These are some of the very useful tips which aayi keeps telling me always. When I follow them properly, the result is always good.
- While cooking potatoes, Cut them into half and add a pinch of turmeric. This makes the potatoes cook faster.
- While cooking toor dal, add a pinch of turmeric and a drop of oil. Toor dal cooks faster.
- While cooking pulav, wash the rice in water and spread it on a cloth or paper for drying. Leave it for around 15-30 min. This makes the rice grains separate.
- While cooking pulav in kadhai (i mean not using cooker), do not mix the ingredients frequently, if u mix it, the rice becomes paste. So after 10-15 min of cooking, just open the lid and have a look. If you feel it is cooked, gently mix the contents once or twice.
- Use water always in 1(rice) : 2 (water) for pulav. After 10-15min of cooking, if u feel water is less, just add little water.
- Always cook pulav on very low flame.
- While making chapathi, leave the dough for 30 min to make soft chapathis. Some more tips here
- Over roasting/burning/over frying any spice changes the taste of the dish. So be careful while handling the spices. (Mustard turns bitter when fried for a long time).
- Puri dough should be made little harder than chapathi dough. This prevents puri from retaining more oil when it is deep fried. Also once dough is prepared, make the puri immediately. Some more tips here
- While adding tadka(seasoning) to any curry or dal, add it once the curry/dal is completely cooked. Close the lid immediately & remove from flame. This will retain the seasoning aroma. Do not cook after adding seasoning.
- Put the brinjal(eggplants) pieces or peeled smoked brinjal in water for around 10 mins. Discard the water. This removes any bitter taste from them.
- Do not hold any spice powder packets directly on the dish while cooking, the hot vapors get into the packet and spoil the powder. Take out the required amount of powder on a spoon and then add it to the dish.
- Always use a flat bottomed pan for cooking (except for frying puris, they need depth), this helps in equal distribution of heat. Also, use broader vessel compared to thin tall vessel.
- If your kitchen stove has got black mess on it, spread some baking soda and rub lightly. Leave it for around 15mins and give it a good rub and wipe off. The hard mess usually comes off easily.
- For good fermentation of idlis and dosa batter, read this post and comments.
- While cutting boiled potatoes, dip the knife in water. This avoids sticking to knife.
- While grinding coconut during cold days or while grinding frozen/cold coconut, use warm water. This helps in easy grinding and also avoids the fat floating on top.
- Add 1/2 tea spn of sugar while cooking beetroot in cooker. This avoids the spreading/splashing of color.
- To remove the black marks from the stove top (the kind of stoves in US particularly), spray some oven cleaner, leave for around 10mins and then gently scrub them off. Difficult marks come off easily.
- Never put garlic or cardamom, which are not peeled in hot oil. They pop up and can cause serious burns. If you need to use them whole, slightly open up the skin from one side.
- Add a little salt when frying tomatoes, this helps to get them mushy faster.
- To remove black stains in cooker or vessels, add a small piece of lemon and 1/2 cup water. Heat for few minutes and wash immediately.
Hai shilpa,
Thank you for your nice tips.
I need to know if you please tell me what to do if the tandoori chicken got a little dry and hard. Can I make tikka masala or something similar?
Thanks
Yes, I think it will be good in tikka masala
Hi Shilpa
You are right about the puri dough because last time I had made the dough ghatti as I usually do, only I kept it aside for half an hour or so and the dough became soft; I was wondering about it.Thanks I got the answer now.
Regards
Haripriya
hi shilpa…
had a look at your site..gr8 job…keep going
can some body tell me receipe for making papad from dal and potato.
hi here are some tips from my side…..
dunno whether ppl know this aleady or not…neways….for making chana / peas / beans recipes we need to soak t nuts 7/8 hour ahead of time…sometimes it happens so tat we wud need it urgently n wont have them ready to cook…to avoid such sitns, wat u can do is when u buy such peas / chana / chole etc soak them in water tat nigt itself and when they are completely ready, drain t water, pack them in small amounts and keep in freezer…whenever u want to use them, jus defreeze n use it…one of my neighbour cooks n freezes…in tat way i guess i may lose nutrients….
another one..
for instant tea…those who dont like tea bag yet annoyed by t time tat takes in traditional tea making….can try this……take a small jar…boil enough water to fill water, when water is at high temp, put enough tea leaves(tat means tea powder), and close it, shut t gas……let it cool down itself….once done transfer to t bottle n keep in fridge…u can use this for 1/2 weeks…i wud wait for a reply from shilpa on this…
k..tat’s all from wat i know. bye
one more i remembered…..when cooking a lot of veggies at a time say like beet, carrot, potato,beans etc….t color of one veggie may spread to t other and destroy ur colorful meal, to prevent it…when u boil these veggies add one teaspoon of sugar in it…(this wont make t veggies to taste sweeter..)but wud help t veggies to retain t color themselves…this one is a tried n valid info from many sources…try out
Anisha, thanks for those tips. I will try them. Usually I soak chana/peas/beans in hot water for around 1 hr and use them if I need them urgently. I haven’t tried freezing.
The third tip, (retaining color of veggies) looks very very useful. I will try it. Thanks a lot.
Hi Shilpa
Wanted to ask u few tips..firstly when i make chicken curry here somehow the chicken pieces
do not soak the curry in .. dont know y ..
Secondly wanted to ask u something diff if u use aluminium kayl how do u maintain and clean them
bcos after ive used them a lot of times for making talasan and frying things they are turning black now
Pls adv if possible ..Thanks Medha
Medha, If you marinate the chicken well before cooking and serve it after 4-5 hrs, it might solve the problem. I think it is because of the frozen chicken. The pieces become very hard after freezing. In case you get fresh chicken somewhere(say in chinese store), use that and I feel this problem will be solved. I used fresh chicken from a Pakistani store here recently and the curry came out very well.
After cooking, put a small piece of lemon skin (instead of discarding the skin after taking out lemon juice) and 1 cup water in the kayl(vessel). Heat it for 2-3 mins till the water boils. Now wash it. The kayl becomes like new. Same thing you can do with cooker, while cooking(if you are using cooker vessels in it), add a small piece of lemon along with water at the bottom and then keep the vessels. While it is still warm, wash it and all the black marks goes off.
Thanks a lot Shilpa for ur prompt reply
Will surely follow ur advice ..Yes i did use frozen chicken
so maybe that was the problem ..
Abt the tip for kadai and cooker will definitely
try it out next time when i have lemon at home
Thanks very much once again
Brgds
Medha
hi shilpa.. great site.. this is the first time i happened to see this while i was searching for the recipe of missal.. and am sure will be hooked on to it..thanks for all ur cooking tips..
dear shilpa, hi
i m very thankfull to u for ur delicious resipes and very helpfull cooking tips. it is my first time that i find a very beautiful site. congratulations for a very good site.
Shilpa
There are so many websites offering recipes but yours is different
…accidentally i happened to come here for chutney powder recipe and really liked the way the website is designed, very appealing and the best part is to know that they are all tried and tested recipes 🙂
Keep up the good work!
Hi Shilpa,
I have benefited a lot from some of your tips and from your reader friends tips too. Thanks. I have a question, not sure if this is the right place to ask. Related to frying bajos in advance for party. How do i heat them again and make them crisy just before serving. Any ideas?
Nayak mayi, Usually deep fried food should not be fried before and used. But if you want to do it, you have to refry it before serving. But still the texture/taste would not be same. So my advise would be, keep ready everything before and just before serving, deep fry them. You can add a bit of rice flour or maida to batter to make them crispy.
I MUST APRECIATE THIS SITE…. BEAUTIFUL KEEP GOING GREAT……!!!!!!1
Hi Shilpa,
Your tips are very thoughtful and very helpful! Keep them coming.Great work!
