
Cookware Sets at SHOP.COM Contact us Gold plate necklace	Methods of cooking: The recipes here reflect the different styles of cooking from every region. Indian cooking is geared for flexibility. It is not necessary to stick rigidly to a recipe, you can always increase or lessen any spice according to taste. As a general rule is is better to make a curry a few hours in advance, as spices take a little time to develop and impart their flavor to the food. When preparing food it is important to remember a few points. all the vegetables should be of the same size to create a good presentation, and this will also help to ensure even cooking. All vegetables are first peeled or skinned unless otherwise stated. If not used at once they should be soaked in water to prevent discoloration, especially potatoes, aubergines and carrots. For curries all meat is usually cut into bite-sized pieces. Similarly, you can shorten your work by grinding all the spices for one recipe together. For a small amounts of dry spices use a pestle and mortar. For larger quantities an electric grinder is invaluable and often a small quantity of water makes the process easier. During cooking, food may start to stick to the pan, in which case a little water can be stirred in. Remember though that there are many dry curries, which are not intend to be overly moist and do not have a large quantity of sauce. To Thin down a curry with a sauce, or a dall, stir in a little boiling water. Special techniques: Adding yoghurt: this procedure has to be done carefully or the yoghurt will separate. Take the pan from the heat and add the yoghurt a spoonful at a time, stirring well between each addition. Then return the pan to the heat, stirring all the time, until the sauce bubbles. Browning the onions: the more caramel - colored the onions, the richer the paste. with sweet taste (frying onions relases theri sugars). Don't overly crisp them as the resultant paste can be bitter. Fried onion paste is a key ingredient in many curries from northern regions of India and Pakistan. It provides a smooth sweet, dark brown paste that mellows out the harsh flavors of ginger and garlic. Curry base building - the most of all the liquids is water. Many of legume curries use water to cook the grains, with a simple seasoning of spices to give flavor to the water; Acidic liquids like tomato sauces, pastes, and purees provide valuable moisture but also tartness and color. Dairy products like yogurt, buttermilk, cream, half and half and reduced milk solids not only provide a sauce base but also lower the hot tastes in curries. Some curries are meant to be thin-bodied, and some are naturally thick because of the inclusion of a nut, vegetable, fruit or legume puree. Then there are a few that need to bulk up, and for that we look to flours made form chickpeas, rice and wheat. Some curries employ cornstarch, and other potatoes as a natural built -in thickener. Cooking the spice paste until the oil runs clear The point of this is to allow the spices to absorb as much oil as they can, and thus to give out their full flavor. When the spices are saturated, the excess oil runs out of them (you can drain it off, if you like), and you can proceed to the next step in the recipe. Colorings: the use of subtle coloring in Indian cooking is commonplace. Saffron and turmeric are often used. However the latter imparts a particular and sometimes overwhelming, flavor and the former is expensive, so a popular alternative is to make up a weak solution of orange or yellow food coloring. Dry roasting: When all the spices for a recipe require dry roasting, they can be roasted together for convenience. Many spices are dry roasted for a few seconds to heighten their flavors. This is best achieved by gently heating either a non-stick or heavy-based frying pan. Add the spices and over a very gentle heat move the spices around the surface of the pan. Because of their pungency, dry roast chilies in a covered pan. Dropping spices into hot oil - this is often either the first or the last step in an Indian recipe. The oil is heated until very hot and then whole spices or dried chilies are dropped into it. Within a few second they pop or expand and their concentrated flavor is released. Grinding spices: a coffee grinder is ideal for making a spice paste. You can also use a blender or a pestle and mortar. Cuisinart Grind Central Coffee Grinder DCG-12BC, Tempering (Baghar, Phoran, Darka): the terms given to the process in which a seasoning, combined with oil or ghee, is poured over a dish before it is served. The purpose of this is to either add a flavor without incorporating it in the cooking process or to increase the amount of oil. Thickening sauces: flour is not used as a thickening in Indian cookery. Instead, spice pastes, yoghurt, tomatoes and coconut are all use to thicken and add their own individual flavors. Fish: the people of Bangladesh and the Bengalis use mustard oil to cook the fish. The fish are frequently cooked with skin, bones and head intact, giving the dish full benefit of all the nutritional value, and this extracts the most flavor from the fish, too. If you use frozen fish, cut or slice the fish before it is completely thawed so that the pieces retain their shape during preparation. Chili powder is used in these