Читать книгу Miss Masala - Mallika Basu - Страница 18

1 Never fill the pan to more than a third.

2 When cooking dal, wash well and add a teaspoon of oil to reduce foaming.

3 Fry up your spices first in the same pan before you stick the lid on, rather than frying them up separately and adding them after the dish is cooked, as they will still taste raw.

4 Don’t shake the pan when the lid is on.

5 Release steam by gently lifting the weight on top with a long-handled wooden spoon and keep out of the way of the little vent holes.

Cooking Shortcuts THE SEARCH CONTINUES…

Alongside my quest for life-changing gadgets ran the search for food shortcuts. The attempt to make my own paneer started it. I curdled almost a gallon of milk but ended up with only a tiny block of too crumbly cheese. This was clearly the food equivalent of big box, little present. For a whole day’s work too – Google research included.

It hardly encouraged me to make my own coconut milk, garam masala, ghee or tomato purée. Ready-to-use ingredients form the basis of a multibillion-pound industry for good reason. I salute them. Particularly the ones that offer high quality and convenience. Sadly, some solutions – like ready-puréed ginger and garlic – don’t always make the cut. They can be more anaemic than the real thing. I keep a store-bought jar of each handy but if you have the time, these two ingredients are definitely worth fiddling over (see the box).