Posts

All About Achaar - The Story of the Humble Indian Pickle

Image
No summer holidays at Grandma's home were complete without those big white ceramic jars sitting out in the sun on the terrace, filled to the brim with mouthwatering pickles. That excitement of helping mom and grandma in the kitchen, the careful preparation of the ingredients, the addition of assorted spices, chatpata masalas and aromatic oils; our childhoods are instantly revisited every time we taste even one spoonful of the humble "achaar". Pickles have been an integral part of the Indian food culture for centuries and are known by different names across India; Loncha in Marathi, Achaar in Hindi, Athanu in Gujarati, Urukai in Tamil, etc. The earliest known record of pickling dates back to BCE 2030 in the Tigris Valley, which was made by preserving cucumbers in brine. The word pickle is derived from the Dutch word "pekel" which means brine. Its Indian counterpart "achaar" however, has its roots in the Persian term which means "powdered...
Post a Comment
Read more

Importance of Different Types of Sauces in Indian Kitchens

Image
Sauces are popular flavour enhancers that can be found in nearly every kitchen. From serving as a side condiment to flavouring ingredient in various dishes to being used as a marinade, there are a number of different types of sauces that cover a range of functions in the culinary world. Indians, in particular, are extremely fond of layering flavours that complement each other and for this reason, you will nearly always find various types of sauces in an Indian kitchen. So what exactly is the function of these sauces? The most common, and important function is that they add flavour to our meals. Imagine eating a samosa without a hearty helping of ketchup or tamarind sauce (imli chutney).   It seems bland and boring; it seems incomplete. The ketchup or the tamarind sauce is what gives it the flavour packed punch which makes the samosa the beloved snack we all love. In addition to this, different types of sauces have numerous other functions as well. Take a loo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Must Know Cooking Hacks for Indian Kitchens

Image
The diversity of Indian food is unparalleled; the use of nutritious vegetables cooked using varied combinations of flavor rich spices bringing out different kinds of delicious tastes from the food. For those well versed with Indian cooking (or years of experience; think Mom) cooking Indian food is no big deal. But what about the newly independent young bachelors who find themselves fending for their own food, or working moms who have to juggle numerous tasks throughout the day leaving them only a sliver of time to put food on the table? Well, no worries (or frantic last minute calls to mom with a thousand questions)! We've put together a list of 7 Must Know Cooking Hacks to help you navigate your way through your Indian Kitchen: 1.   Don't skip the greens: Sprinkling salt on green leafy vegetables will help enhance the natural flavor of the veggies and keep the nutrients intact even after cooking.    2. Don't be salty: We've all been here. Meaning to put ...
Post a Comment
Read more