Cooking Tips and Tricks

1. Wipe clean your tawa (griddle) after roasting 2-3 rotis to remove residual flour.

2. After kneading the roti dough, keep it aside for at least 20 minutes before making rotis. This will soften the dough and it will be more pliable.

3. Asafoetida added while cooking reduces the flatulence associated with eating certain foods like beans and legumes.

4. Soaking the legumes like rajma, chana overnight and then draining the water in which they were soaked helps to lessen the gaseousness associated with their consumption.

5. Sour substances like tomatoes, lemon and tamarind prevent the cooking of dal and vegetables so they should be added toward the end of cooking process.

6. You can always use leftover rotis by roasting them in a little ghee (clarified butter) on a tawa and sprinkling a dash of salt and red chilli powder over them. These   rotis can also be called as khakra.

7. You can reheat the rotis in a microwave by wrapping them in a paper towel or cloth and heating them for 20-30 seconds on a High.

Cooking Tips and Advice

   
1. The fastest way to cook dals is by using pressure cooker.

2. To peel garlic easily, place them in microwave high for 20- 30 seconds.

3. Always wash dals in several changes of water and drain the water in which they are soaked. This reduces the flatulence associated with their consumption and removes any contaminants.

4. If you put little oil and turmeric powder in pressure cooker along with the dal, it will help to cook it faster.

5. Coriander powder (dhania powder) used extensively in Indian cooking helps reduce anxiety levels.

6. Adding wheat bran to your roti dough will help prevent constipation. It improves regularity. Besides fiber in bran keeps you full for longer thus helping in weight loss.

7. To lessen the bitterness of karela (bitter gourd/ bitter melon)- scrape them and rub salt over them. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour, then squeeze and wash under running water.

8. To deodorize chopping board, rub it with a slice of lemon.