Tips & techniques you should familiarize yourself with as you begin to explore cuisine of India.
A subtle shift in cooking technique can make the same spice taste entirely different. The methods of cooking meat in the South produce different flavors and use local produce, such as coconut, tamarind and curry leaves. Dishes from the South are hotter and more spicy than those from the north. The Bengali (Bangladesh included) method of cooking is extremely testy and is in a class of its own.
Masala Lab by Krish Ashok is a science nerd's exploration of Indian cooking with the ultimate aim of making the reader a better cook and turning the kitchen into a joyful, creative playground for culinary experimentation. Just like memorizing an equation might have helped you pass an exam but not become a chemist, following a recipe without knowing its rationale can be a sub-optimal way of learning how to cook. Ever wondered why your grandmother threw a teabag into the pressure cooker while boiling chickpeas, or why she measured using the knuckle of her index finger? Why does a counter-intuitive pinch of salt make your kheer more intensely flavourful? What is the Maillard reaction and what does it have to do with fenugreek? What does your high-school chemistry knowledge, or what you remember of it, have to do with perfectly browning your onions?
Exhaustively tested and researched, and with a curious and engaging approach to food, Krish Ashok puts together the one book the Indian kitchen definitely needs, proving along the way that your grandmother was right all along.
Imortance of Spices
Spices play main role in Indian kitchen. Be generous with your spices. Spices not only bring flavour but texture to dishes. Most supermarkets sell spices in misleadingly small containers. You can buy bigger packets from Asian supermarkets, which will encourage you to spoon in the spices with a freer hand. (You can store them in the freezer to stop them going stale.)
- In Indian cooking we use whole spices at the beginning of cooking with oil such that it begins to crackle and release the aroma and ground spices towards the end of cooking.
- Practise toasting spices. You can't miss the acrid aroma of spices as they catch and burn on a griddle. If this happens, best to dump them and start again. Similarly, if spices are not cooked enough before grinding, you'll miss out on their full-bodied, almost nutty-tasting flavours.
- The longer chilies are cooked, the hotter the dish will become. It is best to use a whole chili so you can remove it at the end of cooking The greatest heat is in the seeds, so if you find the taste too strong, remove the seeds by slicing the pepper lengthwise and easing them out with a pointed utensil.
- When making a paste, grind ingredients such as onion, ginger and garlic with a dash of water. This ensures a silky-smooth finish.
Spice storage
How to make Indian breads fast and easy? How to stuff parathas? What kind of pans to use? With what to serve?
Curry-making can be simple and pleasurable process. You are free to improvise. You will become the master of your very own curry matrix.
Indian food requires several pieces of specialized equipment in order to create authentic flavors and textures, but most of what you would find in any Western catering kitchen can also be used for Indian cuisine.
According to Ayurvedic theory, all diseases originate in the gastrointestinal tract, and are ultimately caused by decreased enzyme activity and poor digestion. Improperly digested foods are said to form a substance, that blocks the body's digestive and energy channels. Important is the balance between proper eating habits, nutritional food intake and regular exercises. Also, daily consumption of Ayurvedic health supplements improves digestive mechanisms, absorption and assimilation of food, enhancement of immunity system against common cold and respiratory infections, increase in memory retention, purification of blood, elimination of toxins, improvements in complexion and enhancement of protein synthesis in the body. According to ayurveda color of food resembles color of chakra.
According to KamaSutra food is not only for the body but it is also for nourishing the soul.
Across many different cultures certain foods have emerged with a reputation for being aphrodisiacs. Food and many other substances primarily affect us with a combination of various sensuous reactions -- the visual satisfaction of the sight of appetizing food, the stimulation of their pleasing smells and the tactile gratification.
Although modern medical science recognizes a very limited number of aphrodisiacs, now we do know that there are certain trace elements like zinc that are important for complete health as well as increase sexual desire. There are many recipes, based on knowledge about food containing aphrodisiac proprieties.
Recipes, based on knowledge about food containing aphrodisiac proprieties
What Should You Have in Your Kitchen That Make It Easier to Eat Healthy?
Start with this multi -talented Presure Cooker that delivers delictious results in just minutes.
Industrial-sized pressure cookers are a must if you are going to serve Indian food, because using regular pots on a cooktop for rice and lentils will take two to three times longer.
Nowadys, pessure cookers do a lot more than just pressure cooking. They can work as slow cookers, air fryers, rice cookers, steamers, yogurt makers, and more.
They’re also great for pureed soups, whipping up sauces and pestos (you’ll know exactly what you’re putting in there) and nut butters.
This Indian food glossary provides terms, descriptions and photos of ingredients used in Indian kitchen.
