Category: Cooking DIYs/How To’s

Dosa Batter | How to make dosa batter? | Dose Hittu

Homemade dosa batter for hotel style dosas
08/28/2016 9:33:47 PM vindhyadesai

The secret to make crisp yet soft dosas without using a lot of oil is in the batter. Dosa batter should be fermented to the right consistency for good, tasty dosas. Different people make dosa batter in different ways, few add cooked rice, few add puffed rice and few add rice flakes (poha). I use poha which makes the dosas light and fenugreek (methi) seeds for fermentation and colour. There are few more secret ingredients revealed in below recipe. Look out for the notes mentioned in the recipe for important pointers. ... “Dosa Batter | How to make dosa batter? | Dose Hittu”

Saarina Pudi | Fresh homemade rasam powder | How to make saarina pudi?

Aromatic, spicy Udupi style homemade saarina pudi/rasam powder
08/27/2016 4:48:16 PM vindhyadesai

Do you buy rasam powder or any masala from a store, try making it at home. There will certainly be a difference in the way you cook at home and it tastes very fresh, aromatic and will be of course free of preservatives. A simple saaru/rasam can be very satisfying and what better if you have fresh masala to make piping hot saaru/rasam/charu at home. Here is the recipe to make fresh rasam/saaru powder at home. For the proportions mentioned here you can make saaru/rasam powder that will be sufficient to make saaru/rasam at least 12 times which serves 4 people, so it lasts for a long time. You can even double the quantities and make more powder. Rasam powder can be used for a variety of other dishes like huLi avalakki and many more. ... “Saarina Pudi | Fresh homemade rasam powder | How to make saarina pudi?”

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough | How to make pizza dough

Homemade whole wheat pizza dough
07/27/2016 6:49:38 PM vindhyadesai

Fancy eating a pizza? Feel like ordering one? What if you can make it at home with your own homemade dough, hand stretched into a pizza. Here’s the recipe for an easy homemade whole wheat pizza dough. It can also be shaped into a rectangular crust by hand stretching the dough. Italians sell pizza slices that are rectangular in shape and they love their crust thin. Pizza joints all over the world make thick crust mostly but authentic Italian pizzas are actually quite thin much like our rotis. Pizza recipes for Fig and Goat’s Cheese pizza, Pizza Margherita, Veg Supreme pizza are all lined up to be posted. Watch out for pizza recipes in FOI. ... “Whole Wheat Pizza Dough | How to make pizza dough”

Hung Yogurt | Hung Curd | How to make hung curd at home | Dahi Ka Chakka

Homemade thick and creamy hung yogurt
07/20/2016 10:36:55 PM vindhyadesai

Thick hung curd/yogurt (dahi ka chakka in Marathi/Hindi) made from separating whey from curd or yogurt. It can be used to make desserts like shrikhand (try out my Aamrkhand recipe) or for dips or spreads ( try out the spread for ALT). It is an excellent low fat alternative to cream, sour cream and mayonnaise. It is rich in calcium and is very creamy. Do not throw away the whey, it is rich in nutrients. See notes below for useful tips on what to do with whey. ... “Hung Yogurt | Hung Curd | How to make hung curd at home | Dahi Ka Chakka”

Bisi Bele Bhaat Masala | Bisi Bele Bhaat Powder | How to make bisi bele bhaat masala

Aromatic and fresh bisi bele bhaat masala/powder
06/26/2016 9:43:20 PM vindhyadesai

Here is the recipe to make bisi bele bhaat powder/masala. Gather all ingredients, roast them dry and grind them into a powder or paste. It can be stored for a few months in an airtight container. But freshly made masala or powder is best for bisi bele bhaat. This masala makes bisi bele bhaat for 4-6 people. Double or triple the ingredients for more masala. Bisi bele bhaat recipe coming up after this. ... “Bisi Bele Bhaat Masala | Bisi Bele Bhaat Powder | How to make bisi bele bhaat masala”

How to roast a bell pepper | Roasted bell pepper or capsicum

Sweet roasted bell pepper
06/19/2016 7:22:17 PM vindhyadesai

It is often easy to buy sweet roasted bell peppers from a store. But homemade roasted bell pepper will be really fresh without any preservatives. Here’s how to roast a bell pepper at home. I have already mentioned how to roast a bell pepper for roasted bell pepper and avocado grilled cheese sandwich. Creating a separate DIY entry for it. ... “How to roast a bell pepper | Roasted bell pepper or capsicum”

Orange Marmalade

Orange marmalade made at home, enjoy it smeared on toast
22:40:13 05/26/2016 vindhyadesai

Orange marmalade is a fruit preserve made with oranges(obviously) and lemon, boiled with sugar till it is set. The speciality of a marmalade is peels or shreds of skin are added to get all the flavour of the fruit. Use organic fruits where possible especially when consuming the skins or peels. Preserving sugar or regular granulated sugar can be used. Lemon juice cuts through the sweetness of the oranges and gives a nice zing between orange flavours. Taste the oranges before making the marmalade, if the juice is bitter try avoiding those oranges. I learnt to make this from a recipe published by a supermarket. They make it in bulk, I have adapted the recipe to yield about 400-450 gm of marmalade. Orange marmalade on buttered toast is the best way to eat this. I also make other jams like, strawberries, cranberries, mixed fruits, mango morabba(gulambu), grapes, will post them all soon. ... “Orange Marmalade”

How to peel and slice avocados

Perfect moon slices of avocado
05/10/2016 8:24:05 PM vindhyadesai

Avocados are in vogue and why not. They are very tasty and their health benefits are immense. They are rich in fibre, healthy fats and potassium. Avocados are mainly grown in the Mediterranean region. They are an important part of the Mexican cuisine in the form of guacamole, a staple. In India, they are used in milkshakes and generally referred to as ‘butter fruits’. Avocados have complex flavours – sweetish and soft in texture. They are actually fruits resembling a pear and are generally eaten raw. They are so buttery that oil is extracted from them and used for salad dressings. I love to use them in sandwiches, veg chilli.
Peeling avocados can be tricky business. I illustrate a few easy methods here on how to peel and slice avocados. ... “How to peel and slice avocados”

How to make Desi Ghee

Golden nectar of melted butter
04/19/2016 9:16:24 PM vindhyadesai

Fresh homemade desi ghee/ shuddha tuppa, is very easy to make. You need butter (store bought organic butter is just fine) but unsalted and a little bit of patience. The result is a golden nectar of melted butter. Of all the dairy products I love ghee the most. Watch out for those calories though. It’s considered beneficial to eat a teaspoonful of ghee a day according to Ayurveda. (Note: Please consult your doctor if you have cholesterol or other medical issues) ... “How to make Desi Ghee”

How to cook rice

Cooked plain regular non-sticky rice for bhaat/pulao
04/15/2016 10:12:49 PM vindhyadesai

Cooking regular white rice for a bhaat or pulao and it turns sticky? I will illustrate and explain here a fool-proof method for cooking regular white rice which is non-sticky, non-starchy and easy to mix into a spicy South Indian pulao or that tangy lemon rice. You will no longer have a messy lump of rice in tasty masala. This method uses good old Sona Masuri rice a very popular variety in Karnataka and other southern states. The first method is the ‘Absorption method’. In this method, a measured quantity of rice is cooked with required amount of water till all the water is absorbed. ... “How to cook rice”