Garlic

Nutrition: As often is the case, what was once dismissed as old wives tales, is found true after much scientific debate. Authorities believe that garlic has many therapeutic properties. It significantly lowers blood cholesterol, preventing heart disease. Raw garlic contains powerful antibiotics and it has beneficial effects against stroke and cancer. It also helps in increasing the absorption of vitamins.

Types: There are many varieties ranging from elephant garlic to small tight bulbs. Their skin is papery and can be in white pink and purple colors. The smaller the garlic size, the stronger the flavor.

Buying: Garlic bulbs should be firm and round with clear, papery skin. Sprouted ones should be avoided.

Storing: A cool, dry place makes it last longer. Damp air leads to sprouting, and warmth will turn them into a gray powder.

Cooking method: Crush cloves with flat side of the knife or a crusher- this way cloves will cook more evenly then chopped ones. Cooking garlic dampens the pungency. Thinly sliced garlic are milder then chopped ones, which in turn are milder than the crushed ones.

*Cloves are tiny little segments that make the bulb. Most recipes require two or more cloves. Don't use a bulb when you need a clove!

Dishes:Garlic is used in almost every Indian dishes. Most of the rice dishes like pulao, side-dishes, rasam, tomato rice use garlic to enhance their flavor.

Vermicelli payasam

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Water - 3 cup
Cashew-nuts - 2 tbsp
(full or broken)
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Almonds - 4 or 5 pieces (optional)
Cardamom - 2 or 4 pieces
Milk - 5 cups
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 4 or 5 tbsp
Saffron - a pinch soaked in milk(optional)


Preparation:

• Boil the milk in a low flame, add sugar to it and keep stirring constantly so that it doesn't char at the bottom. 
• If using almonds and saffron, soak them separately 3 tbsp of hot milk for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Grind the almonds.

Method:

• Add 2tps of ghee to a flat pan and fry the vermicelli till it looks light brown. 
• Transfer it to a bowl
• Bring the water to a boil and add the vermicelli. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain the water .
• In the samefrying pan add some more ghee, keep the flames on simmer and fry the cashews. Turn off the heat and add raisins. 
• In the boiling milk, add the almond paste and stir well.
• Pour the saffron soaked in milk and stir.
• Sprinkle the finely ground cardamom powder and stir.
• Now add the vermicelli and keep stirring.
• Let it boil for a few minutes
• Garnish with the fried raisins and cashews
• Sever hot or cold

Serving: 4-6 people Preparation time: 20 minutes

Tips: When grinding cardamom add a little sugar to it . This will grind it to a fine powder. The vermicelli will not absorb a lot of milk and become soggy if it is boiled in water first.

Coconut burfi

Ingredients:

Grated coconut - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 3 or 4 finely powdered
Cashewnuts - a few (broken)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 tbsp

Preparation: None needed.

Method:

• Take a non stick pan or a kadai, add the water and bring it to boil in a medium or low flame. 
• Once the water starts boiling add the sugar and keep stirring till the sugar dissolves in water. 
• Stir till it become thicken and becomes  a syrup. 
• Add cardamom and coconut followed by cashewnuts. 
• Add the milk and ghee. 
• Remember to keep stirring continuously. 
• When all ingredients bind together, remove from flame and spread it on a flat (ghee) greased plate to cool. 
• Let it cool, keep checking, before it hardens cut it into small diamonds or cubes. 

Alternatively, you can add food colors (or essence) and saffron while cooking, for fun colors and varied tastes.
Place a sliver of almond or a halved cashew on the still damp burfi after cutting it, for a great look.

Store in a box and finish within a week as it has coconut in it.

Onion

Nutrition: Onions are high in energy and water content. They are low in calories, and have a generous amount of B6, B1, and Folic acid. When a person eats at least 1/2 a raw onion a day, their good type HDL cholesterol goes up an average of 30%. Onions increase circulation, lower blood pressure, and prevent blood clotting.

Types:
Green Onions: They are onions that are harvested while their shoots are still young and green. Green onions are chopped and used for toppings on salads, baked potatoes, soup, and a wide variety of other culinary uses.


White Onion: Most popular in Europe and USA.

Yellow Onions: These are great for Indian cooking.

Red Onions: With the good zest, they are great for sandwiches and salads.Or to top off your Chat items.

Buying: When selecting fresh onions in the store, look for onions that are firm and dry with a shiny, crackling outer skin.

