Storage secrets!!!

Would you like to hear something about storing your food items?

For storing ginger:
When you store ginger normally in the fridge, you can find them shrunk after few days of storage.Here is the way to give your ginger longer life.Once you get the ginger from store, peel off the skin and store in the freezer in a zip lock bag.This tip was offered by Rachael Ray (Food Network).It really works.Whenever you want to use ginger, use a grater or thaw for a while and chop ’em.

For Storing green chilies:
Usually store bought green chilies are with the stalk, remove them before storage.Better remove any moisture, throw the chilies on the kitchen towel and pat them dry.You can store in a zip lock bag with a dry kitchen tissue inside the bag to absorb any left over moisture.You can store in freezer for long time storage.It remains fresh.

• When you get coconut from store, grate them and store it in a container in the freezer.Freezer give longer shelf life rather than fridge.
• You may store curry powders (if you have bulk amount to store) also in freezer for longer shelf life.
• Nuts like cashew, pistachio,peanut etc develop a bad oily smell as days pass by.But when you store them in freezer it remains fresh for long time.
• Remove leaves from beet or carrot and pat them dry before storing.

Any veggies that you buy from market, clean the same day , pat them dry using kitchen towel before storing.This helps you save time when you cook later.

Same with Cilantro spread on the kitchen towel to dry.Remove any decayed stems before storing.

Masala Vadai – Masaal vada

Does any one need introduction for masala vadai ?!?! So here you go…

Ingredients:

To grind:

Yellow split peas – 1.5 cups
Cinnamon – 1 inch
Cloves – 2-3
Fennel seeds – 1 tbs
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 4-5 big pods
Red chilies – 4 long ones

Green chilies – 4
Curry leaves – 1 stick
Onion – 1 small size
Cilantro – 1 handful
Salt
Oil

Method :

1) Soak the peas for 5-6 hrs, your vadai gets soft and tastier so far the peas soak.

2) Grind cinnamon,cloves,red chilies, ginger,garlic and fennel seeds. Do not add water while grinding.

3) Grind the peas and mix them with above ground spices.Again do not add water while grinding peas.

4) Finely chop all the other ingredients : green chilies, curry leaves, onion and cilantro.

5) Mix all the ground items and the finely chopped ingredients.Add required amount of salt.

6) Make balls and press them between your palms to make shell shaped vadai.Fry this in oil.

Tasty masala vadai thayaar!! This is one of the birthday treat for my hubby…

Puffs

Recently i prepared puffs for my husband’s work place team picnic.

This one is made of Pepperidge farm puff pastry sheet.If you can’t find one probably you may try  readymade paratha like Indira did. Hope this one makes a wonderful treat if you are missing indian puffs.

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheet
Onion – 1 medium size
Coriander powder – 1 tbs
Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Curry masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tbs
Ketchup – 1-2 tbs
Egg – 1

Method:

1. Thaw the pastry sheet in microwave or by keeping it outside for 10-15 mins.

2.  Heat a pan with 2 tbs oil.Add jeera, next add finely chopped onion and saute till it turns golden brown.

3.  Add corriander powder,chili powder,garam masala powder,curry masala powder.

4.  Saute for 1-2 mins and add few shots of ketchup

5)The above mixture is the filling for any puffs , now you can make egg puffs or veggie puffs as per your choice.

6) Take an egg and beat it.Keep this aside for egg wash and to bind the edges.

7) Once the pastry sheet is thawed apply some all purpose flour and roll it thin.

8)  Cut the pastry sheet as per the required size and place the filling in the lower middle portion.Apply egg on the edges and bind them together.

9) Apply egg wash on the top of each piece.This gives a rich golden color.

10) Preheat oven to 400F and bake the puffs for 15 mins. Metallic baking sheets work best for puffs.

Bajji – Using Asiatic Dayflower leaves

Asiatic Dayflower is a weed , that can be seen in your garden.It is edible. We had moved to this new house and when i found this weed in the garden i remembered my grandpa. One day he got this weed from farm and asked us to make bajji out of the leaves.I was surprised and adding to my surprise it was tasting different.Though the leaf doesn’t have any taste of its own, it was crunchy. Select tender leaves when you make Bajji.

I used readymade bajji mix this time.Just mix water and make it into a thick batter.Dip these leaves and fry in oil.Ever imagined bajji out of a weed?!?!

Pancake & Strawberry syrup – Breakfast

This is strawberry season and i had never tried anything apart from strawberry milkshake. When you find fresh strawberries at Walmart you really can’t resist buying them.But what do you do other than eating raw? So why not try some syrup or jam to have with Waffle or Pancake.Last Saturday we had this typical English breakfast of pancake and strawberry syrup.

For Pancake:

Ingredients:

All purpose flour – 1& 1/2 cup
Baking powder – 3 teaspoon
Salt – a pinch
Sugar – 1 or 2 tablespoon
Egg – 1
Milk – 1 & 1/4 cup
Butter – 3 tablespoon (melted)

Method:

1) Sift flour,baking powder, salt and sugar together.

2) Melt butter in a pan and add milk when it is still warm.

3) Add the above mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.In the end add the egg.

4) Beat the batter well without any lumps.

5) Pour a ladle of batter to oil applied heated pan and turn when it turns golden brown.For non-stick pans you may use less oil.

Yummy pancake is ready!!

For Strawberry Syrup:

Ingredients:

Strawberries –  1 lb (1/4 inch sliced)
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Orange Juice – 1/4 cup
Orange zest – 1 teaspoon

Method:

1) In a saucepan combine sugar, orange juice and orange zest.Bring it to boil.

2) Once sugar gets dissolved and the mixture is bubbling add the sliced strawberries.

3) Mix the strawberries well.Allow few more minutes till the strawberries get smashed along with other ingredients before turning off the heat.

You can serve this hot or cold.You may try this with pancake,waffle or on the side of the ice cream.

Beetroot Yogurt – Beetroot Dahi

Ingredients:

Beetroot – 1 (peeled and grated)
Onion – 1 small size
Green chilies – 2
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds & Cumin seeds
Ginger – grated 1/2 teaspoon
Oil
Salt
Cilantro – to garnish

Method:

1) Heat 2 tbs of oil in a pan.

2) Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, let them splutter.Next add curry leaves, finley chopped green chilies and onion.

3) Saute till the onion turns golden brown.Next add grated beetroot and cook with little amount of water.

4) Add required amount of salt.Once beetroot is cooked, keep the pan aside and allow it to cool.

5) Add yogurt and mix well.In the end add ginger and cilantro.

A very simple and nutritious dish is ready.This dish goes well with chapati and rice.