HINTS AND TIPS

Soft-cooking potatoes

The best results in curries and breyanis, as far as potatoes are concerned, are derived when soft-cooking potatoes are used. In this regard UTD are the best, although Mondial potatoes are also soft cooking. No matter which potatoes are used, pierce the peeled potatoes a few times each to help with the cooking process.

Cooking rice

Fill a saucepan with water to three-quarters full. Bring the water to the boil. Add 1 cup long grain white rice to the saucepan and boil for about 30 minutes. Boil vigorously, do not simmer, keeping the level of water at around the three-quarters level. Add 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp turmeric if you would like to make yellow rice, and boil for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to its lowest level, remove the saucepan from the stove and rinse the rice under cold water. This will remove any excess starch. Strain out most of the water and return the rice to the saucepan. Cover with a lid and place back on the stove. Cook for another 15 minutes, making sure the rice does not catch or burn. If needed, add ¼ cup water at a time. This will steam the rice. Check that the rice is fluffy and loose, and remove from the stove.

Masala

If a recipe calls for a specific masala which is unavailable locally, for example Madras or Bombay masala, then simply substitute with a mixed masala. This does not apply to garam masala, however, which consists of specific spices.

Tamarind juice

Soak about three tamarind seeds in boiled water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the juice out of the seeds and use this juice in the dish. Tamarind juice may also be used as a substitute for vinegar.

Grated tomatoes or tinned tomatoes

When making curry, either grate your own tomatoes and discard the skins, or try to use peeled and grated tinned tomatoes. It makes a marked difference to the end product. To grate tomatoes, simply cut the tomatoes in half and grate the flat side of each tomato on the coarse side of the grater until only the skin remains.

Turmeric powder

In many of the recipes 1 tsp turmeric powder is used. However, this may cause a curry to take on a brown hue. If you would like the curry to remain a reddish colour, then limit the amount of turmeric to about ¼ tsp.

Names of ingredients

•      Jeera is another name for cumin.

•      Coriander, dhania and cilantro are all the same herb.

•      Soomph is another name for fennel.

•      Lobster and crayfish are the same shellfish.

•      Jam tomatoes are the same as plum tomatoes.