recipes. As it can vary in strength use it cautiously. Instead of frying the fish it can be arranged in a baking tray, brushed with oil and either placed under a preheated grill or baked in a preheated oven 180° C (350° F). Pealing tomatoes: You can use tinned tomatoes to save time, and in winter, but fresh ripe tomatoes are the best. Drop them into a bowl of boiling water and leave for 2 minutes until a split appears in the skin. Drain and refresh in cold water. Then remove the skin. Rice: whichever type of rice you choose to cook with, remember that it increases 2-3 times in volume when cooked. Before cooking the rice rinse it in several changes of warm water until the water is clear. Meat: As a general rule, all the tougher cuts of meat are cooked by a moist method such as stewing, braising, boiling or currying. Tender meat such as fillet, rump, loin and shoulder are good for dry heat cooking e.g. roasting, frying and grilling. For curries choose middle neck, shoulder, leg and scrap end, and it is common for the bones to be included, too. For biryani and pulao choose leg or shoulder, and for kebabs and keema use leg. Tips for Indian bread 1. when you roll out paratha rounds, keep them covered to prevent drying. 2. For stuffed paratha, surround filling evenly with dough so that finished paratha has an equal thickness of dough on both sides and cooks evenly. How to stuff paratha? a. Place round on palm of hand. Cup hand slightly to form a depression in centre of round. b. Put amount of filling specified in recipe on round. Except potato, lightly pat filling, spreading evenly to 1/2 cm from edge of round. c. surround filling evenly with dough by gently opening and closing hand slightly in a pulsating motion till some edges just meet. Pinch together the edges which meet just enough to seal. Pat sealed area to get an even thickness of dough. Repeat till round is closed fully. d. Place stuffed round on board. Flatten slightly. Stuff remaining round of dough in the same way. e. On a floured board, roll leach stuffed bal gently into a flat round 15 cm in diameter. 3. It is possible to cook bread for a minutes or so more than the time indicated in each recipe for crisper, browner effect. However, prolonged coocking may toughen the roti and result in very dark vrown specks. 4. While cooking on tava, leave a residue of flour that will burn. Using a kitchen cloth wipe off accumulated residue after every third bread. 5. If paratha can not be served immediately, they may be kept wrapped in foil. After removing from the tava, place the bread on a plate for about 2-3 minutes before putting in foil. Don't pile up one above the other while hot as the heat will cause steam and affect the taste/texture of the bread. 6. To reheat bread: heat tava on medium heat for 3 minutes. Put one bread at a time on tava and heat for a vew seconds on each side. They may be also be reheated in microwave oven. World Breads: From Pain De Campagne To Paratha Methods of cooking fish: Poaching: a perfect method for gently cooking lean fish. Poaching can also add flavor to fatty fish such as salmon. Be sure that you pan is large enough. If you don't have a removable poaching rack, wrap the fish in cheesecloth co that it doesn't break apart when you remove it form the poaching liquid after cooking. If you must, you can cut the fish in half and reassemble it on a platter for serving. (Disguise the "seam" with a row of thin lemon slices or a sauce.) Steaming: steamed fish is similar to poached fish, but when steamed the fish is held above the cooking liquid rather than immersed in it. Time your cooking from the first emergence of steam from between pan and lid. Baking: Fatty fish are the best bakers, but lean fish can be baked, provided it is intermittently basted and not overcooked. Leaving head and tail intact keeps the juices in the fish for a moister result. Any fish will benefit from being baked, wrapped in parchment or foil. Broiling: In the oven or on the grill, broiling is quick and convenient for small whole fish, steaks or fillets. Brush lean fish with oil or melted butter first. Hinged baskets make turning fish on the frill a foolproof procedure. Be sure to oil grills (and baskets) before using. Pan frying or sautéing: another quick-cooking method, pan frying is especially suited for small fish and billets. Coat the fish in flour or bread crumbs and fry it in a mixture of butter and oil or butter alone, if you prefer. Deep- frying: successful deep-frying depends on the temperature of the oil Fry only a few pieces at a time - don't crowd the pan - or the oil will cool, causing the fish to absorb oil and become greasy and sodden instead of crisp and crunchy. A frying thermometer will help you maintain an accurate temperature for best results. (try FISH AMARISTARI) Shellfish: Lobster, clams, crabs, shrimp and oysters can be boiled, steamed, broiled or fried, and also lend themselves to luxurious stews, chowders and bisques enhanced with vegetables, seasoning. Seasonings - fresh herbs have a natural affinity for fish, as do many spices, wine, cream, mushrooms and onions and their relatives. excerpt from: Best recipes for fish and shellfish by Betty Crocer More about methods of cooking fish at Fish: Over 200 Fabulously Fresh Ways for Cooking Fish and Shellfish

