Basic Flours / Batters:
Types of Sauces:
Types of Masala Powders:
Types of Masala Pastes:
Other Basic Recipes:
|
Basic Sauces
Food preservation in some form or other has become an inevitable part of today’s life and foodstyle. A major factor has been the changing home and family structure where both husband and wife are working full time as bread winners. Jams and sauces, relishes and chutneys have become an integral portion of any meal, any snack. However, if we can find some time once in a way to prepare your own preserves, you can far overweigh the joy of relishing these tasty preserves by making them at home. You can pick the best of fruit/vegetables in peak season, hygienically prepare your choice of varieties and to your own taste. A little hard work during the season will reap rich benefits for a long time. The all-important factor of cost also counts a lot. Preserves made at home cost a little over one fourth the cost of off-the shelf products.
Important Notes On Any Food Preservation:
Sterilising Jars:
Jars and lids must be sterilised: Either boil them in plenty of water so they soak in the water while it simmers. Drain out carefully, place them first upside down, then upright on a clean kitchen towel till they dry out completely. Or dry in the sun for a while to ensure complete dryness.
You can even microwave by filling jars 1/3 full of water, keep as many as fit comfortably with in between space. Bring water to a boil on high, simmer for 1 minute. Remove, drain water, dry as above.
Use rustproof and airtight lids which will not allow air to enter.
Filling Jars:
While filling bottles and jars, take care that bubbles are not formed inside the bottle. The incorporated air, might be the cause of bacterial growth after closing the bottle.
Dipping the cap and mouth of bottle in a bowl of molten wax for a few seconds is a good way to seal filled jars and bottles.
Equipments And Vessels Used Should Be Dry:
Wipe fry all equipment and vessels before using them. Contaminated moisture can be harmful to preserves.
Moisture While Washing Vegs./Fruit:
If the fruit is delicate(eg.strawberries), wash, carefully arrange on a soft kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture.Dab dry if required. Other fruit,(eg.apple,mango) may be washed and wiped clean before using.
When Sauce / Preserves Is Done: Consistency:
Sauces & preserves should not be underdone, in which case it would stay watery, and may go bad soon. Neither should it be overdone, in which case it will taste a bit gooey, and may solidify into crystals.
It may also get charred. There are a few tests which give an indication that it is done.
- Plate test: Pour a tsp. of the jam on a cold plate.If it spreads a little, not leaving water around it, then the jam is done.
- Spoon test: Take on a tsp, and sway it a bit. If the surface starts wrinkling, the preserve is done.
- Fly test: When droplets of the mixture start flying about in big bubbly outbursts, then the recipe is done.
- Water test: If a blob of jam is dropped into cold water, it should not disintegrate immediately, but start descending in a blob itself. Then the mixture is ready.
Labelling And Dates:
Always label the preserves,etc. that you make.Write the name, date on which made and if you need to remember any other detail. This will simplify your work later, as to which batch to finish first.
Quality Of Fruit/Veg:
Use best quality fruit. Do not use underripe or overripe fruit, in which case there is chance of the product going bad.
Use Of Artificial Colours And Their Optionality:
Colours and essences though not vital to the recipes, go a long way in enhancing the visual effects and aural temptation of the product. Therefore, if using the right quantities, and not overdoing it by using in daily cooking, they are not going to cause any major health hazards. Do not use them in overdose.
Which Sauce Used For What:
There are sauces and sauces, but not any one of them will go with any dish at all. Some taste good with particular preparations, while not with others.
Tomato sauce is an allrounder which goes with practically any dish or preparation. Kids even enjoy eating the drab old chappati with it, to pep it up!
Green chilli sauce, soya sauce, garlic chilli sauce,schezwan sauce, etc., are some sauces which are used mainly while cooking a preparation.
Other sauces like pumpkin, etc. can be eaten according to taste of an individual.
