TANDOOR

Tandoor is currently one of the most important menus in the Indian restaurants around the world.The word Tandoor means a cylindrical oven used for baking and cooking. Traditionally the fuel used in Tandoor is charcoal or firewood. Modern Tandoor ovens uses cooking gas and electricity also instead of charcoal. The charcoal or firewood burns inside the tandoor oven itself exposing the cooked item exposure to live-fire and hot air from it. The temperature inside the Tandoor is kept near to 480 degrees Celsius. The food cooked in the Tandoor oven is known as Tandoori.The radiant heat and convection cooking technique from the Tandoor,allowing the fat and juices from the cooked dish drip into the fuel,thereby making it extremely delicious and adorably flavoured.

 A variety of non-vegetarian dishes as well as different types of flatbreads like Tandoori Roti,Tandoori Naan,Tandoori Laccha Paratha and many more can be prepared by the Tandoor way. Tandoor style of cooking is used by people of a vast geographical area and so many variants like Punjabi style,Afghan style, Armenian style etc are very popular.

 

Tandoori Chicken

From time immemorial, man searched for newer tastes and varieties in his food. Tandoor dishes are inevitable in the menus of food lovers of today. Among these, Tandoori Chicken is the most demanded item. There are many attributes to this popularity. First is, as everyone knows, the enchanting taste of this dish. Second is the growing knowledge of its health benefits. Preparation of tandoori chicken involves marinating the meat in yogurt and then then seasoning it with the spice mixture. This spice mixture, known as tandoori masala is different for each individual item. The color, smell and taste of an item heavily depends on these ingredients. This procedure is believed to completely eliminate the action of harmful chemicals present in the meat. The most important aspect of Tandoor is the cutting down of fats in the meat. The excess fats drip off while cooking. This helps to avoid the unhealthy substances entering our body and thereby making sure we eat fewer calories. When cooked in Tandoor, a major portion of the micronutrients and minerals are conserved, while most of them are lost in other cooking methods. Meat cooked over fire retains more riboflavin and thiamin. Both of these nutrients are very essential in a healthy diet because they play a very important role in body’s metabolism.

RECIPE OF THE DAY

TANDOORI CHAI

      1.       Take 1.5 cups of milk in a jar. Add 2 tbsp of milk powder.

    2.     Mix well with spoon, keep it aside.

  3.     Heat 1.5 cups of water in a regular sauce pan on medium heat. Give it a boil.

   4.     Add green cardamom, and grate ginger directly to the hot water.

5.     Add tea powder( chaipatti) in to the water. Boil it for 2-3 minutes.

6.     Add milk which we prepared at the starting of the recipe. Mix it well with spoon.

 7.     Add sugar, mix until sugar dissolve. Boil it for 5-6 minutes, stir in between.

  8.     Switch off the heat and with the help of tea strainer, pour the tea into a deep pan. Keep it aside.

   9.     Take a clay cup or kulhad, heat it on gas/stove for 10-12 minutes from all the sides.

   10.  Carefully remove it from heat use oven glove or tong to pickup and place on deep pot/vessel.

11.    Start pouring hot tea on the clay cup/ kulhad. It will start to bubble and eventually ooz out from the kulhad.

12.  This process will give very unique earthy flavour and smokey taste to tea.

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TYPE OF SAUCES

1. Hot Sauce

If you’re a lover of hot sauce, then you probably know that it can heighten the taste level of any and every food dish. While purchasing hot sauce is great, some people say brands like Tabasco and Sriracha aren’t the hottest available hot sauce out there. This sauce can easily be made from scratch and you can control the level of spice.

 

Ingredients 

·         8 serrano peppers

·         2 jalapeños

·         2 habaneros

·         1 1/2 shallots

·         1 clove garlic

·         1 cup cup water

·         Salt (to taste)

·         1/2 cup mango nectar

·         1 cup vinegar

Directions

Remove stems from the peppers. Slice into 1 inch slices. Mince the shallots and garlic. Pour water into a saucepan and add salt. Simmer for a few minutes. Add mango nectar. Remove from the heat. Add the vinegar. Pour into a blender. Pulse until smooth.

2. Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauce is always a good sauce to add flavor to just about anything from fried foods or grilled meat.

Ingredients

·         2 cups ketchup

·         1/4 cup cider vinegar

·         1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

·         1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

·         2 tablespoons molasses

·         2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

·         1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

·         1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer until dark, thick, and richly flavored, 10 to 15 minutes. Empty the sauce into a clean jar and store in the refrigerator. This can be kept for several months.

3. Adobo-Honey Sauce

Even with honey in the title, this sauce has a little bit of everything from sweet, spicy, rich, tangy and creamy. This versatile sauce can also be sprinkled or dowsed in salads, veggies, and all types of meat. Perfect for Latin and South American cuisines, adobo-honey sauce is the perfect addition to your sauce collection.

Ingredients

·         2 stalks of green onions(white part only)

·         1 clove garlic (peeled)

·         3 tbsp honey

·         1 tsp Adobo sauce

·         1 tbsp salt

·         ½ Greek yogurt

Directions

Combine white parts of onion, garlic clove, red wine, vinegar, honey, adobo sauce, salt, and greek yogurt. Puree until well blended. Season to taste.

4. Garlic Sauce

Anyone who loves garlic will enjoy the fresh taste of homemade garlic sauce. It is a light sauce that can add a hint of zest to any meal.

Ingredients

·         1 head of garlic

·         3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

·         3 tablespoons flour

·         1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

·         1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream (note: not whipped cream)

·         Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a pan, melt the tablespoon of butter and olive oil over medium heat. Peel the cloves of garlic and mince the garlic until you have 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup). Once the butter and oil have melted together, carefully add the minced garlic and stir.

The garlic should soften and smell fragrant. Add the flour directly to the butter/oil/garlic mixture and stir well. Make sure that the flour is completely incorporated. Keep cooking and stirring this mixture over medium heat, for about a minute.

Heat the heavy cream and bouillon. You can microwave the liquids till warm or heat them in a pan on the stove.

Add 2 cups (16 ounces) of heavy cream and bouillon into the mixture while mixing with your other hand. Keep whisking and cooking over medium heat until it starts to simmer, or bubble gently. Stir occasionally and season. Frequently stir the sauce so that it doesn’t stick to the pan. Add salt and pepper, according to your taste. The sauce should start to thicken up after a few minutes, and should still bubble gently.

Add Parmesan cheese and remove from heat. Stir well to melt the cheese. Continue cooking if you want a really thick sauce. If not, remove the sauce and serve.

5. Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a refreshing mix that will add a new taste to meals such as meat and veggies. This green sauce—made of cilantro, parsley, and shallot—is especially delightful when infused with South American and Mexican cuisines. You can even blend all of these greens, minus the oil, as you prepare meals to give it tangy taste and delicious flavor.

Ingredients

·         ½ bunch parsley

·         ¼ bunch cilantro

·         ½ bulb shallot

·         1 clove garlic, peeled

·         2 tbsp red wine

·         ½ tbsp capers

·         ½ cup cooking oil

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients into a food processor while drizzling with oil. Let it blend until it looks like a sauce.

6. Marinara Sauce

Normally, marinara sauce is used on pasta and just about anything related to Italian cuisine and seafood. It is simple enough to make at home as well.

Ingredients

·         2 tsp cooking oil

·         2 cloves of garlic (minced)

·         1 bulb shallot

·         1 can of crushed tomato

·         ½ tbsp brown sugar

·         ½ tsp salt

·         ¼ tsp black pepper

Directions

Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cooking oil, garlic and shallot. Sautee for two minutes and add crushed tomatoes with brown sugar, salt, black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

7. Eggplant Pepper Pesto

Like many of the other sauces listed above, eggplant pepper pesto sauces goes well with just about anything. If you’re looking to add a bit of smoky and sweet taste to a dish, this sauce is just the right choice. Mainly used for Mediterranean cuisines, you can prepare this sauce and freeze it for future meals.

