Indian food

2011-09-03T04:17:00.000-07:00

Its raining outside , so try some crispy Onion Pakode with sauce or tea.........
Ingredients:-

2 onions
Salt as per your taste
1/2 tbsp-red chilli powder
Besan (as you require)
Oil -for deep fry

Method:-

Peel the onions and then slice them thinly.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt over them and keep them aside ,as onions will leave some water.
Now add chilli powder and besan, mix them well.
Add little amount of water to make a batter.
Heat oil in a kadhai ,when it starts boiling ,put the flame to medium level.
Now drop small portions of batter in the oil and fry until their color become golden brown.
Serve hot-hot pakode with sauce or ketchup. You can also try with tea like me....

Note:-The heat should be kept medium during frying process,unless they will burn out and remain uncooked in the middle.

This is cup of tea for you........

2011-09-03T02:19:00.000-07:00

Try some Mango shake this time , it is easy to prepare and yummy !!!!!!

Ingredients:-

Ripe mango-2
Milk-2 cups
Sugar-8-10 tbsp
Dry fruits

Method:-

Firstly boil the milk and cool it to room temperature.
Peel and cut the mangoes in medium pieces.
Crush the pieces in a mixer.
Add milk and sugar and again grind it.
Add some ice cubes and grind it again to make a chill shake.
Your mango shake is ready,you can add dry fruits to it to make it more yummy or you can add a scoop of your favorite ice-cream and this will be Mango shake with ice-cream.

2011-08-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today I prepared vegetable pulao in lunch,it was awesome. I want to share it with u all:- It is simple to prepare and liked by all age groups.
Ingredients:-

Rice-2 cups
Water-3 1/2 cups
Peas- 1/2 cup
Capsicum,Carrot,Potato-1 cubed in a bowl
Tomato-3 sliced
Onion-1 sliced
Green chillies-4 sliced
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves (as per choice)
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Cloves(laung),Cardamom(ilaichi),Bay leaves(tejpatta) and Cinnamon( daalchini)-2 to 3 pieces of each
Salt-as per taste
Oil-4 tbsp

Method :-

Wash and soak the rice in water for half an hour.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
Add all spices and fry for 2 minutes.
Now add onions and chillies , fry till the onions are light brown.
Add garlic-ginger paste and fry.
Add tomatoes and fry.
Add all vegetables and garam masala. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
Now add strained rice and salt and mix well.
Now add water and close the lid tightly.
After first whistle , reduce the flame and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Now turn off flame and let it cool. Open lid and add coriander leaves.
Your dish is ready , serve it with raita, pickle or as you wish.

Introduction to Indian Food

2011-08-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

Indian food has been influenced by a 5000 year history of various groups and cultures interacting with the subcontinent, leading to the diversity of flavors and regional cuisines found in modern-day India.

Variety of spices

Indian food consists of the foods and dishes of India, is characterized by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit, and is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society. Each family of Indian food includes a wide collection of dishes and cooking techniques. As a result, it varies from region to region, reflecting the diversity of India.

Hindu beliefs and culture have played a powerful role in the evolution of Indian food. However, food across India also evolved as a result of the subcontinent's large-scale cultural interactions with Mongols and Britain. Indian food has influenced cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.

Many recipes first emerged during the initial Vedic period, when India was still heavily forested and agriculture was complemented with game hunting and forest produce. In Vedic times, a normal diet consisted of fruit, vegetables, grain, dairy products, honey, and poultry and other sorts of meats. A food classification system that categorized any item as saatvic, raajsic or taamsic developed in Ayurveda. In this period eating beef became taboo, a practice still common today.

Ingredients:-The staples of Indian cuisine are Bajri, rice, atta (whole wheat flour), and a variety of pulses, of which the most central to this food are masoor ( red lentils), channa (bengal gram), toor (pigeon pea ), urad (black gram), and moong (green gram). Pulses may be used whole – for e.g., dhuli moong or dhuli urad – or split. Split pulses, or dal, are used extensively. Some pulses, like channa and mung, are also processed into flour called besan.

Most Indian curries are cooked in vegetable oil. In northern and western India, peanut oil is popular, while in eastern India, mustard oil is more commonly used. Coconut oil is used widely along the western coast, especially in Kerala; gingelly (sesame) oil is common in the south as well. In recent decades, sunflower and soybean oil have become popular across India. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is another popular cooking medium. Butter-based ghee, or desi ghee, is less used than before.

The most important or frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed (sarso), cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi), fenugreek (methi), asafoetida (hing), ginger (adrak), coriander (dhania), and garlic (lehsun). Popular spice mixes are garam masala, a powder that typically includes five or more dried spices, especially cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Each region, and sometimes each individual chef, has a distinctive garam masala blend. Goda masala is a comparable, though sweet, spice mix that is popular in Maharashtra. Some leaves commonly used for flavoring include tejpat (Bay leaf), coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf, and mint leaf. The use of curry leaves and roots is typical of Gujarati and all South Indian food. Sweet dishes are seasoned with cardamom, saffron, nutmeg, and rose petal essences.