Hi
When ever I’m cooking the raw ground onion paste, the result ll be a great failure. can u give any tips for that?
Hi,
I am in Sydney. Please tell me can we blend the row rice in the food processor.
Here I am not getting the Indian grander. So I wanted buy a food processor. Please suggest some tips for me.
Thanks in Advance
Sachin
Manju, if you are using the raw onion paste directly, it will smell. You can cook the onions in water before and then grind them to get rid of the smell.
Sachin, you can grind the rice in food processor. I use a blender(having glass vessel instead of plastic) to grind everything. I too don’t have an Indian mixer here. The blenders work very well. So I think you should buy a blender, but make sure you buy a blender with glass vessel. The plastic one might break very soon.
Thanks for the Suggestions I am very greatful to u…
Thank u shilpa….very nice of u!
Hi Shilpa,
I am travelling to India with my 4 year old son next week. Please let me know receipes of foods which I can prepare & carry with me for myself & my son.
Thanks & regards
veena
Veena, I don’t know much about what children eat :(. May be you can take some cookies(Nankatayi-homemade), cakes. I will try to find out more.
Thanks you for nice tips
Hi Shilpa,
I feel your tips are very useful.I want you to give some more tips for sout indian brahmin recipes.
I liked the way you have put up these rceipes. Also, I have fwded
the url to my friends in different parts of the world who surely find it helpful. Thanks Shilpa.
great work
Hi.. Shilpa..
This site is too good.. For the first time i’m able to get all kind of recipes an tips in one site..Its really helpful for the beginers like me..
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe site..!!
hi shilpa,
First of all gr8 job..its a wonderful site.My hobby is cooking its such a stress buster.Since im a bachelor many time i have nothing else to do.
I live in China many things are not available easily here so would you suggest options to the following essential ingridients:
1. Tamarind
2. Vinegar
3. Mint Leaves
4. Green Chillies(here only the organic variety is available 🙁 all size and color no taste)
How does one preserve coconut after breaking them up?
Awaiting your reply.
Thanks .. Neeraj.
Shilpa: Neeraj, if you tell me which exact recipe you are trying, I might be able to guess the replacement, there is no general replacement for all these, but we can guess depending on the dish. In the Chinese store here, I have seen a small variety of green chili which I used before I found out Indian store. They also had mint leaves and vinegar.
Hi Shilpa,
How are you ? Thank you for all the wonderful tips . Would like to clarify a doubt of mine, so please help me. i have used 1:3 proportion for making rava idli & the batter is fermented well. Idlis were soft too but the idlis were tasting & smelling strong of urad dal flavour. Please suggest me as to wat can be done to take of the smell from it . Eagerly waiting for your reply.
Sorry I am confused. Which recipe did you use? Rava idli does not have urad dal and does not need fermentation
Thai green chillies, and choose lime for tamarind
just wanna know how can i make boneless chicken softer in curries
Shilpa: Bee, you should use the chicken when it is very fresh. Once it is frozen, you cannot make it soft.
Hi Shilpa,
Great site. I’m visiting ur site for the first time..
hi Shilpa,
Your site is too good.First time i’m able to get all kind of recipes an tips in one site.Its really helpful for the beginers like me.Every month i will check your new recipies.
KEEP GOING GREAT JOB……!!!!!!
hi Shilpa,
Your site is good one.First time i’m able to get all kind of recipes an tips in one site.Its really helpful for the beginers like me.Every month i will check your new recipies.
KEEP GOING GREAT JOB……!!!!!!
Hi all,
i’m in complete agreement with all, that this site no doubt is gr8!!!
so i seek help in finding the recipe for “malvani masala” since i stay in gujarat (INDIA) where we don’t get these typical maharashtrian masalas, so pls let me know
thanx n rgds
Hi shilpa
i am from mangalore bsaed in sydney. i tried all your recipe they realy helped me to learn cooking, great site keep up the hard and good work. a big thankyou from me
i hav a question how can i preserv curry leaves without loosing that original colour.
Shilpa: Spread the curry leaves on a paper till all water dries out, water makes the leaves go bad soon, so make sure it is completely dry. Then separate out individual leaf and put in an airtight plastic bag(like ziploc) and keep refrigerated. This way the leaves remain fresh for more than a month.
Hi,
I m very thankful that i got this site. This site is good one. Its very helpful.
I just wanted to know how to make Dal Bhati(Gujrati/Rajasthani dish)
Regards & Thanks
Hi Shilpa,
do you have any tips for fermenting dosa or any other batter in winter? I prepared urad dosa other day and kept it in warm oven but next it was bit hard and it did’nt taste well.
Shilpa: Ramya, I had the same problem until I bought Sumeet mixer. The urad daal needs to be very very soft. You can keep the batter in hot water for sometime and close with a thick towel.
put some finely tone (one eighth or one sixteen portion ) pieces of a bread slice, you will see wonders in fermenting! keep the batter container on wide plate since it may over flow! batter will be very soft too.
Hi Shilpa,
do you have any tips for fermenting dosa or any other batter in winter? I prepared urad dosa other day and kept it in warm oven but next day it was a bit hard and it did’nt come out well.
Thanks a lot Shilpa. I’ll do the same next time. I had actually stopped preparing such dosas and used to prepare other dosas which does not need any fermentation.
Shilpa: Ramya one more thing is to mix salt very well in the night. This helps in fermentation
Nice tips Shilpa.
Very helpful.
Regards
Also, please let me know as to how can i post a recipe of mine on your site.
Thanks
dear shilpa,
Nice site for people like me who search for recipes on the net. Good job!!! Keep it up.
This site is so so helpful and very well created. Can i post some of my own recipes?
Thanks
Shilpa: Neha, please mail the recipes to me, I will try them out and then post them here with due credits to you. Thanks
Hi Shilpa
Can you tell me what to do if I want to make a good amount of ginger garlic paste at home, what are the proportions to use and how much (hot)oil will I need to put in it to preserve it?
And how long will it last?
Do i grind it all in a mixer?
Shilpa: Rutu, I think Anupama is the right person to ask this question. I haven’t tried it myself. But I have heard that ginger and garlic pieces(1:1) are fried in a little oil and then ground into paste and saved.
Hi, good tips ,
one more tip if u r cooking green veg in a pressure cooker, to retain the color u release the preesure immediately and open the lid
Hi,
I have not tried cooking non-veg as my hubby is a veggie.I would like to try some chicken/fish recipes from your blog but I have to eat it alone.So I thought I ll ask for some tips from you before cooking.
I live in US too.So could you let me know what kind of chicken/fish you buy here?
like do I buy fresh/frozen,chicken with bones/boneless, thighs/breasts/drumsticks etc?
For fish,which fish can I buy here as all of them are new to me.
And any tips which you remember while defrosting(how long to defrost in microwave) and cooking chicken/fish..I like it to be completely cooked without any raw smell(like we prepare in India),so how do I check if its completely cooked.
Thanks in advance,will apreciate your reply.
Sk
Shilpa: SK, I usually buy fresh chicken (the one in meat isle of grocery stores). I don’t buy the frozen chicken. I use the fresh one that is usually available in poultry section. It has to be finished in 2-3 days, but it is actually fresh and when cooked, gives good taste. You should buy the chicken depending on which dish you are going to cook. Since we like boneless, I buy boneless chicken breasts all the time. I don’t buy fish from American grocers. I just buy frozen shrimp there. I buy other fishes either from Indian or Chinese stores. If they look familiar then only I buy them.