How And Where To Store(Freezing Etc.):
Most sauces and preserves which use preservative, need not be stored in the fridge, but once the bottle seal is opened, or you have started using a jar, keep the remaining jarful in the fridge, for safety.
Purees may be frozen in icecube trays, and used as and when required.
Take care not to insert wet or soiled spoons into the jars of goodies, or there are strong chances of fungus formation.
Close lids tightly every time the jar is opened.
Where to Store Preservatives:
If storing for a short while (2 weeks or so) then one need not use preservatives, and mere storing the fridge is enough. But for storage for long term, proper food methods and use of preservatives becomes imperative. Always add preservative towards the end of the cooking cycle.
A general approximation is 1/2 tsp.citric acid to 1 kg. sugar used.
1 level tsp. potassium metabisulphite is required to make 1 kg. sherbet.
For sour fruit like kokum, mango raw, jambul, etc. 1 kg. sugar requires 3/4 tsp. sodium benzoate and 3/4 tsp. citric acid.
Other preservatives like sodium benzoate are also used.
Basic and Other Masala Powders
The basic masala powders which though commercially available these days, some of them are so much cheaper preparing at home. Some of them are cheaper by almost 3 to 4 times than the price. One more advantage is that small amounts prepared, say, monthly, will give you fresh powders, having a wonderful unmatched aroma, which cannot come with powders that are stored for months even a year. Above all they are so easy to make.
Following pointers should be kept in mind while making masala and spice powders at home:
- All masala spices like chilli, dhania, etc. should be sunned for a couple of hours and then pounded.
This way the spices will become crisper and give a better aroma.
- Remember that though dry grinders, electric mortars, etc. will produce good powders, the most flavourful ones are those which are ground in a mill or pounded with a mortar and pestle.
- Always store the pound masalas in airtight glass or transparent plastic jars with tight lids.
- If available add a few para tablets used to preserve edibles grains, masalas ,etc.
- Pound enough to last about 6 months, then there is any sense in going through the procedure. If you make too much, it may lose its flavour, if too little then is the effort worth making so often. Use your judgement.
Basic and Other Masala Pastes
- Masala pastes are a boon to keep in stock in your refrigerator. They come in handy when you are in a real rush but need to cook and flavour food well. Besides, it rids you of your daily bore and chore of making tiny amounts of paste. Just take care about a few following pointers to make them last longer:
- Never touch them with wet spoons or soiled fingers while removing them.
- Always use a dry spoon.
- If you are a regular user, keep fixed jars to refill as you finish.
- Keep the same jar for the same paste each time, so smells don't mix.
- Make enough to last about 3-4 weeks on an average.
- Best quality pastes are got from grinding on a grindingstone.
- But do not be hindered and use a small wet electrical grinder, if you don't have stone.
- Where water is allowed use as little as possible, and use boiled cooled water.
- The texture of these pastes should be like that of soft cold cream.
- Not too dry and not too runny.
- Choose tightfitting nonmetal lids for jars, to avoid rust spoiling the contents.
- Since most of these pastes will have some amount of extra salt, use salt sparingly in any dish, and add more only after tasting the dish.
- Unless cooking khichidis, potatoes, etc. avoid cooking direct in the pressure cooker. Use the containers.
- Add a piece of lemon peel to the pressure cooker water, to keep the cooker from becoming black from use.
- Cover the containers when cooking items like dal, rice, etc. to avoid overspill.
- When boiling rice or dal over stove in excess water, use the extra water to make dal, soup, etc. Use the rice starch water to starch clothes.
- Make extra quantities of chilli or garlic or onion pastes and store in freezer for quicker use.
- If the first time does not give accurate results, try again making changes that you may feel are required in your particular case.
- Never overload a pressure cooker or add too much or too little water at the base. Exploding or burning out are serious accidents.
- If rice is very old, then soak for a longer time. However, the saying goes, the older the rice, the richer the flavour.
- Always sieve any flour before making dough, for hygiene as well as breaking any lumps that may be present.
|
