reStore Food Blog: Quick n easy tips

April 18, 2011

It is hot, hot, hot!!  Not many folks out there wanting to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.. So here are a few tips to help reduce time spent at the stove.

1. Pre-soak lentils, beans, dals.. moong, chana, etc.

2. Use the pressure cooker, extensively.

3. Double or triple quantities of the above and freeze.

4. Grate vegetables in any combination you like. simply saute quickly and add to the cooked dals/beans above.. a twist of lime, some aromatic herbs like coriander or pudina.. and a hearty and healthy side dish is ready.

5. Even simpler, just add the cooked chana or moong to raw grated veggies and spice with chat masala or some chopped ginger and green chillies, twist of lime, or some left-over chutney or pickles.. and a yummy salad is ready.

6. Use flattened rice -(aval) or puffed rice – (pori) . Quickly rinse, drain and use for a quick upma.

7.  If fruits you bought, like a mango is too sour, use it in a soup. Adjust the sweetness with ginger, or coriander, or a pinch of cloves.  Add other vegetables as you would and serve chilled.  Simple, healthy and filling.

8. Summer is the best time to try fermented things like millet idlis.  Substitute one-third 1/3 of the rice with the millet. Soak and grind as usual.  More filling than those made with plain rice, you need to make less!

9. Add jaggery and cardamom to your diet.  For a change, add a bit of both to your spicy rasam.

10. Of course the old maxims such as ‘Plan ahead’ ‘Get and early start’  are all the more valid for less sweaty and more fun hours  in the kitchen.

Keep those responses coming.. and do share tips and recipes too!

Gayatri