I will look for these next time I go to buy groceries.Thank you so much 🙂
hi shilpa,
Thanks for the tips u have given.they r very useful for me.here is a tip from my side.I stay in denmarkt .When we came initially we dont have any stores where we get chillies.we use to bring chillies from india and freeze it.they stay from 9months to 1year.
hey shilpa – i did try adding turmeric to the toor dal last nite while cooking – n yes it did cook faster n better than normal. Thank you 🙂
one problem I have is rajma or kaala toor dal(used for dal makhani) never cooks enough , no matter how many whistles i keep for in cooker and notwithstanding the fact that I soak it over night. I even tried adding some baking soda before pressure cooking even that dint help.any tips?
Shilpa: Priya, sometimes if the pulses are old, they take a very long time to cook. I am yet to find a way of making cooking of rajma fast :(. I too have same problem. May be next time you can try soaking it in warm water. While cooking add turmeric (a pinch won’t change the taste, so you can safely add). I will let you know if there are any more tips.
To make rajma soft, soak overnight and add a pinch of baking soda when cooking it. It will cook much faster and be very soft. I also find that the darker rajma takes much longer to cook and the lighter variety less time.
do not put baking soda while cooking, the science does not work their to help you softening the “what ever hard seed” you cook.
so quickly clean and wash the “whatever seed” say peas or door and once finalized as clean and ready to use, now put them in clean water with a pinch of baking soda.
now why did i say quickly?
do not give time for seeds to absorb the water while washing. the seeds are waiting to absorb the water that has baking soda mixed, so the seeds when boilt the baking soda inside the seeds breaks out carbon di oxide out of every seed that drank baking soda water so the cooked peas are so soft like silk.
ok so wash the seeds as fast as possible and then leave over night in baking soda water. amount of baking soda used for soaking plays a big role in its taste to spoil. so experiment it starting with a pinch of it for one cup of pea. sometimes few hours soaking in baking soda is ok, if seeds absorbed well.
try…
Hi Shilpa
Impressed with your website especially the traditional Konkani stuff! Patholi, Bhakri and what not! Just curious to get to know you a bit more about yourself.
I have been living in New Zealand with my husband and two children for the past 19 years. A response from you would be very much appreciated
Gayathri
Shilpa: Thanks Gayathri. You can know all about me in the “About” page.
Hi Shilpa,
Your tips are so helpful.
Thanks
How to make Gulab Jamun using milk powder.
Thanks again.
Swati
Hi Shilpa,
Really nice recipes. I am newly married and we came to US after 15 days of our marriage. I have tried many of your receipes it is really nice.
I ma looking for Samosa Recipe, Can you please help me in that.
Thanks
Hi Shilpa,
Came across ur site recently and i must say its a really nice site for everyone.I have a question…i wanted to know the best method to make dosa batter..bcoz everytime i try its a failure..i mix 3 cups ponni boiled rice with 3/4th cup of urad dal soak it overnite n grind it in the morning n ferment it in the oven(not switched om) but still its not the perfect batter..pls advise..
Thanks,
Suhasi
Shilpa: Suhasi, try using 2:1 (rice:dal)proportion. Mainly it all depends on how much smoothly you have ground dal. Grind it as smooth as possible. Then grind rice. Mix both, add salt and keep the batter in steel vessel(I donno if it makes difference. But last time when I used steel vessel, the fermentation was perfect). The oven thing for fermentation almost never worked for me. So I usually keep the vessel on the stove (after it is switched off but when it is still warm).
one cup urad is to 4 cups rice flour is the standard if you are increasing the dosa flavor by adding soaked and finely ground dill paste (ventheyam in Tamil. extremly finely ground (like the urad) dill is a real dosa flavor enhancer in the South.
Boosting the fermentation process is very simple, take one eighth portion of a SLICE of bread tear it by pinching off in to smallest bits possible, throw in to batter little by little shacking the batter to mix thoroughly. leave it semi-closed so that the batter is in contact with air outside so the batter is at room temperature. The metal container for batter that Shilpa used was scientifically to keep the batter inside at room temperature or to gain warmth for batter via metal container placed on warm stove. The microorganism yeast needs an optimum temperature for its fermentation process. this does not meen you heat or boil the batter, people keep in a metal container and in sun light…..wow…it will spill off so keep a wider plate and look for leaking sun light in to your rooms by pulling curtains. first time when you do frequently monitor.
next is if urad is dominating then dosa will be soft and breaking or sticking so immediately check the batter if its thinner, if so add little by little rice flour, if its not there then wheat flour, however each of these two will reflect their taste and texure, wheatflour or the myda will make dosa like rubbery like in “beach-rotti” , but rice flour will make it the right one! remember dill paste also soften the dosa batter because its, the dill paste, is so smooth. So thickening is done by adding rice flour.
if fermentation was insufficient then for the selected portion of batter to make dosa now, add a pinch of baking soda and mix it thoroughly and leave for 5 minutes. then rub the stone with onion and then with soaked oily cloth and pour the dosa. u got a flovory dosa because of the booster dill. i bet next door people will be watering and peeping via your windows.
Thanks a lot for ur suggestion..will surely try it out..
Thanks,
Suhasi
Hello Shilpa
I was referred to your website from my in-laws , it’s great so i can go back to some amchi recipes i have forgotten
keep up the good work and hope you will publish a book and realize your dreams of opening a restuarnt
Regards
Varsha
Hi Shilpa,
I just discovered your website yesterday and it looks really interesting. I haven’t tried out anything as yet but plan to do so next week.
I have a problem which I’m hoping you can help me with. We have not yet been able to make sabudana khichdi properly. The taste is generally good but the dish turns out to be a sticky mess. I guess my problem is with the soaking of the sabudana. Yesterday I soaked the sabudana in plenty of water for 1/2 an hour, then drained it and left it like that for about 2 hours before cooking it. The end result was soft and tasty but was one big lump. What am I doing wrong.
Shilpa: Please read sabudana khichdi for a the tips.
Thanks Shilpa. I think my problem was that I put too much water during the first half hour and I may not have drained it out very thoroughly. Also we get the small sabudana here not the big ones you get in India. Maybe that also makes a difference.
Regards,
Gillian
Hi Shilpa,
This is a health query, i did not know where to write, so i am doing it here, hope its not inconvenient for u 🙁
Query is, can we have yoghurt at night? is it good for digestion if we have it at night? I have always heard it is not good, whats your thought on this?
Thank You 🙂
Shilpa: PW, I heard that if we eat a tea spn of yogurt after every meal, it is very good for digestion. This was the suggestion by a doctor who is also a follower of Ayurveda. So I think it does not matter if you eat it at night. But then, I am saying only what I heard, I might be totally wrong.
Ah Thanks Shilpa, yes i do believe that having yoghurt after a meal is good for health… But i was saying on a regular basis (everyday) that too a cup full 🙂 anyway i think ill try it and see if things are working, only then ill continue consumption.
Take care! 🙂
Wow ! What a find…. This site is great and the name is a real eyecatcher. Wherever in the world you are, who would not want to have a taste of Aayi’s cooking. In this age of fast food, it is so imperative to document, preserve and pass on the rich treasure of simple home made recipes.
Hi..a few tips from my side..When you have a fresh coconut grate it the way you like and freeze it. Also while cooking Rajma you can add a pinch of baking soda to the water while cooking if you feel that it hasn’t been soaked enough. It gets Rajma soft and completely done.
Hi Shilpa, 2day for the first time I came across ur recipe site.Thanks It will help a lot of people with tips n all that. thanks a lot.