Methods of cooking:

The recipes here reflect the different styles of cooking from every region. Indian cooking is geared for flexibility. It is not necessary to stick rigidly to a recipe, you can always increase or lessen any spice according to taste.

As a general rule is is better to make a curry a few hours in advance, as spices take a little time to develop and impart their flavor to the food.

When preparing food it is important to remember a few points.

all the vegetables should be of the same size to create a good presentation, and this will also help to ensure even cooking.

All vegetables are first peeled or skinned unless otherwise stated. If not used at once they should be soaked in water to prevent discoloration, especially potatoes, aubergines and carrots.

For curries all meat is usually cut into bite-sized pieces.

Similarly, you can shorten your work by grinding all the spices for one recipe together. For a small amounts of dry spices use a pestle and mortar. For larger quantities an electric grinder is invaluable and often a small quantity of water makes the process easier.

During cooking, food may start to stick to the pan, in which case a little water can be stirred in. Remember though that there are many dry curries, which are not intend to be overly moist and do not have a large quantity of sauce. To Thin down a curry with a sauce, or a dall, stir in a little boiling water.

Special techniques:

Adding yoghurt: this procedure has to be done carefully or the yoghurt will separate. Take the pan from the heat and add the yoghurt a spoonful at a time, stirring well between each addition. Then return the pan to the heat, stirring all the time, until the sauce bubbles.

Browning the onions: the more caramel - colored the onions, the richer the paste. with sweet taste (frying onions relases theri sugars). Don't overly crisp them as the resultant paste can be bitter.

Fried onion paste is a key ingredient in many curries from northern regions of India and Pakistan. It provides a smooth sweet, dark brown paste that mellows out the harsh flavors of ginger and garlic.

Curry base building - the most of all the liquids is water. Many of legume curries use water to cook the grains, with a simple seasoning of spices to give flavor to the water; Acidic liquids like tomato sauces, pastes, and purees provide valuable moisture but also tartness and color. Dairy products like yogurt, buttermilk, cream, half and half and reduced milk solids not only provide a sauce base but also lower the hot tastes in curries.

Some curries are meant to be thin-bodied, and some are naturally thick because of the inclusion of a nut, vegetable, fruit or legume puree. Then there are a few that need to bulk up, and for that we look to flours made form chickpeas, rice and wheat. Some curries employ cornstarch, and other potatoes as a natural built -in thickener.

Cooking the spice paste until the oil runs clear

The point of this is to allow the spices to absorb as much oil as they can, and thus to give out their full flavor. When the spices are saturated, the excess oil runs out of them (you can drain it off, if you like), and you can proceed to the next step in the recipe.

Colorings: the use of subtle coloring in Indian cooking is commonplace. Saffron and turmeric are often used. However the latter imparts a particular and sometimes overwhelming, flavor and the former is expensive, so a popular alternative is to make up a weak solution of orange or yellow food coloring.

Dry roasting: When all the spices for a recipe require dry roasting, they can be roasted together for convenience.

Many spices are dry roasted for a few seconds to heighten their flavors. This is best achieved by gently heating either a non-stick or heavy-based frying pan. Add the spices and over a very gentle heat move the spices around the surface of the pan. Because of their pungency, dry roast chilies in a covered pan.

Dropping spices into hot oil - this is often either the first or the last step in an Indian recipe. The oil is heated until very hot and then whole spices or dried chilies are dropped into it. Within a few second they pop or expand and their concentrated flavor is released.

Grinding spices: a coffee grinder is ideal for making a spice paste. You can also use a blender or a pestle and mortar. Cuisinart Grind Central Coffee Grinder DCG-12BC,

Tempering (Baghar, Phoran, Darka): the terms given to the process in which a seasoning, combined with oil or ghee, is poured over a dish before it is served. The purpose of this is to either add a flavor without incorporating it in the cooking process or to increase the amount of oil.

Thickening sauces: flour is not used as a thickening in Indian cookery. Instead, spice pastes, yoghurt, tomatoes and coconut are all use to thicken and add their own individual flavors.

Fish: the people of Bangladesh and the Bengalis use mustard oil to cook the fish. The fish are frequently cooked with skin, bones and head intact, giving the dish full benefit of all the nutritional value, and this extracts the most flavor from the fish, too. If you use frozen fish, cut or slice the fish before it is completely thawed so that the pieces retain their shape during preparation. Chili powder is used in these recipes. As it can vary in strength use it cautiously.

Instead of frying the fish it can be arranged in a baking tray, brushed with oil and either placed under a preheated grill or baked in a preheated oven 180° C (350° F).