Ingredients

·         2 medium red peppers

·         2 chinese eggplants

·         2 cloves garlic, peeled

·         ¼ cups walnuts

·         ¾ tsp salt

·         ¼ tsp black pepper

·         4 sprigs parsley

·         1 lemon, juiced

Directions

Core peppers and pierce eggplant all over. Brush with oil. Broil over direct heat for about six minutes. Once pepper is charred and eggplant is softened, place in bowl and cover for five minutes Scrape flesh off eggplant and skin out pepper. Place flesh of eggplant, peppers, walnut, garlic, salt, and parsley into a food processor until everything is well blended. Finish with lemon juice and season to taste.

               RECIPE OF THE DAY

           CHOPPED CHICKPEA SALAD

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas
1 medium cucumber
1 green bell pepper
1/2 white onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup parsley
4 Tbsps. lemon juice
2 Tbsps. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsps. feta cheese

Instructions:
Chop all of your veggies and parsley, then combine with all of the other ingredients in a large bowl and stir until fully mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

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TYPE OF CHOCOLATE

·       Dark Chocolate: The bare essentials.
Dark chocolate is simply chocolate liquor (the centers of cocoa beans ground to a liquid), extra cocoa butter, sugar, an emulsifier (often lecithin) and vanilla or other flavorings. Dark chocolates may contain milk fat to soften the texture, but they do not generally have a milky flavor.Dark chocolate also is known as semi-sweet chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate, or baking chocolate, is 100 percent chocolate liquor and is typically very bitter and astringent.Darker chocolates often have a higher percent cacao, which means they have a higher proportion of cocoa beans in them than other chocolates do. See more about percent cacao and how it affects a chocolate’s taste.

·       Milk Chocolate: All of the above, plus milk solids.
Surprisingly, sweet and creamy milk chocolate isn’t usually made with cold, frothy milk. It’s usually made with dry milk solids, which look like powdered milk. Milk chocolate has at least 10 percent cocoa liquor by weight, and at least 12 percent milk solids. It’s the most common kind of eating chocolate.

·       White Chocolate: Cocoa butter takes center stage.
White chocolate features cocoa butter—think milk chocolate minus the cocoa solids. In addition to the cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, lecithin and vanilla, white chocolate may contain other flavorings. It has at least 20 percent cocoa butter, 14 percent milk solids, and no more than 55 percent sugar.

THE DETAIL

·       Baking Chocolate: Chocolate liquor, served straight up, is all that’s in baking chocolate. Its bitterness comes from pure nibs, the finely ground centers of roasted cocoa beans. Also called unsweetened chocolate, it has no sugar and is used often in dessert recipes with sugar as a separate ingredient. All other chocolate is called eating chocolate.

·       Bittersweet Chocolate: The darkest of eating chocolate, bittersweet has the highest percentage of chocolate liquor and may contain extra cocoa butter. Both bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate must contain at least 35 percent chocolate liquor, but bittersweet usually contains at least 50 percent cacao. Chocolates in this range are often referred to as dark chocolate.

·       Cacao and % Cacao: Pronounced “kuh-KOW” or “kuh-KAY -oh”, cacao represents the three ingredients derived from a cocoa bean—chocolate liquor, extra cocoa butter and cocoa powder. The % cacao refers to the total amount of these ingredients contained, by weight, in the finished product. See more about cacao percentages.

·       Chocolate-Flavored Coating: These coatings may contain chocolate liquor and/or cocoa powder, but use vegetable fats to supplement or replace cocoa butter. While often used to cover confectionery or ice cream products, they can be molded into solid bars or shapes. While coatings made with vegetable fats cannot be called “chocolate,” they may legally use the claim “made with chocolate” if they are made with chocolate liquor, since U.S. regulations consider “chocolate” and “chocolate liquor” as synonymous.