Re:#46 SK comment and reply by Shilpa
Shilpa, try fresh fillet fish called, Tilapia, in Costco . Two weeks ago my wife S…. treated me with this pan-fried Konkani style fish and it is close to Noguli available in our native place. She marinates just with Hing, salt, Haldi, mirchi powder just for ten minutes and then roll it in cream of rice(idli rava or tandla rulanvu not flour) and slowy pan fry it with little oil on flat chapati or dosa tava. It is very tender still and deliciously tasty, and healthy. I ate with plain rice and alasande upkari(long beans stir-fry Konkani style). Also she refrigerates after all cooked once otherwise fish will get spoiled. She was kind enough to pack me 7-8 pieces to bring here in northen calfornia apartment so that I can get good source of protein daily with Konkani way eating. You will change your mind about buying fish in American market after this.
VastevuAnna
[email protected]
Shilpa: To add to this info..I tried cat fish recently. I made both fry and gravy with it. It was very good. Something like our surmai/king fish. Btw…please don’t leave your mail id in actual comment, spammers will catch it and your mail account will be full of spams.
hi shilpa i was searching exactly these type of recipes.great job keep it up.
hi,
with regards to having yoghurt at night. it is not advisable as it increases Kapha in the system and over a period of time one will feel more congested in the mornings. yoghurt is best eaten in the earlier part of the day as it is Pitta time of the day and therefore easier for it to be assimilated by the body. A very good book for people who are interested in Ayurveda is Dr Vasant Lad’s AYURVEDIC HOME REMEDIES.
usha… I EAT HALF OF THE REGULAR CONTAINER, MIXED WELL WITH HONEY ! OR WITHOUT HONEY IF NOT AVAILABLE. ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR BODY SYSTEM, EACH HAS DIFFERENT TYPE ALTHOUGH HARDWARE IS THE SAME. SO ONE HAS TO EXPERIMENT WITH A SPPON TODAY THEN 2 TOMORROW 3 DAY AFTER AND SO ON. MORE THAN TOLERANCE OF THE SYSTEM WILL IT LOOSEN THE MOTION? WILL IT INCREASE WEIGHT? ALL YOU CANNOT SAY, BECAUSE FOR ME IT DOES NOT INCREASE WEIGHT, BUT MAT BE FOR YOUR IT WILL, BECAUSE MY METABOLIC RATE IS HIGH. SO EXPERIMENT IT.
hi,
when i make chapati in roti maker, it turns out to be hard 5 minutes after it is made. is there any way that it can be soft?
how can a chapati be heated in microwave(if i take that for lunch to office). tawa made chapati’s too turns out hard, when it is heated in microwave oven
Nila,
After making chapati,wrap it in the paper towel and put it in the zip lock. You can refrigerator the ziplock
Microwave the chapatis without taking it out from zip lock for 15 to 20 seconds. The chapatis will be very soft.
Make the paper towel little wet before microwaving to make chapatis even softer.
Hope this helps.
Rashmi
HI Shilpa,
Your website is truly helpful. I am from Karwar. Not a good cook, but am sure your recipes & handy tips will make me one.
Thanks & keep up the good work
All the best.
Will keep in touch
Regards
Shilpa
Does anyone have any tips to get good fermentation for Dosa batter during winters(especially in US)?
Hi,
please advise me as to how can I remove the taste of Soya from soya chunks completely thereby not giving a soy flavour while chewing on it. I don’t like the soy flavour coming through and prefer the same to absorb the curry flavour and taste like meat !!!!!!!
Hi Shilpa,
You are simply awesome..!!yesterday i tried ur Butter chicken recipe and it was the best butter chicken i’ve ever tasted in my life..!!:-)
You have a fantastic website and doing a wonderful work.
And i know alreday many people had requested it, but i am requesting again for ‘samosa’ recipe.
Hi Shilpa,
Nice job, regarding rajma try using a pinch of eno fruit salt instead of soda bicarb, eno makes the rajma or for that matter any kathor beans like choley, kala channa very soft.
With regards
Uma
Hi Shilpa,
I came across your site while searching for Tandoori Aloo recipe. I like the one posted by you as it is very simple.
You have some good recipes here, keep up the good work.
I have a tip to share. To cook Rajma well, opt for the Kashmiri Rajma beans (the smaller kidney beans). Soak them overnight, and add a tea bag while cooking them in a pressure cooker (3-4 whistles). Discard the tea bag once the beans are cooked. This trick also works while cooking Chole/channa (chickpeas).
Regards,
Chitra
thankssssssss for sharing such a nice tips wid us
Ohh man!..u made me cry..this is the 1st time i accidentally visited ur website..& itz amazing how u hv put up all the mommy’s recepies- i have been living in the US..( Chicago) for like as long as i rember now!.& itz been soo many years since i ate a simple-“aayi chya hatachi chappati”! & u with ur wonderful recepies bring my mom closer to me..thankyou soo much ..hopefully i will squeeze some time to try one of ur dishes over the weekend..thankyou soo much..God bless ya! 🙂 .. Love- Aishwarya .(.P.S. after reading all this i realize how much i miss my parents who r back home in India..bt it feels real good to even see all this mommy food) ..thanks a ton 🙂
Hi shipa…
Your tips are very useful..
I like palak paneer very much
Pls help me how to prepare palak paner..
Thax…
Hi Shilpa,
Just happend to come to your website searching for gravy to go with biryani………..i cook biryani well but wanted to cook something else for the mrs. so would add this gravy as a side dish for the weekend’s briyani…….
Thanks a lot and your website really is worth a lot of appreciation. one of the best sites i have visited
How do you make salt adhere to chicken well? My chicken tastes saltless and also a bit dry. Some recipes looks and sounds like the meat is going to fall off the bones so nicesly with the bone tasting salty and chewy..
Can you help?
Shilpa: Lalitha, can you tell me any particular recipe where you found this? Marinating chicken with salt for sometime might help a bit. I have noticed that, whenever I used the frozen chicken, it always becomes dry, hard and tasteless. So try using the fresh ones.
Shilpa.
Thank you for your immediate response. I have been enjoying your website and some mouth watering recipes you have posted. Cant wait to try them all.. The chicken recipe I was looking for some spicy chicken curry..Later on I saw several notes that mentioned to use fresh chicken than frozen ones. I will give it a try. Thank you again and keep posting those wonderful recipes..
HI AAYI, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE EXACT PROPORTION OF WHEAT FLOUR AND WATER REQUIRED FOR KNEEDING OF WHEAT FLOOR TO MAKE SOFT CHAPATIES.PLS LET ME KNOW.THANK YOU.
Shilpa: Please check out chapathis and phulkas post.
Hi Shilpa,
On some tips on making chapatis, I dont know why the dough that i make for phulkas always becomes very dry.
I add oil also in the start…something always goes wrong.
Please suggest something.
Thanks so much
Shash
Shilpa: Please read the post about chapathis and phulkas (I have given the link above)
hi shilpa,
nice reciepes. Nice answers u r giving. I want to give u some tip for making toor dal or rajma fast. Soak them overnight in water add some baking soda to them. When u boil them, boil with the same water. Don’t change it. then u will get good result. Try it.
from MONIKA
a friend sent me this link n i jus went thru some of ur recipes. Even ur list of top 10 sounds yumm! I read a few to my mother-in-law n she too found it exciting to see a site like this. Wht is ur complete name n who is aayi? Ur mom or grand mom? My m-i-l’s askin. I thk u spendin ur precious time in sharin these recipes is an amazing thg. A Big round of applaus n i bow to u with respect. U know our generation n the gen aft ours need to know them. some of these recipes are kinda there somewh in our minds but lost in our busy lives. Anyway, thnx n continue ur great work. Eagerly waitin for some more. tc n God bless!
