Home made thick Curd / Yogurt / Dahi - Step by step

    Making thick curd , is a very difficult thing in cold Countries. Because we will not have much heat, for the bacteria to culture the milk. Hence we try to create a warmth inside our oven by turning on the light. Even some people will pre heat the oven for few minutes and turn it off. Then they will place the milk to get cultured. Whole milk will yield thick curd. Her I have given step by step for preparing thick curd. Also I have used the cultured curd ,which is from India. Yes you read it right, one of my friend got it from India. She just prepared curd in India, freeze it. Trasferred it to a container and put it into multiple ziplocs. She sneaked in here :) The taste wise it differs from the curd ,we prepare it here. Because ,we have different bacteria in our homeland. So I always take care not to spoil the curd. Then I will not have curd for culturing again.It is always best to use home made curd.

 



 Ingredients  :

1.Whole milk        -     1 litre / 4 cups

2.Cultured curd     -     1 tbsp



 Method:

 



* Take a microwave safe bowl. Pour the milk into the bowl. The bowl should be big enough, so that it doesn't overflow . I have used whole milk, but you can use 2% or 1% milk. Tastewise they are same, except ,they will have lot of whey. That's it.



* Heat the milk in the microwave for atleast 10 - 15 minutes , or till it boils well.Try to heat the milk on a plate. This will hold the milk, which overflows ,while heating.

* Let the milk get cooled well. If we try to add the cultured milk, now then the milk will curdle immediately. So cool the milk for atleast 15- 20 minutes . Now add the cultured milk and mix it well.

 * Now turn on the oven light. This will create a warmth in the oven .This will help the milk to get cultured well. But this is not necessary in tropical countries, where the milk is cultured on the counter itself ,because of the heat.

 * Milk will be cultured to curd within 5 to 6 hours or overnight. If we culture them longer, then the curd will become sour.Once the milk is cultured into curd, then store it in the fridge . Use it whenever needed.



Notes :
* Similarly, we can heat the milk on the stove and cool it.
* Always reserve some of the curd in a separate container for culturing again.
* Here in U.S, we have milk which has been pasturized already. So I have just heated. But If you don't get pasturised milk, then heat it properly for the bacteria to get killed.

 

 

Ghee - Clarified Butter -A pictorial guide for making Ghee

Ghee plays an essential part of life in Indian families.We used to prepare n number of dishes using ghee.The flavour has addicted everybody from kids to adults.Ghee has comparitively less fat than butter.We used to buy ghee from indian stores.But after my vacation to India,I had lot of  ghee packets bought from there.But it got over after a year.After a year,when I went to buy ghee in grocery store, I was totally shocked to see the prices.Usually it will be $10.99 per pound.The prices of ghee has gone upto 4 dollars more per 1000 ml.These things made me to think.

 From then ,I started buying butter and clarifying them.The cost of 450 gm (1 pound) butter is just $ 2.98.From this 450 gm butter,I am able to get around 400 gm of ghee.This has cost me 2 times less than the store bought ghee.Home made ghee has more flavour than the store bought.My mom used to put drumstick leaves at last to add flavour.Since we dont get here,I have substitued with curry leaves.This ghee can be prepared in lots and refrigerated.It has more shelf life.So my buddy home makers,start preparing ghee at home and reduce ur cost of budget.

Ingredients:

1.Butter                 -            1 pound

2.Curry leaves      -             few

Method:

* Bring the butter to room temperature.
* Take a heavy bottomed pan and add the butter sticks to it.
* Place the pan in medium low and stir it in equal intervals.
* At first there will be heavy froth on the top.
* Let it boil well.
* The butter will change colours at every stage.
* Initially it will be light yellow,then dark yellow and at last light brown.

* Stir the butter in between.
* Watch carefully,as there are chances for the butter to get dark soon.
* Once it comes to the light brown colour stage,then turn off the stove and add curry leaves.
* Let it cool completely.Filter the ghee and transfer it to another container.
* Store it in a dry place.
* Since , I have used just 1 pound butter,I didnt get much froth on top.If u r using greater quantity then there is a need to remove the excess froth .

Note:
The prepared ghee will look like sesame oil in colour immediately after turning it off.
After transferring the ghee to the bottle,the residue can be mixed with ragi flour and sugar to be more delicious edible  mix.
When refrigerated ,has a longer shelf life upto 6 months.
Heavy bottomed pan ensures ,that we get the right colour.if not it will blacken quickly.

Vengaya vadagam/ Tempering Agent and an award

"Vengaya Vadagam" is a mixture of onion,garlic,fresh spices mixed together ,dried and stored for years of use.Its a tempering agent ,which enhances the flavour of the curry.We used to temper these vadagams for sambhar,spinach currys,fish curries and so on.