·       Chocolate Liquor: Grinding the nib, or center, of a cocoa bean into a smooth, liquid state produces what’s called chocolate liquor—also called chocolate mass, cocoa mass, cacao mass and cocoa paste. According to U.S. regulations, chocolate liquor may also be called chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, baking chocolate, or bitter chocolate. An essential part of dark and milk chocolate, this ingredient with the many names does not contain alcohol, or vegetable fat.

·       Chocolate Mass: Another name for chocolate liquor (above).

·       Cocoa Beans: The source of all things chocolate, cocoa “beans” are actually seeds from the fruit of Theobroma cacao, a tree native to the tropical Amazon forests that is now grown commercially worldwide within 20 degrees latitude of the Equator. Approximately 20 to 40 seeds cluster inside football-shaped pods and are covered by sweet white fruit pulp.

·       Cocoa Butter: Cocoa butter is the fat naturally present in cocoa beans. It melts just below body temperature, giving chocolate its unique mouthfeel. The nibs, or centers of the cocoa beans, are 50 to 60 percent cocoa butter. There is no connection to dairy butter.

·       Cocoa or Cocoa Powder: Comes from pressing chocolate liquor, the liquid that comes from grinding the nibs or centers of cocoa beans, to separate out of the cocoa butter. What’s left are the chocolate solids, called press cake. The press cake is then ground, becoming the dry cocoa powder used in hot cocoa mixes and baking. Under U.S. regulations, “cocoa” and “cocoa powder” can be used interchangeably.

·       Cocoa Solids: Chocolate liquor without most of the cocoa butter—the ground nibs, or centers of cocoa beans, with the cocoa butter pressed out. Cocoa solids, sometimes called chocolate solids, often are ground into cocoa powder.

·       Dutch (or Dutched) Process: While being ground into chocolate liquor and pressed into cocoa powder, nibs may be treated with an alkaline solution to neutralize acidity. This process darkens the color of the cocoa and produces a milder chocolate flavor. When treated cocoa is used in a food product, the terms “dutched” or “alkalized” are included on the ingredient declaration for products sold in the U.S.

·       Nib: The nib is the center or meat of the cocoa bean. Roasted or unroasted cocoa beans are cracked mechanically to break off the cocoa bean shells and expose the nibs. See more about how chocolate is made.

·       Organic Chocolate: Chocolate grown without agricultural chemicals and meeting USDA Organic requirements. See more about certifications.

·       Raw Chocolate: Raw chocolate is made from unroasted cocoa beans. See recommendations on raw chocolate from the National Confectioners Association.

·       Semisweet Chocolate: Like bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate is required by U.S. regulations to contain at least 35 percent chocolate liquor. Generally, semisweet chocolate contains 35 to 45 percent chocolate liquor. Semisweet chocolate is often referred to as dark chocolate.

·       Sweet Chocolate: Sweet chocolate is a combination of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and sugar containing at least 15 percent chocolate liquor.

·       Unsweetened Chocolate: The same as baking chocolate (above).

RECIPE OF THE DAY

Strawberry milkshake recipe

1. First, rinse the strawberries and then drain them. 250 grams strawberries or about 22 to 25 small to medium strawberries.

2. Slice off the green leafy part from all the strawberries. This is also called as hulling the strawberries. Then chop the strawberries.

3. Add the chopped strawberries to a blender jar.

4. Add 2 cups of chilled milk. You can also add about 2.5 cups of chilled milk.

5. Add sugar as required. If the strawberries are very sweet, then you don’t need to add any sugar. I added 3 tbsp sugar.

6. Blend the milkshake till smooth.

7. pour in tall glasses and Serve strawberry milkshake immediately. You can also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or strawberry ice cream and have a strawberry ice cream shake.

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