Shilpa: Capri, Thanks for the kind words. Please read about me in “About” page. I call my mother “Aayi”
hi ma’m,
Your site is really interesting and everyday i keep checking the updates..Appreciate your dedication to this site..wonderful website.Gr8 work.Keep it up.
regards
sadhana
excellent tips shilpa ! especially about the pulao Thanks
nice tips. will be really helpfull.
Hello Shilpa,
Do U know any recipe that has overcooked rice in it ..?
Please let me know..Thanx!!!
hi
u have great job.i love cooking.can i send my some recipies to ur site …..for this what should i have to do.
Hi!!
Thansk for your helpful tips!
Regs,
Pradnya
HI SHILPA
I WANT MAKING GHEE FROM MILK PL.GIVE ME PROPER RECEIPE & ALSO I SAVE MALAI FOR 10 OR 15 DAYS & THEN AFTER
I MAKE GHEE BUT ACCHE SE NAHI HOTA HAI . SO PL.GIVE ME PROPER RECEPIE & GHEE KO KIS TARAH SE JAYEDA
DIN RAKHA JA SAKTA HAI? GHEE KI SMELL ACCHI AAYI IS KE LIYE MUJE KYA KARNA PEDGA?
PL SEND ME PROPER RECEIPE.WAITING FOR YR REPLY AT MY EMAIL ADD.
DIMPLE SOHONI
hi Shilpa,
I came across your website quite “accidentally” while searching for gas tandoor recipes.
I usually make “baked dish” in my gas tandoor. But I wanted to know whether I can experiment with an eggless (or with egg) cake with it? Any ideas..? Appreciate any help.
I will probably try your eggless date cake in it first 🙂
thanks,
hasi
Btw,
I forgot to add that I read the few tips that were posted here and found them extremely useful.
thanks for these..
hope to go through many of your mouth-watering dishes as well, now that i have discovered your site.
best,
hasi
Btw Shilpa,
I forgot to add that I read the few tips that were posted here and found them extremely useful.
thanks for these..
hope to go through many of your mouth-watering dishes as well, now that i have discovered your site.
best,
hasi
sorry to bother you but i just wana confirm that are Dal Makhani, Kali Dal and Ma ki Dal all the same things or different
just wana confirm Ma Ki Dal, Kali Dal, Makhani Dal and Dal Makhani are all different preprations or are all the same names for the same product.
hi shilpa,
thank a lot for designing this web site,
i am presently studying at Sydney, australia,
i am from kumta native.
I came to know about this “aayisrecipes” from my relatives who are of goa, “Shri Ashok & Smt mangala shanbhag baleri,”(kodkani)
i am very comfortable in cooking now, earlier i used to find it difficult to eat homely food, i was just missing it so much as i had to eat only bread , burgers, pizza, pasta, etc etc. and some times indian food at indian restaurants, but now i cook it on my own at my home.I prepare daily new things with the help of your recipes.
I live with some friends who are from other parts of india . they all like the food cooked by me very much, there is no doubt that i will learn to cook all our homely dishes within few months,
thank you so much
its really much , more, most appreciated.
please do update more dishes as many as possible,
cheers,
hemanth
0433923940
TOO, TOO GOOD FOR WORDS, I just love your lovely cusine, Its my kind. Thank you for all the effort taken
pls let me know, when we preheat an oven using micowave plus grill option as in samsung ,do we need to keep a bowl of water inside so that the oven does not get damaged.
also let me know how to prepare your eggless cake using convection mode in samsung microwave oven
Hi Dear,
I really enjoy reading through your different varieties of Receipes. I would really appreciate if you could guide me step by step the preparation of cakes. Cakes i mean simple cakes.
Regards and lots of thanks
Monica
Shilpa: Please refer cakes and cookies section.
very useful tips.
Hai Shilpa!
thank you for yuor nice tips.
i want to know the recipies of lal maas(rajasthani) hyderabadi biryani and nahari
i hv started with ur soft phulkas which was a real problem for me as they used to be hard. It was a great experience using ur techs
Very good receipe
Thanks,
Sridevi
Like every year I had been to Kodkani along with my wife we had pleasure in going through your receipes which is a very good idea. I discussed this with some of relatives abroad surprised to k now that they were already following thois whenever theythink of some new menus.Congratulations for your idea. We have also tried to add to your recipes which we have suggested to your mother.Continue with more recipes which will definitely help bachlores.
With good wishes,
Murthy @ Aarati
Shilpa: So nice to see your comment here Murthy bhavaji :). Thanks for your kind words
Dear Friend,
Today i got the oppotunity to see ur website. I am thankful for the valued receips and its tips. its really informative and helps to those who are intrested in cooking. Thankning you Madam.
the tips given are very helpful. ye sab dekh ke jee se pani aa raha hai. WOW!!!!!!!
Brown deposits in your cooker-
Put lemon slices in to the cooker whenever it is being used.The lemon not only removes the brown stains but also gives a fresh aroma.
Alternately, tamarind can also be used the same way if you do not have lemons.
TO MAKE IDLI OR DOSA SOFTER ADD A HANDFUL OF COOKED RICE WHILE GRINDING THE BATTER
Hi Shilpa
all ur tips are very useful .
To roast cashew nuts to a golden brown color soak the nuts in water for about 5-8 minutes squeeze out the water and roast it with little butter so that the nuts will get roasted evenly. This could be applied to raisins as this will give a nice appearence.
Hi Shilpa,
thanks a lot for all tips.
We are looking for a maharashtrain snacks caterer who can manage and operate a busy outlet in a very busy railway terminus.
Pravin Gupta
Mobile: 98206 26981
Hello Shilpa,
Please suggest how to make use of overcooked rice… I dont know what I can do with it..!!
PLEASE HELP !! Thanx in advance……
Thanks a lot for very useful tips…
I just discovered this web site. Being from Goa, a lot of distinctly native Konkani dishes brought me back my childhood and my own Aayi’s fond memories – which are priceless.
Thanks for managing this website and taking me back into my childhood for a while……….
Hai shilpa, Really good and useful tips these are, thank u for giving nice tips.
Hi Shilpa,
I have just got to know bout your site.I have just got married and your web site is like a saviour to me.Jokes apart i love to cook and beeing a maharashtrian i would want to learn some traditional maharashtrian spicy dishes.Can you help me please?
Thanks
Shradha
chilly powder 5 tablespoon tomatoes 4 cut into 4 quaarter 1 onion chopped 1 cup water grind in the blender.
lit the stove pour in the chillly mixture boil for 15 mins
oil 1 tablespoon.put in the tahu in the chilly mixture for 10 mins
mee hoon goreng 1 packet soack in luke warm water.
dried prawns chilly powder 3 table spoons
1 carrot cut into fine strips..i onion slice thinly
lit the pan.pour in five tablespoon of oil
put in the chilly mixture and simmer for 15 mins
put in the mee hoon and mix in with the chilly mixture fry for 10 minutes put in 2 tablespooon dark soya sauce and some pepper if want it spucy
I always go through your site when I want to do some special .
I like this very much… I tried some of these recipies.
So I want some suggestions from you…. I am celebrating My Son’s birthay in next sunday… & I want to call my 16-20 friends at my home for lunch…will you please suggest me
some menu to prepare on that Day…. please remember I am alone to cook….
Please reply me as soon as possible….
hi there….
will u pls tell me what are d special kind of masala u have to use to make ur sabji’s more teasty……….. well had tried paneer sabji according to ur receipe but it was not teast like outside ……………
so will b happy if u cud give me sum more tips specially for masala and all
thanks
Shilpa: Bhagyashri, I am not sure which paneer subji you tried(I do not have any such recipe on the site!!!). Every recipe has its own masala and it is mentioned in the particular post.
