FEW USEFUL HINTS

1.   Before preparing a dish, read the recipe carefully and then collect all the equipments and required ingredients. Food substitutes are given in the recipes.

2.   Most of the recipes are designed to serve four to six people. This would, however, vary according to the size of the helping which may be large, medium or small. Similarly, the amount of ingredients will vary according to the number of the people to be served. In most cases the quantities of the various ingredients can be increased propcrtionately.

3.   Open coal fire, oil stove, or electric hot plate may be used for most of the recipes. For only one of the recipes would an oven be required. Most of the Indian cooking is done on open fire. For chapatties, best results are obtained on coal—charcoal or hard coke fire.

4.   It takes less time to cook food at lower altitudes and longer at places situated in the mountainous regions.

5.   The ingredients should be weighed in spring or other balances or measured in standard size cups. In the case of flour, it is best to sift it well before weighing. To measure in a cup, fill it with the required ingredient and then level it by cutting horizontally on top. To measure liquid in a cup, place the cup on flat surface and then fill it. In case a transparent cup is used, fill it with the required quantity and then bring it level with the eyes. In measuring fat, it is best to harden it well and then press it firmly in the cup or spoon.

6.   In most of the cases, ghee has been shown as the cooking medium. Ghee is prepared by heating butter till cream and milk are browned and a clear liquid is obtained which in turn is drained off from the browned cream milk. This form of fat can be preserved for a very long time. Dalda, Crisco and other forms of vegetable fats also give good results and any one of these can be used in place of ghee or butter. For frying, vegetable fats are better as these, unlike butter or ghee, do not get browned at high temperatures.

7.   The spices to be used should be fresh and in pure form. It is best to buy these whole and have them ground at home. Spices are used in most of the Indian dishes and hence these should be in the purest form and ground to a very fine powder. In some cases spices are used as preservatives as well as germicides. It is best to use spices in Indian food as these give better taste and flavour to it.

8.   In some recipes, juice of ginger, onions and garlic is indicated. This can be extracted by crushing these in a grinder and then passing it through a fine muslin cloth or a fine sieve.

9.   In some recipes, the use of dry milk or Khoa has been specified. This can be prepared by boiling the milk on a medium fire and stirring it constantly until all the water has evaporated and the milk has a dough like consistency. This dried milk is known as Khoa and is used in many Indian dishes.

10.   Yoghurt or curd mentioned in the recipes is prepared by first boiling the milk and then allowing it to cool till it is lukewarm. Add a tea-spoon of lemon juice and let it stay overnight in a warm place. The curd will be set in the morning. To make curd on the second and subsequent occasions, use fresh curd instead of lemon juice as a starter. Curd made in this way is softer and tastier.

11.   For making roast meat, clay ovens are used. These are like large drums plastered with mud from inside. Near the bottom there is an opening of about 6” diameter. The lid portion is all open from the top. Hard wood is used in this round oven till it becomes evenly red from inside with heat and the wood turns into a few coals at the bottom. When there is a sufficient quantity of coals at the bottom and the sides of the oven are all red hot, the burning pieces of firewood should be removed. The food meant to be roasted is threaded to long iron rods and these are put inside the oven. It takes about twenty minutes to roast a chicken or any other kind of meat. Tandoori Chicken and Barra Kabab are also made in these ovens and are famous all over the country. Chapatties made by hand are also baked in this oven. When the oven is very hot, the whole wheat flour dough, flattened into the shape of a chapatti, is stuck to the sides of the oven. When it dries, it comes off by itself. Baked food is easy to digest and it retains most of its nutrients even after cooking.