In olden days ,farmers will make it in large amount,during their harvest time of onions.The stringent drying process,will make the vadagams bugs free and last for almost 2 yrs.since ,these requires abundant sun light,it is usually prepared during "Indian Summer "season ,from April - May.
My mom and Mil are experts in these.They used to prepare ,well in advance and strictly follow the drying rules.One of the other reason is,onions go cheaper during these summer days.So my mom used to buy it in lots and prepare these vadagams.Its a lengthy process,but worth trying it.

Swathi of  Zesty South Indian Kitchen,requested to post ,vadagam recipe.Thanks to her ,bcoz of her only,I documented it and it will be useful for me also.So I am posting my mom's version of vadagam.

Ingredients:
Onion                  -        2    kg
Garlic                  -        250 gm
Cumin  seeds        -        100 gm
Mustard  seeds     -         100 gm
Methi seeds         -         100 gm
Urad dal              -         100 gm
Hing                     -        1/2 tsp
Salt                      -        very little
Turmeric pwdr    -        1 tsp
Castar oil             -        250 ml.

Method:
* Grind onion and garlic into a coarse paste ,not to soft.They shud be like chunks.
* Mix all the ingredients together.
* Take a wide container or plastic bucket and dump in the ingredients tightly and leave it to sit for 3 days.
* On the third day ,divide them into equal sizes .Grease ur palm and roll them tightly into small balls.
* Place vadagam in the sun.
* Take the vadagam inside in the evening.
* Again in the morning, grease ur palm and tightly roll the vadagam and dry it in the sun.
* Repeat the process of tightly rolling again and again for 1 week.
* This helps the vadagan to come to a rigid shape.
* We have to dry these vadagams for almost 40 days.This hard drying in the sun ,makes the vadagam lose its moisture,which in turn increases its life span.
* Store it in a clean,air tight container.
* When we prepare tadka for dal or any curry,just temper a small amt of vadagam .Ur curry will be heavenly with the aroma of vadagam.

Note:
Handle vadagams carefully.They shud not be touched with wet hands.

shanavi of Kitchen Secrets has passed this award to me.....

I am passing this award to

Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Suja Suganathan of Kitchen Corner Try it

Pushpa of Taste as you cook

Akila of  Learning to Cook

Kurinji of Kurinji Kadhambam

Priya Mitharwal of  Maharo Rajasthan's Recipes

Padhu Of Padhu's Kitchen

Kavitha of Seasoned and dressed

Soumya of Soumya's Kitchen

Jay of  Tasty Appetite

Essential Kitchen Tips

When I started cooking, everything was greek and latin to me.With so many wooes,troubles and triumphs , started slowly to understand the basics of cooking.The most essential ingredient for cooking is " love".When u put ur whole heart in it, obviously ur dish will be extraordinary.And the second basic ingredient is "self confidence", without which u cannot survive .And the last but not the least is  "Try".Whatever happens,if u keep on trying some thing new, u will end up in so many delicious mouth watering dishes.

Tips:
Here I am giving u some tips,which  I came to know in the process of learning and also from our seniors.

* While boiling peas,potatoes, don't put salt before it is cooked.Bcoz this will make its skin to get peeled off  and give them a mashy,look.
* While preparing sweets like kesari,payasam,kheer, add a pinch of salt.This will enhance the sweetness to the dish.
* If u want  keerai, to retain its green color in ur dish,then dont cover them while cooking.
* While cooking rice for "Variety rices" ,add a tsp of oil ,while cooking.This will make the rice non sticky and dont forget to dry them in a plate or a wide mouthed pan before mixing.
* While cooking dal for sambar, add a tsp of oil .This makes the dal to cook fast and gives a shiny texture.
* If u have large amt of veges like beans,avarakkai,radish etc, cut them ,put it in a air tight container and freeze them.Whenever u need them, just thaw them and use.This gives the veges extra life and retains their nutritions.
* Always use small teaspoons for oil,sugar and salt.This will restrict us from putting more atleast to some extent.
* Cut the dishwashing sponge into two and use them.This helps us to hold it easily and also cost effective.
* Green chillies will have longer life,when u store them after removing their stem.
* While fermenting batter for idli or dosa, dont add too much salt,bcoz this will give batter a pulippu smell, before it gets fermented fully.
* While cooking adai or ghee roast, dont use ghee fully.Mix ghee and oil in a cup and use this mixture.This will give the dish fantastic aroma ,with less fat .
* Bread crumbs can be made easily at home, by toasting in the oven( or tava) for 2 to 3 mins and grinding them in the blender coarsely.
* If u want ur dish to smell heavenly,but not to use more ghee ,then add ghee at the end.This helps the dish to retain its smell.
* During winter coconut oil will become solid.Heat it once in a microwave,pour it in a cup and use it as a coconut jell.This reduces the frequent heating of oil.
* Even ghee will become solid during winter, keep a separate microwave container and pour ghee in it.Whenever u want, u can just melt it in the microwave and use it.
The most essential tool for cooking ,is "the way u handle critics".When some one criticizes, dont take it to ur heart.Take the comments and try to put it in ur cooking or just forget it,afterall they r the one who makes us to strive more .
                                                              "Happy cooking"