Helpful Hints

Here are some useful tips. These are common to all articles. This page will be updated from time to time. Please check in for new helps be viewing this page from time to time.

Excess salt

Salt

If you have accidentally put more salt than what is required adding a tea spoon of vinegar, a tea spoon of sugar, a potato or some starchy items like rice or pasta, will reduce the saltiness of the dish. You can remove the potato, rice or pasta after the cooking. Adding these items will of course slightly alter the taste of whatever you are making but it will be definitely better than being left with a salty dish.

Oxidation

Some fruits and vegetables such as apples, avocados, eggplants, plantains etc will change colour after a few minutes of your cutting them. This happens because the oxygen in the atmosphere reacts with them and makes a chemical change in them. You can add a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of lime juice or vinegar to a glass of water and dip the cut fruits and vegetable in the solution to prevent their discolouration. You can rinse them in cold water before cooking or frying them.

Frying onions

Frying onion

When you are sauteing onions sprinkling a pinch of salt will make the onions to release water and cook faster. Remember to reduce the salt when you are finally adding it.

Curry leaves

curry leaves

I often use curry leaves in my recipes. Fresh curry leaves may not be available in your area. Dried curry leaves or powdered curry leaves can also be used in place of fresh curry leaves. If they are very fresh they can give even more intense flavour than fresh leaves.

You can substitute five curry leaves with one bay leaf one basil leaf or one lime leaf or a pinch of lime or lemon zest.

Dry chilies

Dry chili

I often include dry chilies for tempering. Firstly when you add the dry chilli to the hot oil it will splutter and spray droplets of oil all over and you may hurt yourself in this process. You must always use a splutter guard when frying like this. If you have cough or cold or if you are asthmatic the aroma coming out will irritate your throat and make you cough or sneeze. If you have any of these conditions leave out the dry chilli altogether and it will not make much of a difference.

Tempering

Tempering 

This is an Indian cooking method to extract more flavour from spices by frying the spices in hot oil. Tempering can be done at the start of the cooking or it can be done after the cooking of the dish. For example if you are making two or three curries you can make the tempering and add a spoon full to each of the curry.

Simple tempering often includes cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, chopped onion, garlic, dried red chilies and curry leaves. In more elaborate tempering you will include fennel seeds, fresh green chilies, ginger, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, cloves, urad dal, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon grass, pandan leaves etc

Deep frying

When you put the meat or vegetables in very hot oil, it seals the pores on the surface of the meat or vegetable.  After this initial searing, the meat or vegetable will absorb less oil during the remaining frying process.

Bread

I often say that a dish can be served with rice or bread. By bread, I mean all kinds of breads made out of all kinds of flour and includes traditional and non-traditional breads such as tortilla, chapatti, naan, flat brads, appom, string hoppers etc.

Why I use wok

Sauce pan is equally good as a wok. Non-stick is preferred when we make a dry dish. In a wok the oil or water will run to the center of the bottom and prevent the food from getting burnt. In a sauce pan the liquid may not be sufficient to cover the entire bottom. If you stir frequently is the sauce pan the food will not get burnt.

Ginger garlic paste

Often ginger and garlic are used together but not always. You can make a paste of ginger and garlic in a liquidiser or food processor add two tea spoon of olive oil or sesame oil on top and leave it in the refrigerator. This will save you the trouble of having to peel the garlic and ginger every time you need it. You can also buy garlic and ginger paste in bottle from the super market.

Broken chili

Broken chili can be purchased from store. You can make it by pulsing 3 dry red chilies in a grinder. Broken chili can be roast or raw. You will have to dry roast the chili for about 2 minutes before grinding.

Chinese five spice powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground star anise 

1 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoons black peppercorns  or szechuan peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon of white pepper powder

Garam Masala

Garam masala is a multi spice mix in the form of powder or seeds from Indian stores. This is a versatile spice mix that can be used in many situations with predictable results. Garam masala powder is usually added last.

1 teaspoon ground cumin

 1  tablespoons ground coriander

 1  teaspoon ground cardamom

 1  teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon crushed bay leaves

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

Italian Seasoning Mix

1 tablespoons dried basil

 1 tablespoons dried oregano

 1 tablespoons dried rosemary

 1 tablespoons dried marjoram

 1 tablespoons dried thyme

 1 tablespoons dried sage

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Italian Dressing Mix

1 tablespoon garlic salt

 1 tablespoon onion powder

 1 tablespoon white sugar

 2 tablespoons dried oregano

 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon dried basil

 1 tablespoon dried parsley

 1/4 teaspoon celery salt/ leaves or flakes

 2 tablespoons salt

Is the egg fresh?

Fresh eggs not only taste better but also they brighten up your recipe. It is better to test the egg before making hard boiled eggs.

Mix 2 tablespoon of salt in a glass of water. Place the egg in the glass of water.

If the egg sinks to the bottom and rests on its sides it is fresh and probable less the 5 days old.

If the egg is at the bottom but only the head (the narrow end of the egg) touches the bottom of the glass and the bottom of the egg (the wider end of the egg) floats above the base of the glass. It is probably three weeks old. It may still be consumable.

If the egg floats in the water, it is probably more than 4 weeks old and is state. You must discard this type of egg.

If you are going to break eggs for your preparation, break each egg into a small ball. Have another bigger bowl ready to put the good eggs. If the yolk is flat and the white is watery, it is probably sale discard it. If the yolk and the white are firm and stand up the egg is good. Transfer it to the bigger bowl. If the yolk is broken or cloudy it is stale. Discard it.

All eggs have a small pocket of air at the top. The older the egg bigger will the air pocket. When you hold the egg close to your ear and shake it, if you hear a sound it is probably stale and has a large air pocket.