Hi, I am in US and we have Heaters for cooking (Coiled heaters). So when making Phulka’s i am not able to put them on coil directly. It turns black. also as there is no flame, My phulka’s dont turn into balls due to filled steam in it. anyother way so that Phulka’s can swell? Does any one know the process of swelling the roti on tava itself. Some ppl in India can do it and dont put roti on flames directly but instead do it on tava itself. Pls share the procedure with me
it ws quite helpful but i need to know how to warm already cooked chapatis in microwave
Dear Madam,
The receipes which you have put on the website are really very good and easy to learn for new commers like me.I really appreaciate the food you make and the pictures you have put on the website. The more insteresting thing is the description you have given on the Masala and the translated names in other languages.
Aayi and you are godsend!!
Dee
Hi Shilpa,
your simple egg cake recipe was really marvellous. its so good an dyummy i can’t express. really mouthwatering. this is was the first cake i ever made that turned out perfect in one go! .. hats off to u !
thanks for good site
i wantd to know about how to fregmentng the dhokalas
Hello Shilpa,
Your website is great. Good job!
I have read many people asking you about the chicken. I would like to give the tip for cooking frozen chicken.. I do buy frozen chicken n cook tasty curries. Many people dont get fresh chicken…when cooking chicken curries, you ‘ve to cook chicken on very very low flame for longer time so that meet is tender and it absorbs all the juices from the curry…if you dont have much time, reduce the flame when chicken is 90% cooked and cook it on very very low flame for few mins atleast and see the difference. The longer you cook the tastier is your curry.
Though the breast meet(white meet) is healthier( I donno how far it is true) than thigh meet(dark meet), breast meet becomes harder when cooked and is less tasty compared to thigh meet. That is the reason thigh meet is prefered for deep frying recipes like pakoda, manchuria, chilli chic etc. hope this will be helpfull.
YOUR COOKING TIPS HELPED ME A LOT, AS AT PRESENT I AM SINGLE PERSON AND EVEN THOUGH MY WIFE HAD GIVEN FEW RECIEPES FOR ME. BUT YOU HAVE GIVEN COOKING TIPS WHICH ARE AS IMPORTANT AS RECIPES IN ORDER TO ORGANISE YOUR COOKING TIME AND MANAGEMENT. THANKS A LOT
ur website is d best 4 cookin experience!!! plz gimme d recipe 4 coorgi dishes.
and if u cud add more recipes it wud be gr8!! 🙂
regards
sindhu
adding some freshly sqeezed lemon drops to boiling rice make rice cook white and fresh smelling.
hi dear..first time i visisted your site..i find it interesting…i took recipe of sabudana kitchri from your site n it come comes out great…
Hi Shilpa,
I tried some of your simple egg cake and it really turned out well. Your recipes are really great and you have take a lot of effort to explain in detail. this will really help with fresh chefs.
i love ur recipes..thx for takin time and for ur gr8 lil tips n ideas !! very useful for a foodie like me 🙂
How can i remove curry stains from clothing ?
Thanks for this website
I liked your web site. To clean the burner stands and burnt kadais, greased containers, place them in a trash bag on the floor and add a cup of ammonia liquid in it and tie it tightly and leave it over night. (Available in grocery stores for $1 in US) . Next day clean them easily to get new shining articles. Leave a cup of ammia in the oven and leave to be able to clean the carbon. But BEWARE OF AMMONIA VAPORS!
hi shipa
very useful tips and keep up your good job.
hi its very nice tips keep it up thanks
To Keep ur coffee powder fresh for long time add 1/4 tea spoon of sugar to it.
To keep away ants from sugar ( eternal problem in India ) add 3-4 cloves into ur sugar containner.
While removing idlis from the idli plate, use a spoon which is dipped in hot water and remove the idlis so that lot of idlis portion are not stuck to the plate itself.
Whenever u cook tomatoes sprinkle a pinch of salt on it so that it cooks faster.
i have learnt excellent cake recipes, let me try out, and shall get back to you. I am novice in cake baking.
Hi,
I’ve read some of your recipes and you often mention “grinding”. With what do you grind? For example you grind the urad dal and rice sooji and I’d like to know if you use a blender or what?
Thanks so much.
Meera
Shilpa: I use sumeet mixer.
Hi Shilpa,
You have mentioned in a few comments above that you use Sumeet mixer. Can you please tell me which model do you use? I am really looking to buy one.
Thanks,
Smita
Smita, Sorry, I have no idea. I picked it up many years ago from some small shop from India. Unfortunately, the quality of it is not as good as it used to be. I have heard many good things about Preeti mixer, have not tried it though, might be a good idea to check it out.
Hey just want to say thanks for giving so much of important tips and so very tasty dishes in some simpler way. God bless you,
Bye.
For Rajma/Chana that do not get cooked easily, here’s one tip. Soak the Rajma/Chana overnight. Pressure cook with enough water, 1tspn salt, 1tbspn oil for 4 whistles on high flame, then lower the flame and pressure cook it for 20 – 25 mins. Then again switch to high flame and let it cook for 1 whistle. Turn off the gas allow it to cool for some time. The Rajma/Chana gets cooked nicely. Salt gets absorbed by the Rajma/Chana. Drain the excess water. You can use if required. While seasoning adjust the salt as the salt is added earlier.
One more tip is while pressue cooking the rajma or chana u can add 1 bay leaf, green and black cardamoms this enhances the flavor.
Bhakti.
What are Hindi names of Celery and Parsley . I come across these names too often but cant understand..what is their actual use .
Shilpa: These are not Indian vegetables and I haven’t seen any Indian names for these.
i love your site – very helpful
can you tell me how to avoid a big mess on the gas range when i pressure cook dal? It always seems to come out of the whistle, i’ve tried puting it in a vessal first, but the consistency is not smooth. Toovar dal and urad dal are the worst…
Shilpa: I use cooker vessel & close the vessel with a steel plate. It cooks well and also does not create a mess.
Hey Shilpa!
I have a tip for u, which really works and I think it would help others too if u would like to add it.
To clean stubborn stains n grease on the vessel(Eg: To clean the vessel after making palkova). Add 2 tsp of baking soda n 2 tsp of vinegar to half the container full of water n boil it. All hard grease & stains sticking to the vessel lifts up easily while washing it. It really works.
I hope u like it. Thanks & eager to hear from u.
Regards,
Nithu
Hi Shilpa, thanks for the cooking tips. They are great. I knew about just a few of them. This will surely help me a lot.
The recipes in your blog are awesome. Plan to try them out. Thanks 🙂
Hi Shilpa
Do you know which chilly powder available in desi stores in US is an alternative for byadagi chilly powder you get in India? Both differ so much both is taste and color – please let me know if you have found byadagi chilly pwd in the USA or any other alternative which works best for curries esp the ones made with coconut..Thanks a Lot!
Shilpa: I use Kashmiri chilli powder which is available in Indian stores. It is very nice.
hi shilpa
this tips very useful thanks for sharing
Hi Shilpa,
Nice website. Nice receips. i want a small tip from you. that is while making puri it gets more oil. what i have to do for less observing oil while making puri.
Thanks,
satish
Did you check out the link on puri making that I have provided above?
Hi Shilpa,
I loved ur site esp coz of d presentation which makes it diff frm d rest of the recipes blogs. Just wanted a tip frm u regarding cooking of pulav. i add d rite proportion of rice n water but it comes out a lil dry. Esp if i keep it untouched for quite some time!! Im tired of findin a solution for this. Is this somethin tht u can help me out?
