Essential Indian Cooking Techniques

It is important to understand the culinary mechanisms behind a few simple cooking techniques before you begin your journey into the world of Indian cooking, as many would tell you so! These techniques can be used individually in recipes, but more often they are used in unison. By understanding the jargon behind them all, you can ensure the success of your recipes sooner rather than later.

1. Steaming

This refers to cooking the food in its own steam. In olden days, the lid of a cooking pot was sealed to the pot using wheat flour dough, thus ensuring that the steam would not escape. This pot was then placed on hot charcoals, and the dish was allowed to cook. You will notice that many recipes direct you to cover the cooking pot with a lid and reduce the heat to complete the cooking process. This is the modern-day version of dum — it helps the dish retain its aroma and helps the flavors seep in.

2. Tempering

Tempering is the process of seasoning a dish with hot oil seasoned with spices. This can either be done at the beginning or recipe or at the end, depending upon the dish, and involves heating the oil until it is almost smoking, reducing the heat, and then adding the spices to imbibe an immediate dash of flavour into the eventual recipe.

It goes by different names yet, in other parts of the country -  Tarka, chowkna or Ghee durust karna all stand for tempering as well.

3. Sautéing

This is the mostly commonly used cooking technique in Indian cooking, and requires sautéing ingredients over a medium to high flame whilst constantly stirring. In the recipes where sautéing is required, you can add a bit of water to the ingredients to keep them from sticking to the pan.

It also allows the ingredients to release their true flavors into the mixture, and to ensure that the ingredients are fully cooked, continue to sauté until the fat begins to separate from the spice mixture or the masala that is being cooked, and your meal will not suffer in the slightest.

4. Grilling

Traditionally, roasting in the Indian kitchen was done in clay ovens called tandoors, hence the title. If a recipe calls for a dish to be marinated prior to grilling, tandoori grilling is the way to go. Make sure to follow the recipe's directions as to how long it should be marinated to ensure that the marinade is able to exude its flavors, and eventually discard any remaining marinade leftover at the end of the process.

5. Deep-Frying

Another key cooking technique used in Indian food is deep-frying. Traditionally, a deep vessel, referred to as a kadai, is used to heat the oil, around which batches of vegetables are fried. The key to deep-frying is to let the oil return to frying temperature between fried batches. Large quantities of oil are not allowed to deep-fry either - the quantity is always just enough to immerse the ingredients, and about 1 or 2 inches of oil is usually sufficient for most dishes.

This post describing five traditional Indian cooking techniques is powered by Soulfull, a South Indian Breakfast manufacturer. Feel free to visit their shopping portal over at soulfull.co.in to explore their wide variety of fills, flakes, and mixes - all available for purchase.

Stress Free Living During Exam Season

Exam season may well be the most difficult time of year to monitor what you eat and how you behave, but it is also the most crucial. It’s an annual ritual that causes panic and anxiety for students, and parents too. In our society, exams are a mark of success and the burden lies on the student to pass them all with flying colours - or else.

Midnight hunger or skipping meals altogether is increasingly becoming common with teenagers during examination season, and worse, the pressing need to wake up at night and eat whatever lies in the kitchen is an acute health risk as well, leave alone at such a crucial time of the year.

Following are some useful tips on how you or your child can beat the typical devils of stress during exam month around the corner:

1. Start Studying well before the Exam

You can almost never hit the ground running with your syllabus for any major exam. So make sure your schedule provides for sufficient time to pore through the portions - both front to back - as well as providing for enough revision time. As any good test-taker will tell you, the revisions are more important than the first time study. Similarly, attempt to memorize important concepts or formulae by writing them down instead of merely reading them. Again, writing is several times more effective than reading through it all just the one time.

2. Designate a Study Buddy

A classmate who is an expert in the subject you have trouble in works, as you can approach him or her with any questions you have in mind. In most cases, this helps the other person as well, negating any sense of complacency and providing a silent revision tactic for all concerned.

3. Be Creative

While taking notes as mentioned above, attempt to use as many diagrams, graphs, figures and illustrations as possible. Not only does a figurative picture tell the reader a thousand words, but it also helps you make several crisp revisions at the last moment!