Storing: It used to be a common sight to see strings of onion hanging from the ceiling of the kitchen or outhouse at our grandparents house. Nowadays its hard to see string of onions, but if u find them in a string at a shop its a good way of buying and storing the vegetable. Onions more than other vegetables keep well provided they are kept in a cool and dry place . Do not refrigerated them has they tend to go soft.

Cooking Method: Stir-fry (alternatively, any kind of heating cooks it fast. If you forgot to saute onion for biriyani, sprinkle it in the end and cook it).

Dishes: Onion enhances the flavor of many dishes. From curries and gravies, to pizzas and chat.

Tear-Factor: The root has the largest amount of sulphuric compounds, which is what causes tears when the onion is peeled or cut. Keep your hand away from your face.

Potatoes

Nutrition: It provides certain vitamins, potassium, trace amounts of thiamine, riboflavin. foliate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron etc., and carbohydrates from starch. Almost all the protein content of a potato is contained in a thin layer just under its skin- so use it with the skin whenever you can.

Types:
Russet: They are high in starch and turn soft after cooking. Thus they are ideal for mashed potatoes and french fries.
Small White potatoes: They are low in starch and hold their shapes after cooking. Best for Alloo Paneer/ Aloo Palak etc.
Red: They can also look rosy. They have moist texture, suited for salads and roasting. One favorite is 2" pieces (with skin) tossed with marsalas.
Blue/Purple: They have a nutty flavor, and the color ranges in hue from dark blue or lavender to white.

Buying: Any potato. doesn't matter the type, should not be greenish - it indicates toxicity.

Storing: Potatoes should always be kept in a dark,cool and dry place. If they are exposed to light, green patches will develop which can be poisonous and they grow mold if it's too damp. If buying potatoes in polythene bags, remove them once home and put them in a vegetable rack/ wire basket/ paper bag, and place it in a dark place.

Cooking Method: Steam, stir-fry, boiling, micro-waving.

Dishes: It can be used in any part of indian cooking. Also, it's a great way to fix a salty gravy- by adding boiled or steamed and mashed the potatoes to the dish.

Rice

Nutrition: Rice has low sodium content and contains useful quantities of potassium, the B vitamins, thiamin and niacin. Rice is also gluten free, so suitable for coeliacs, and it is easlily digested; also is a complex carbohydrate, which means that it contains starch and fiber.

Cooking Method: White rice (Sona masoori, raw or parboiled) 1 cup rice and 3 cups water.
Brown and basmati rice: 1 cup rice  and 2 cups water.

Note: These measurements are for rice to be eaten plain or with gravy.While making biriyani, pulao, and other rice varieties, always use 1/2 less than mentioned above.

Cooking Method II:  Traditional steam cooker needs about 2/3 whistles. If you are using electric, it will cook by itself- but remember to unplug and remove the container, as the electric cooker tends to burn the bottom rice layer, if left too long on 'warm'.

Dishes: Look under pulao, biriyani, rice varieties and sweets.

Corn and Beans Pulao

Ingredients:
1 Cup Rice (Sona Masoori or Basmati)
1 Onion
1/2 Cup Corn Nibbles
1/2 Cup Bean Seeds (Also called Lilva)
2 Green Chillies
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 1" Strip of Ginger
1/2 Tsp Soy Sauce (Can be made without this)
2 Tsp Oil or Ghee
Salt?

Preparation:

• Chop onion lengthwise
• Grind chillies, garlic and ginger into a paste
• Gently cut the kernels off the corn - Hold the corn lengthwise and start from the top and work your way down. Or alternatively, use canned corn nibbles.
• Use lilva, or alternatively, buy frozen
• Cook rice(see here for rice to water ratios)
• Spread the hot, cooked rice on plates/trays and let it cool down

Directions:

• In a Pan, add Oil
• Add Onion and fry till it turns transparent
• Add the paste (Ginger, Garlic, Chillies)
• Saute till it bubbles
• Add the other half of salt
• Add the corn and beans
• Add 2 tps of water and close the lid, simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• In the serving bowl, add a layer of rice and then a layer of the masala in the pan. Alternate till both are used up.

Reheat before serving:
If using microwave: Heat it for 2 to 3 minutes or as needed.
If using Oven, Set it to 325 and leave it for 10 minutes.

Serves 2 as main course.