Thanks!!!:-)
You can add little more water and try. If you are directly cooking it on stove top, usually it requires little more water
Thanks for ur suggestion… i tried and now its fine:-)
very very useful tips
I wanted to know if i dont have Tirphala can i use an alternate ingredient.. if yes.. what .. and how much will the taste differ
Tirphal/teppal has a very unique aroma to it and I don’t think there is a good replacement. Just leave it out if you can’t find it.
hey hi…
this site is really good…
i have never steped into the kitchen[my mom keeps yelling at me for this] but aft reading the way u explain how to make stuff i think im gonna try some:)
thanks n keep up the good work:)
hiiiii
hey i tried the batata talasane…it turn out pretty good 🙂
thanks to you i can actually cook thoda sa! wow:)
i think i cut the potatoes a bit to thick so it took long to cook but all in all in was good…:)
thanks:)
hi to make chirotas really crispy should rava be more or less to maida’s proportion?i dont like soft…i amde them this diwali but they turned out little soft the next day..
Which recipe did you follow? The one I have does not have rava.
Nice compilations of recipes Shilpa. I do like and check your website daily but never commented.
I made dosa(from scratch) recently after 3 years and it turned out really good.
3:1 ratio of any rice to urad dal. But my Mom suggested to use 2 spoons of cooked rice and 2 spoons of avalakki while grinding the rice. This makes the dosa crepe like Masala Dosa.
The dosa batter was next kept in the Oven BUT “with the oven light switched on”. This helped the batter. I do the same for the making yogurt in winter.
nice tips. i dnt knw cooking wid d help of dis site i learn more recipies. i really love dis site
this is my first visit to your site. creditable. great.
my father is from south karnataka konkani, mom GSB maharashtrian.
though i have been eating valval and yogiratna since childhood, did not know the difference.
eager to see and try all of your recepies
can u tell how to make avala supari as the season in on
We mix the amla pieces with salt and sundry them. Sometimes we do add a little chilli powder to it along with salt. This is the traditional way of making the awla supari at our place.
Some people mix little crushed jeera with amla before drying.
Then there are other ways like soaking in buttermilk/yogurt along with spices etc. We usually make it simple as I mentioned.
Hi Shilpa
Thanx for sharing these tips…I had a look at the making of chapathis. I have tried every possible way to make softer chapathis but it’s just not working for me…well I am now gonna try using ur tips…
Cheers
Shilpa
Dear Shilpa
your web site is cool and the recipes and tips are awesome.I tried the neer dosa and it came out well.but in chennai we make something similar like this called aappam which is fermented and done the next day.the taste was similar.
thanks a lot and will keep visiting ur site often.
nalini
helpfull tips
Normally tea filter of steel gets early dirty and u cant clean it properly with Washing soap easy way is to keep it on gas stove and hit it for a minute to 5 all the Dirt will be removed from the Filter
Hi,
How do you work with Okra. i love okra but sometimes it becomes all gooey and slimy…
ideas or tips?
Maaya
Apply some salt to okra pieces and leave it aside for few minutes. That reduces the slimy effect.
Dear Shilpa,
Really enjoy your recipes and especially the pics. I wanted to give one small tip.
Before you add crabs to the gravy, smash the tip of the claws thus making way for the gravy to penetrate in the claws while cooking.
Trust me will definately make a difference especially for those who like to chew the claws before breaking them.
Hope you’ll find my tip useful
Regards
Yes, I have mentioned this point in crab gravy post. We always crack the legs before adding to gravy.
Iam a big fan of yours ma.in 2008 when i had been to my children and had a plenty of leisure time i used to read your blogs.Very decent site.
hi shilpa, came across –awla supari in yr site.
in this mango season, i suggest u one MUKHWAS !
after eating ripe mangoes, preserve all gutlis, put in cooker adding lot of water in it. cook for a long time.
let it cool, then take out the inner gutli of mango. make small pieces and add salt to it. let it merinate for a day or two. and then let it dry in sun until it’s water content is gone. ready to store in bottle–use it anytime.
we use cooker daily. so it becomes dark from inner side.
to avoid this, make it a habit, to preserve lemon skins, after using its juice. (dry in sun) and when u are cooking in cooker, put single piece daily in water. yr cooker will shine- like new one.
hi shilpa
really ur cookong tips r very useful. thanks
Hi Shilpa,
Very Useful Cooking Tips.Especially “While cooking pulav, wash the rice in water and spread it on a cloth or paper for drying. Leave it for around 15-30 min. This makes the rice grains separate”.
Cheers
Shilpa,
Thanks a lot for sharing so many nice things.
I want to know how to preserve ginger garlic paste so it doesnt turn green or spoil?
Superb site till date i have seen on recipes .Its really pictorial and very elaborate .Keep the good work and wish u all the success.
thx shilpa even ur tips r very helpful for me.
Hi to all,
I am very happy from this site. I learn many homemade things here. Keep posting new and easy things bcoz we cant prepare tough reciepe na!!!!!! Thanks to all GSB’s.
Regards,:)
Mithun Kamat
hi shilpa ,
nice site u got.congrats and good luck.
I would like to know the receipe of layered karangi baked.I know the deep fried version.
Also about cooking rajma and chole ..i try this and it works for me. After 2-3 whistles of the pressure cooker sim the gas flame and keep for 35-35 minutes. During this time there should be no whistle..the gas flame must be that low.
try this and let me know ..i am eagarly waiting
hi, these are really wonderful tips. thnx
hi,shilpa
this is very useful site.have nice day.take care
bye.
Hi Shilpa,
Icame across to see your website while I was looking for some indian recipes. your recipes are really good! Keep it up,and please write some party recipes also.Your Tips are really usefull! Thank you so much.
Hema.
Hi Shilpa, I am a regular visitor to your blog. Tried and loved many of your recipes. I wanted to share a quick tip… Whenever you have to make batter with Besan, use cold water(from the fridge) rather than regular water and that gets off the clumps in the besan batter easily.. I have tried it many times and found it effective.. Thanks!!
I tried making Tandoori chicken.. The dish turned out to good tastewise. However it was lil dry. How to make it little juicy and tender??
One of my friend told me he pulls out the chicken from oven every 15-20 mins, squeezes some lemon juice (you can just use water may be) and puts it back. I never tried it. Will try and post sometime
This site is the best, I have visited many recipe sites but none as simple and tasty as this.
thanks shilpa i liked this site and your easy tips
Hi Shilpa
I have recently moved abroad and want to learn how to use an oven (not microwave, but the one fixed under the cook top). Are there any important do’s and donts while using these ovens? Are there different baking dishes(trays) suited to various temperatures?
You can use any oven safe dish that is available in market.
i have tried many of u r recipes all was good ,can u just help me to know how to make cakes and cookies without using oven.
Thank u shilpa for u r tips.want to know much more from u.
Hai Silpa
i m radha
Thanks for ur tips.Ur way of explaining the process is so nice and simple and easy to under stand by all.I need a advice from u.My son is more liking the pani puri which i hv to get frm outside which i dont like.so pls tell me how to make puris which is harder(suitable for pani puri)i made but always it ssofter.pls advice.
I will post it as soon as I find it
my hubby will be feel happy.. thanks for tips
i have tried that tricolour chappathi super..yummy..my mother in law said .. ur choo sweet..thanks
Hello I am a beginner in Indian cooking. I have recently discovered your site and I can’t wait to start trying these wonderful recipes! Several of your recipes call for “grind”ing certain ingredients..Can you please tell me which tool you use for grinding? Thank you!
Kind Regards..
If they are dry ingredients, you can use a coffee grinder. For wet grinding, you can use a food processor. Indians normally use a mixer/grinder (you can google for Indian mixer/grinders) for most of the grinding.
Hi Aayi,
Great tips and great recipes. It’s nice to get the authentic thing. Thanks.