4. Plan Well

Remember, this is fighting half the battle in itself. You'll be much more at ease attacking the syllabus with a clear mental roadmap rather than in a haphazard manner where you would inevitable lurch from one crisis to another, your morale sinking in the process. Prepare a solid content page for starters, alongside a strategy to dive into the content however suitable to your style.

5. Get Plenty of Sleep

Clocking up on sleep is often as important as the exam itself. It's way more stressful to memorize lots of information or comprehend complicated concepts with less than six hours of sleep, so ensure that you far outstrip that amount every night during exam month, not the least the nights before the actual exams themselves.

6. Exercise Regularly

Physical exercise like running, jogging or skipping for 15-20 minutes everyday will make you feel stress free and mentally fit. Ideally during the month to come, aim to wake up at an early hour to do some yoga, which will really set you up for some intense study in the day up ahead. Simple yoga exercises abound online, and you can always substitute them with similar exercises in the same vein if you're unfamiliar with the art.

7. Have a Hearty Breakfast

It's not for nothing that it's labelled the most important meal of the day. Never compromise on its content and quantity, and make sure you get the right amounts of fruits, vegetables, vitamins and nutrients to power up your day and keep you well fed and energetic throughout. Avoid snacks or fast-food during this meal; only a full, wholesome plate or bowl of the good old stuff will do!

Pertaining to that last point above, make sure you include the wares of the, healthy Breakfast brand Soulfull. Producing and marketing a wide variety of Fills, Flakes, Dosa and Idly mixes, the brand has redefined Breakfast dining in Indian homes, accelerated with the recent launch of their online shopping portal at soulfull.in. If you're looking for a staple brand for all the Breakfast options at home, be sure to pick up all they have to offer.

Best of luck to all the exam takers this summer! 

Five Quirky Kind of Dosas you Might Want to Meet

We're sure you had your mouths watering at the sight of our 7 Types of Dosas South Indians Love post from a few weeks ago. Inevitably though, the greater than half a dozen varieties of the quintessential South Indian Breakfast dish on there saw many familiar faces, kinds of Dosas that you might have made, let alone eaten! 

In this post therefore, we touch upon some left field recipes of Dosas that may not necessarily be easy to make, but provide for some different variety of sensations to our taste buds every morning. Have fun, and let us know how your family liked it!

1. Kal Dosa

Conjured upon a stone (and that's what the term 'Kal' stands for), a Kal Dosa makes for an excellent, light snack. Rather simple to make as it doesn't require any Masala or Vegetables; merely salt and Fenugreek seeds suffice to provide a sufficient flavour to this Dosa. The use of Parboiled rice also differentiates it from the other forms of Dosas that you've encountered on your Breakfast tables before.

2. Bread Dosa

Bread and Rava mixed with yogurt, ginger, onion and green chilli make for a delicious dosa - aptly titled a Bread Dosa! Make sure that the edges of each slice of bread are trimmed though, and add a sufficient volume of water to thin out the batter prior to rolling it out on any conventional frying pan. Should you choose to have more than three of these at a time, we'd say you're hungry!

3. Neer Dosa

 

Literally meaning 'Water' Dosa, the Neer Dosa hails from the Tulu Nadu region of Karnataka. The level of fermentation required is at an absolute minimum, but this in turn dictates that both sides of the crust have to be heated evenly, at the end of which you'd most likely be tempted to call it a crêpe, and a delicious one too. Accessorize it with popular Chutneys for the best results.

4. Chinese Dosa

When you have a Chinese recipe mingle with the good old South Indian dish, you get a funky hybrid of Spring Rolls and Dosas decorate your Breakfast plate! Naturally, you have all the license in the world to chop it into as many pieces in necessary, and fill it with whatever ingredients available. Chutney and Sambhar needn't be a hard and fast accompaniment though, as you should be good eating them as it is.

5. Masala Wheat Dosa

Fibre, iron and calcium-rich green peas and low-fat paneer stuffed in whole wheat dosas make for a succulent yet healthy Breakfast snack - just make sure to stick to the suggested serving size so folks have just the right amount of food for a daily Breakfast, neither too much nor too little. Also keep in mind that you need to whisk the wheat and rice flour with enough water to make a smooth batter well in advance to allow for adequate time for fermentation. 

