tips cooking

Tips for Naans & Rotis

A good thing about most rotis is that you can half roast and pile them and do the final roast just before serving Many variations can be got from the basic roti receipes by using your own imagination Eg. layered roti can be made with a filling or dry masalas mixeds, or kasoori methi or paneer or thick spicy chutney. This must be spread before folding the roti and after applying the ghee. All triangles may be prepared first but sprinkle dry flour over each before piling. Roll and shallow-fry as required. Puri may be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead. Fry before serving.

Tips for Salads Any salad tastes better and crisp if the vegetables have been soaked in chilled water for a while. For good home-made sprouted lentils follow the following steps: Soak lentils in lots of water overnight. In the morning drain water and wash by draining and adding water 2-3 times. Do not rub. Finally drain all water. Cover and keep in warm dark place. At night add water and drain out. Cover and keep again as before. By morning 3/4 long sprouts are ready! Preferably use a porous container eg. an earthen pot. for best results.

Garnish with creativity!

Garnishes for food platters and trays, to be effective, should be simple, few and perfectly fresh and bright in color. While green leafy parsley and fresh lemon wedges are always attractive, you may wish to try some of these tricks of the trade for a more original presentation the next time you entertain.

Vegetable Garnishes

• Cut thin, wide spiral strips of tomato skin; curl to resemble roses. Fasten with wooden picks and place in ice water.
• Cut peeled onions in quarters almost through to bottom; cut quarters into slices for petals. Place in ice water.
• Alternate raw vegetable pieces on picks for kebabs.
• Cut slits almost to end of pickle; spread to form fan.
• Score skin of cherry tomato halfway down side; peel back. Or cut tomato into quarters, leaving base attached. Add parsley sprig.
• Place cucumber twist on lemon slice; attach ripe olive with wooden pick.
• Cut radishes to resemble roses; place in ice water.
• Stuff ripe olives with pimento strips or carrot or celery sticks.

Fruit Garnishes

• Cut thin spiral strip of lemon or lime peels. Curl to resemble roses. Fasten with wooden picks or paper clips; place in water.
• Cut lemon in half; remove flesh. Notch edge; fill with relish or sauce.
• Cut half of flesh from lemon slice; curl peel.
• Notch orange slice with knife or scissors.
• Cut pie-shaped wedges from lemon or lime slices.
• Decorate halved orange slices with whole cloves.
• Cut orange in half; remove flesh. Notch edge; fill with relish or dressing.
• Cut citrus fruit slice just to center and twist.
• Dip cut edge of citrus fruit slice in paprika or cinnamon.