Pealing tomatoes: You can use tinned tomatoes to save time, and in winter, but fresh ripe tomatoes are the best. Drop them into a bowl of boiling water and leave for 2 minutes until a split appears in the skin. Drain and refresh in cold water. Then remove the skin.

Rice: whichever type of rice you choose to cook with, remember that it increases 2-3 times in volume when cooked. Before cooking the rice rinse it in several changes of warm water until the water is clear.

Meat: As a general rule, all the tougher cuts of meat are cooked by a moist method such as stewing, braising, boiling or currying. Tender meat such as fillet, rump, loin and shoulder are good for dry heat cooking e.g. roasting, frying and grilling. For curries choose middle neck, shoulder, leg and scrap end, and it is common for the bones to be included, too. For biryani and pulao choose leg or shoulder, and for kebabs and keema use leg.

Tips for Indian bread

1. when you roll out paratha rounds, keep them covered to prevent drying.

2. For stuffed paratha, surround filling evenly with dough so that finished paratha has an equal thickness of dough on both sides and cooks evenly.

How to stuff paratha?

a. Place round on palm of hand. Cup hand slightly to form a depression in centre of round.

b. Put amount of filling specified in recipe on round. Except potato, lightly pat filling, spreading evenly to 1/2 cm from edge of round.

c. surround filling evenly with dough by gently opening and closing hand slightly in a pulsating motion till some edges just meet. Pinch together the edges which meet just enough to seal. Pat sealed area to get an even thickness of dough. Repeat till round is closed fully.

d. Place stuffed round on board. Flatten slightly. Stuff remaining round of dough in the same way.

e. On a floured board, roll leach stuffed bal gently into a flat round 15 cm in diameter.

3. It is possible to cook bread for a minutes or so more than the time indicated in each recipe for crisper, browner effect. However, prolonged coocking may toughen the roti and result in very dark vrown specks.

4. While cooking on tava, leave a residue of flour that will burn. Using a kitchen cloth wipe off accumulated residue after every third bread.

5. If paratha can not be served immediately, they may be kept wrapped in foil. After removing from the tava, place the bread on a plate for about 2-3 minutes before putting in foil. Don't pile up one above the other while hot as the heat will cause steam and affect the taste/texture of the bread.

6. To reheat bread: heat tava on medium heat for 3 minutes. Put one bread at a time on tava and heat for a vew seconds on each side. They may be also be reheated in microwave oven.

World Breads: From Pain De Campagne To Paratha

Methods of cooking fish:

Poaching: a perfect method for gently cooking lean fish. Poaching can also add flavor to fatty fish such as salmon. Be sure that you pan is large enough. If you don't have a removable poaching rack, wrap the fish in cheesecloth co that it doesn't break apart when you remove it form the poaching liquid after cooking.

If you must, you can cut the fish in half and reassemble it on a platter for serving. (Disguise the "seam" with a row of thin lemon slices or a sauce.)

Steaming: steamed fish is similar to poached fish, but when steamed the fish is held above the cooking liquid rather than immersed in it. Time your cooking from the first emergence of steam from between pan and lid.

Baking: Fatty fish are the best bakers, but lean fish can be baked, provided it is intermittently basted and not overcooked. Leaving head and tail intact keeps the juices in the fish for a moister result. Any fish will benefit from being baked, wrapped in parchment or foil.

Broiling: In the oven or on the grill, broiling is quick and convenient for small whole fish, steaks or fillets. Brush lean fish with oil or melted butter first. Hinged baskets make turning fish on the frill a foolproof procedure. Be sure to oil grills (and baskets) before using.

Pan frying or sautéing: another quick-cooking method, pan frying is especially suited for small fish and billets. Coat the fish in flour or bread crumbs and fry it in a mixture of butter and oil or butter alone, if you prefer.

Deep- frying: successful deep-frying depends on the temperature of the oil Fry only a few pieces at a time - don't crowd the pan - or the oil will cool, causing the fish to absorb oil and become greasy and sodden instead of crisp and crunchy. A frying thermometer will help you maintain an accurate temperature for best results.

(try FISH AMARISTARI)

Shellfish: Lobster, clams, crabs, shrimp and oysters can be boiled, steamed, broiled or fried, and also lend themselves to luxurious stews, chowders and bisques enhanced with vegetables, seasoning.

Seasonings - fresh herbs have a natural affinity for fish, as do many spices, wine, cream, mushrooms and onions and their relatives*.

*excerpt from: Best recipes for fish and shellfish by Betty Crocer

More about methods of cooking fish at Fish: Over 200 Fabulously Fresh Ways for Cooking Fish and Shellfish