Did you enjoy reading about these 'different' kind of Dosas? Let us know if you have other recipes up your sleeve. In case you want to have a meal of Dosas this instant, head over to Soulfull (www.soulfull.co.in) and have a glance at the various kinds of Dosa mixes that they sell, among other products.

Valentine's Special: A Family that Breakfasts Together, stays Together

Roses in the air, and a lot of random excitement that explodes in the middle of February each year! While Valentine's day might well be critisied for being a greeting-card- company created holiday, there is an undeniable charm about the day.

A day to celebrate love, of all kinds.

One thing that has oft been criticized within our generation, is the ever prevalent rush. We really need to slow down and smell the roses, at the very least on special days and occasions.

Families are spending less time with each other, and we mean time talking to and being with each other, and not just the time that they spend in the same premises, looking into each of their phones, or checking their email. Simple moments like a late night ice cream, or a mid week lunch become complicated, with each member of the family being busy and warped in their own routines. Even the sacrosanct Sundays have become packed with weddings and other social obligations.

What does one do then , to be an integrated whole?

Breakfast together, we say! The simple meal, before the rest of the World takes over your time is the answer. Breakfast is a great time for the entire family to know the nuances of each others' lives, share the challenges ahead in the day, and laugh over moments that have become memories.

Soulfull helps you put together a quick and deliciously healthy breakfast , that truly lets your family capture umpteen memories, over breakfast - every single day.

This blog is powered by Soulfull. Soulfull's products are available at www.soufull.in

Whats the Fuss about Protein?

What do you think about when you hear the word protein? Maybe it's an ad for some protein shake that promises massive muscles? Or is it the last high-protein diet craze you read about? With all this talk about protein, you might think we were at risk for not eating enough. In fact, most of us eat more protein than we need. Protein is in many foods that we eat on a regular basis.

Protein can help you shed those unwanted pounds and keep your belly full. But it's important to eat the right amount and the right kind of protein to get the health benefits.

Proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. These body proteins are constantly being broken down and replaced. When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive juices in your stomach and intestine go to work. They break down the protein in food into basic units, called amino acids. The amino acids then can be reused to make the proteins your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.

Think of amino acids as the building blocks. Proteins are sometimes described as long necklaces with differently shaped beads. Each bead is a small amino acid.

These amino acids can join together to make thousands of different proteins. Scientists have found many different amino acids in protein, but 22 of them are very important to human health. Of those 22 amino acids, your body can make 13 of them without you ever thinking about it. Your body can't make the other nine amino acids, but you can get them by eating protein-rich foods. They are called essential amino acids because it's essential that you get them from the foods you eat.

Different Kinds of Protein

Protein from animal sources, such as meat and milk, is called complete, because it contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Most vegetable protein is considered incomplete because it lacks one or more of the essential amino acids. This can be a concern for someone who dont eat meat or milk products. But people who eat a vegetarian diet can still get all their essential amino acids by eating a wide variety of protein-rich vegetable foods.

For instance, you can't get all the amino acids you need from peanuts alone, but if you have peanut butter on whole-grain bread you're set. Likewise, red beans won't give you everything you need, but red beans and rice will do the trick. The good news is that you don't have to eat all the essential amino acids in every meal. As long as you have a variety of protein sources throughout the day, your body will grab what it needs from each meal.

A great way to clock up on some quick Protein during breakfast is via cereal! Soulfull is a pan-Indian producer of healthy fills, mixes and flakes, with generous quantities of finger millet and protein in their composition - try them out, today!

7 Types of Dosas South Indians Love

Most will tell you that Dosas are the ultimate South Indian fast food. After all, they're not very difficult to make, are served in nearly every office canteen, and are light on the pocket. Most importantly, they provide a high quality filling meal, and what more would one want from Breakfast, the meal of the day where Dosas are the most commonplace.

