : 

Ghee can be made by heating unsalted butter on medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes until it is clear. It is then strained and stored for future use. 

How to make Dahi (Yoghurt) at home ? 

Ingredients :

1 gallon whole milk - you can use 2% or skim milk
1 cup starter culture - plain yogurt at room temperature

How to make : 

• Bring milk to just a boil and then set aside to cool. 
• Discard any "skin" that may have formed on the milk.  
• Spread the starter culture into the container that you are going to make the yogurt in.Pour the warm milk into it.  Mix well but gently.
• Keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Yogurt containers can be kept warm in a gas oven with pilot light and electric bulb, or an electric oven with light bulb of sufficient wattage - approximately 100 watts. Wide-mouth thermos bottles, heating pads, and sunny windows also have been used. Do not stir the yogurt during this period. 
• Refrigerate for 8 hours before serving. To store, keep in refrigerator. The yogurt will keep well, a week or two.

Here are some helpful links : 
 
Food measurement & Conversion

Description Of Indian Kitchenware

Glossary of Indian food & cooking terms

Food Guide : To know what vitamins/minerals your food contains,  click here (A complete chart of all vitamins and minerals )


Helpful Handy Tips in and around your kitchen/House:

1. To remove oil stains from woollen clothes, apply a little curd over the area and wash it after some time. The stains will vanish
2. Don't throw away eggshells. Crumble them finely and use them as a calcium supplement for your potted plants
3. If you want quick relief from a cold, mix in a tbsp. little honey, little ginger juice, little lemon juice and a pinch of black pepper, follow it up with some warm water. Do this thrice a day and the cold will disappear in no time. This also works in children
4. For tastier and fluffier omelettes, add a little gram flour while beating the eggs
5. While boiling cracked eggs, add one teaspoon of vinegar to the water and the eggs will not leak
6. If you feel there is some excess oil in fried vegetables, sprinkle some gram flour over it. Gram flour absorbs the excess oil and makes vegetable more tastier
7. To remove turmeric stains from plastic vessels, rub them with little gram flour(besan) before washing
8. To remove rust strain from fabric : lay strained part of the fabric over few layers of paper towel(will act as a blotter and will absorb the rust). Rub fresh lemon juice over the strained area and set the fabric with paper towel in the sun to dry. The strain will disapper. Launder as usual.
9. To remove Tea or Coffee strain from clothes, use Vinegar or Baking Soda. Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar in I big cup of water and spray on the strain. Rub and then wash and launder with your usual detergent Or Sprinkle 1 pinch of baking soda on the spot or strain. 
10. To remove butter, oil or ghee strain from clothes, drop little shampoo or dish washing liquid on the strain and launder as usual. Strain will vanish.
11. To remove tomato ketchup strain from clothes, use normal detergent and cold water. If it is on white clothes, bleach can be used.
12. To remove blood strain from clothes, rub with regular salt and cold water. If it is too dark, try with shampoo or Amonia solution.
13. To remove wine strain from clothes, at first wash your cloth with regular detergent. Mix 2 tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup water and rub the spot with it. Then wash cloth again with regular detergent and wash in cold water and dry.
14. To unclog your kitchen or bathroom sink, first pour 1/2 cup baking soda in the mouth of the sink. Then pour 1/2 cup white vinegar in the sink and close the mouth. Wait for 5-10 minutes, then pour 2-3 glasses of hot water in the sink. Blockage will be cleared in minutes.
15. To remove the food smell from microwave, drop 2 pieces of lime in big bowl and warm it for 1 minute. Then let it cool inside the microwave. When you will take the bowl out, odour will vanish. 

I'll update this place for more helpful tips, so check this place whenever you visit me and if you need any specific tips, feel free to contact me. Will be happy to help you.