Here are some abbreviations to make your life a little easier: teaspoon = tsp. ., tablespoon = T.
Very good and useful info…..
Nice website…. Thank u…..
Brilliant tips and amazing recipes…
-Shilpa
Wow amazing tips. I never knew that adding a pinch of turmeric in anything makes it cook faster.
how to protect sugar from ant
You can keep few cloves in the sugar bottle, which keeps ants away.
very helpful tips and a wonderful recipes .. thanks for sharing 🙂
very useful tips! thanks Shilpa coz ur work helps people like me who have no one to give tips or anything. I’m also a great fan of puri same like u, but i dint know how to do…. i tried urs and had 7 puries. thank u so much for sharing! potato bhaji is also great!!! Great work! keep it up!
-Stephy
shilpi, plz guide how to keep small ants away from home…. i have a small kid due to which every time some or other eatable is lying on the floor and results ants are there…..
Place the peel of cucumber in places where there are ants.
just spread pinch of turmeric powder. the ants will never come at the spot. try it once. it will be very effective.
shilpi…. can you get me the resturent type recepie of chicken fried rice….
as every time i prepare ,my husband comes with the comment its so desi…… some one told me for chinese we need to have high flame available as in resturents……but how its possible at home……..
Hi Ishmeen
I noticed ants in my kitchen couple days ago, I had heard turmeric (haldi) powder helps keep them away. So I put some turmeric in this opening on the floor I knew they were coming from. That worked miracles! I would recommend that.
Also, I would get an ant spray and spray it around the perimeter of the house, and at the base of the doors, to prevent ants from getting in.
there are so many ants on the floor. what should i do?
use turmeric powder around that area
Sprinkle salted water or water mixed with camphor
Hi Shilpa,
To get rid of cockroaches from your house u can try this.
Mix 1tsp of maida with 1tsp of boric powder and 1 tsp of sugar with water and get the consistency of chapatti dough. Now make small balls and place them in corners of the house, cupboards.
It is going to do miracles !!!!!
Am going through an attack of weevils, flying, crawling all over my kitchen, please help.
if u want ants outside from ur kitchen n house, turmeric is not sufficient.u have to use lakshman rekha a white stick like chalk, which you can easily find in the stores. this is the best best way to keep ants outside ur house,, u have to just draw the line from that chalk piece where u can find ants, and within 20 seconds u can see the results. the cost of lakshman rekha is Rs. 15/-
i have found camphor(a tab or piece of camphor or pieces of camphor )the best solution to get rid of ants try it and you will agree with me !
to get away ants & mostle cockroes, i would suggest of No Entry paste which is availble in medical shop. Its 100% effective.
hi shilpa,anks to
Its amazing ..this blog is very good comes out very aromatic .thanks to u n your parents god bless….please post some more konkanis recipes especially veg n fish.thanks
Shilpa,
Your recipes are very systematic. Very useful cooking tips.
Regds,
Lalitha S.K.
Hi Shilpa
Great website. Thank you…Pls elaborate more on how if possible I can get rid of the burnt smell from my food as I cooked the most tasteful veg dish comprising of samp & beans and I burnt the bottom. All the food has the burnt smell now. Please help as I would really like to salvage this meal…
Thanks & Regards
Venilla
hey shipla,
This is really nice to c’ these recipes that to in our konkani go, I m very happy to here these konkani words.
‘Ghar ki Yaad diladi yaar’
Regards
Madan
Hi Shilpa
Thank u very much for ur tips.I came recently to US.Toor dal is not getting cooked,i have been struggling a lot.
Thanks a lot for ur nice tips.
what happens if rice and urad daal is soaked together for idli batter
Usually urad dal needs more grinding. For very soft idlis, dal has to be ground into very smooth paste. Rice need not be so soft. Infact we usually make it into rava/sooji consistency to make the idlis a little grainier. I use wet grinder, first grind dal for 20mins and then add rice to it and grind another 15mins.
hi..we may cook all gr8! recipies but a salt is common n important which can make success or failure . pls can u suggest me how to make food with proper salt in taste i mostly fail in that .in currys n dals we can add if require but in any food like biryani or fried rice what to do .
regds,
pallavi
I think amount of salt needed for any dish comes from practice. I would suggest starting from a small amount and keep track of how much you added. Next time you increase or decrease it. I don’t think there is a clear measure on how much salt to add.
Dear Shilpa,
My husband really misses those samosas from Patna days. The samosa in delhi is too spicy. Patna samosas are simple and amazingly tasty. Grateful if you could guide me with the recipe, if possible for you. Regards.
Sorry, I have no idea
Hi Shilpa
i make tomato chicken karai and it becomes little sweet , may be excess of
tomatoes , what can i do that every one in my family liked karai
Which recipe do you use?
mam, please tell me the remedy to cure sweet tomato karai
Mam Thanks for the recipies. They are very useful as I am Maharashtrian married to Saraswat. It helps me to cook amchi gala food for my husband.
Dear Shilpa,
Cooking tips : Please eat any mint sweet or mint chewing gum just before you start cleaning and chopping onions and your eyes do not cry.
Use a stainless steel soap after cleaning fish or meat and your hands will not retain the fishy or meat smell
When peeling garlic pods first press the pod with the side of the knife to crack it and the skin peels of a lot easier
Before cooking put together all spices in a small bowl/katorie with some water to make it into a paste and its a lot easier when the cooking process is on.
Try frying fish in water on slow fire with frying pan covered with a lid. The oil from the fish is enough to cook the fish and its a lot healthier meal.Takes 20 mins.
Hi Shilpa,
Pl if you can let me know the below..
I have a problem with my pressure cooker..it leaks around the pressure cooker lif plus vapours are just thrown out from the lid side…so my dal never ever used to cook..
Even whn I put it in low flame it never cooked…once CO incidently I put salt in the cooker along with the dal and put it in low flame.To my utter surprise and delight,dal was mushy after say some 40-45 mins..
Does adding salt whilst cooking dal aid in faster cooking?
Thanks
Sherene
Usually salt increases the cooking time. It looks like your cooker gasket has become loose. Try replacing with a new one. If the steam is going out, using cooker is not at all helpful.
Hi
I had added a lot of masala powder for the chicken curry. It was very spicy. How can it be reduced
You can add any souring agent like tamarind or lemon juice to decrease the spiciness.
Hai shilpa,
Thank you for your nice tips.
Hi Shilpa,
Whenever I cook toor dal or any dal in pressure cooker the chilli powder comes out through the whistle any tip to avoid plz reply as soon as possible
I think the water added is more. Try to add only twice the amount of dal and do not fill up the cooker too much.
I want to know or please tell me how make vodyo of Ash Gourd, wants to know.
https://www.aayisrecipes.com/sundried-items/ash-gourd-fritters-kuvale-vadiodi-or-budugumdalkayi-sandige/
Please tell me what to do if we have added more lemon in white chhole.. How to remove the taste of excess lemon
I think you can add more chole or more spices to cover up the lemony taste. Which recipe were you following?
Hi Shilpa
What does one mean by ‘cook till the raw smell goes away’? This is typically found in recipes, but not sure what to understand from that. Oil leaving the sides is more understandable!!
Let me know
Thanks
Usually the ingredients have the smell that changes as you cook it down. It is hard to explain in writing but I think the food will taste quite different if the paste that needs frying is not fried well. I can only say start with frying the paste well and in few trials you will know where to stop (sorry I know that was not much helpful!)
hii
great tips , but i need to ask when to add peas while cooking pulao , before rice or after rice?
You can fry rice well first and then add peas
Thanks a lot for sharing these wonderful tips.
Lovely Cooking tips .. So simple but effective …thanks