Inevitably, they come in various shapes and sizes, colours and flavours. We've handpicked seven of the most popular ones from down South! ;

1. Plain Dosa

Also called 'Saada' Dosa, this is the most basic form of the dish. The batter is made of rice, dal and methi and allowed to ferment overnight before they are rolled out on the pan and fried, one after the other. The resulting taste is crisp and priceless; though if one feels they are lacking some spice, they can accessorize it with a Chutney on the side, as seen above.

2. Rava Dosa

The personal favourite of many, these Dosas don't demand that the batter be fermented due to it being essentially comprised of Rava or Semolina. The Dosa itself is a pored masterpiece, which only serves to make it crisper! Do not underestimate it; it might look thin, but it is crunchy, tasty, long lasting and good for health..

3. Masala Dosa

 

Easily the most recognizable of them all, the Masala Dosa occupies the daily breakfast tables of many in India, and more so in the cities of Bangalore and Mangalore, where it has been claimed to be invented. Think of a Plain Dosa with spiced potato curry and there is your Masala Dosa. It works best with coconut Chutney and a dollop of Sambhar on the side.

4. Set Dosa

Thick and soft, Set Dosas are the anti-Rava Dosa and resemble fluffy pancakes on their best days. Why Set you ask? Because they are usually served in sets of three or four at a time and stacked one on top of the other, depending on size. If you're a lover of the crunchier variants of Dosas, these aren't for you but they make for a terrific snack nonetheless.

5. Ragi Dosa

Don't be taken aback by the rather darker complexion compared to its brothers and sisters from the Dosa family. The Ragi Dosa tastes just as good, and is as good for health as all the other ones. If anything, finger millets are a longer lasting food than rice or wheat so this might be the most filling one yet!

6. Adai

Made with a variety of dals, a couple of Adais are all you need to satiate any hunger pangs through the day. Thick and succulent, you can opt out of any side dishes too, such is its versatility. For various reasons, a lot of its faithfuls prefer it as an evening snack rather than having it as part of a fully fledged morning breakfast.

7. Uthappam

Another thick Dosa, the Uthappam comprises of vegetable toppings up top, with a judiciously soft interior which one experiences past the first few bites. Onions are the most common and popular vegetable used to make an Uthappam, but tomatoes and carrots are in demand too, as you can see in the above picture having adequate amounts of the latter.

Want to get upto speed making your own Dosas? Try out Rava, Ragi and Adais to begin with - they're amongst the easiest. Soulfull, a pan-Indian company accessible via www.soulfull.co.in provide you with mixes for the same - Ragi, Adai and Rava, all healthy and ideal for a scrumptious breakfast!

Healthy Resolutions

Who doesn't start their New Year pledging to begin a new healthier lifestyle, particularly when it comes to food? Annually, almost every one of us come up with New Year's Resolutions in an attempt to start afresh and turn over a healthy new leaf...pun intended.

Of course, this is not helped in the least by the sudden chilly assault of gym and health food advertisements encroaching upon your warm gluttonous supermarket adverts come the turn of the year. This is not tough luck; gym owners and diet food manufacturers are taking advantage of your current plight – that of being helplessly cemented to the couch  amidst one of your eating binges – to plug their vision (Sale, actually) of a ‘New You’.

These advertisements may inspire you to pen up a list of New Year’s resolutions, all designed around the vision of the quintessential ‘New You’; he\she is fit and attractive, gains pleasure from helping others and expanding his/her mind, and has an all-round pleasant time of it.

Who's to say though that the resolutions will stick? Resolutions overall are for the amibitious, and when you chalk up something beyond your own purview of the metric, chances abound that it will suffer a Titanic fate.

Will power isn't the issue. Will power is about depriving oneself, and let's face it - who likes doing that in any case? The problem: is that most people are led into unrealistic expectations, they decide that 'this' is the year and season wherein they're going to completely change everything about their diet. Which is just too hard to do.

The bottomline is thus: When making dietary changes, start small.Set a few realistic goals. In the long run, you'll have better self-esteem and more self-confidence because you'll actually stick with them. For instance, if you really want to end up healthier over the coming year, shoot for finger millet, commonly known as 'Ragi'. Soulfull, a reknowned producer of flakes, fills and more within the genre is an ideal brand to get yous started with your quest.

And whatever you do, don't skip breakfast!