Some more Cook's Tips.

COOKERY ~ TIPS.

• Drop the chicken, meat or fish steaks by the side of the onion mix that is being sautéed (a large frying pan with a lid will be ideal). This will help lock the outer skin. Some of the mixture will stick to the pieces. But that shouldn’t matter. It’ll in fact give a nice brown look to the pieces. Adding any liquids later to make gravy is again a better idea. Otherwise just wrap the mixture slowly around the chicken or meat pieces and let it cook on low heat. Fish may need 2-3 tablespoon of water.

I do this quite often. Actually in case of fish, I take the fish out once the outer skin is locked. Add water or whatever liquid gravy/sauce I want make. Boil and simmer it until I achieve desired thickness for the gravy/sauce, and lower the fish in, cover the pieces, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Let it stand for 1 minute. Sprinkle it with some parsley or coriander and serve either with some rice or couscous. (Again there are different ways to make simple but tasty couscous dishes. Plain, with any vegetable, meaty or fishy !!).

• You could make a variety of Pâté from the leftover cooked vegetables!

• Freeze portions of marinated fish, chicken or meats for future use. (Date it and use it within 3 to 6 months).

• Cooked a dish too salty? Adding a potato or two, or any suitable vegetable will help.

• Any left over Rice from previous day!!

o Make Fried rice or add it to Theplaa Mix (see recipe for Theplaas.)

o Fried Rice: Finely chop an onion. Sauté it in some oil, butter or ghee. Add 1 or 2 chopped garlic cloves (depending on quantity of rice) and 2 pinches of turmeric powder, salt to taste and mix it well. Add the leftover rice. Sprinkle a few drops of water. Leave it on heat for approx. 5 minutes. Let it stand for 2-3 minutes and serve.

• Cook Chicken or meat dishes a day or two in advance and leave it in fridge. Tastes better!!

• Dry roast the semolina or couscous before making the dish in a karahi. Round bottomed frying pan like a vok. Either steel with copper or sandwich base, or a non-stick one. Dry roasting will take away the weird smell and funny taste it gives if used (raw) without dry roasting.

• Also, dry roasting these two items helps preserve it for longer, and used in any dishes gives a unique taste. In India some people make Shira, Laddus and festive sweets with dry roasted semolina, and they are tastier.

Tip of the Day - 20/03/2010:
Add 1 to 2tspns lemon juice to any fish dish halfway through cooking. The fish won't split/break. Lemon juice kills the fish odour and the tastes better.

Never use too much oil to fry fish except those that really need a bit more oil. Most fishes are naturally oily. Fry/cook them in a non-stick pan with only 1 tspn or a few drops of cooking oil on low heat.

I normally give atleast 2 or 3 washes to fish and meats in a mixture of 1 tspn salt, vinegar and lemon juice in some cold water. And leave to drain while sorting other items for the dish. This kills the funny smell and freshens it.

You don't want to spend whole day in the kitchen, true. But Give Some Time for your cooking. Cooking anything on low heat(once it starts to boil) preserves nutrients, and taste better. Always remember cooking over high heat, too many spices and too much oil ruins the taste.

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[Have you heard the English phrase – ‘there are many ways to skin a cat?’]
If you know and have heard of it. It’d be easier for you to understand something in respect of cookery that many dishes can be cooked in different ways. It all depends on the items/spices available, styles and methods adapted in different countries and provinces. And most of all people’s tastes.
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