Category Archives: BASIC RECIPES

BASIC RECIPES

How to make Milk Tea?

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
06
Apr

Indian Tea is an all-time favourite refreshing hot beverage enjoyed by many especially in the morning and evening every day. It is famously known as “Chai”.In this easy Chai recipe, the tea powder is added to the water and allowed to boil till the rich hue and aroma of tea are released into the water. Then the milk is added. The most popular Indian tea are from Darjeeling, Assam and Ooty.

The usual ratio of water and milk for making milk tea is 1: 1/4 respectively. Some prefer to have more milk in tea and some prefer to have less milk. You can increase or decrease the milk as you prefer. If more milk is added then the tea becomes creamy and thick and if less milk is added the tea is watery. Some prefer tea without milk. For a strong tea increase the quantity of tea powder and vice versa for a light tea.

To get a strong cup of Indian Chai you can also heat the tea for a longer time. (for 2 more minutes) Never heat the tea for more than the required time as the water will evaporate leaving behind a very small amount of tea. For the preparation of tea always use medium flame.

In the case, of masala tea or ginger tea, you need to add masala and ginger to the water and boil first and then finally add milk at the end. If you add milk at the beginning itself then the tea will get spoilt. You can get the best flavour of the masala or ginger only when it is crushed before adding it to the water.

In case you need to add tea bag, add tea bag to the boiling water and milk mixture along with sugar.

Milk tea is best enjoyed with hot and spicy snacks or even biscuits, bun and bread.

Now let us see how to make milk tea?

Ingredients 

1 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1 and a 1/2  teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon tea powder

Method

In a kettle or saucepan take the required quantity of water and boil it for around 3 minutes on a medium flame.

Then add sugar and tea and let it boil for some time (around 4 minutes).

Keep heating it in medium flame until the tea boils and the flavour of the tea powder is released into the water. At this stage, the tea slightly changes colour and flavour of tea can be felt. Keep it boiling for a few minutes say around 3 minutes.

Now add milk and let it boil. On adding milk the tea tends to rise after a few minutes. Keep shaking the saucepan or kettle so that the tea does not tend to fall down. Repeat this for another 2 minutes.

Switch off the gas and allow it to settle for a minute.

Now carefully strain the tea using a strainer into a cup.

Serve hot. Enjoy hot milk tea with biscuits or hot spicy snacks.

Note:

  • Never overheat the tea. It will lose its flavour.
  • Always use medium flame as in high flame the water will evaporate and you will end up with a small quantity of tea.
  • While adding ginger or any masala always crush them before adding.
  • Always add ginger/masala to the tea decoction and boil that is before adding milk.

 

BASIC RECIPES, Recipe Index, Rice, Veg Recipes

How to cook rice?

Posted on by kavithapadmanaban
10
Feb

Cooking rice is a simple process but when you explore further you will learn a lot about it. Usually, white rice is used in everyday cooking and it cooks faster. But nowadays many have become health conscious and have started using brown rice.

On the basis of processing white rice is classified into two that is

a) Raw rice -In Tamil it is known as pachai arisi. This is directly obtained from paddy and cooks faster. Basmati rice and Zeera Samba rice are available as raw rice.

b) Boiled rice- In Tamil it is known as puzhungal arisi. This is processed rice and cooks slower. Basmati rice is also available as boiled rice.

Brown rice takes even a longer time to cook.

The cooking time varies depending on the type of rice you choose. The cooking time of rice also depends on many factors – variety of rice, whether pressure cooked or closed with a lid or cooked without closing the vessel, the mode of heating (gas stove, induction stove heat emission, microwave) and even the weather. By experience, you will know how to cook rice in all situations.

For example let us see how to cook rice on a gas stove with a closed lid using boiled rice at a normal temperature, say 25 to 30-degree celsius

Ingredients

1 cup of boiled rice

2 cups water

Method

Wash the rice around 2-3 times. Use a colander basket or a rice washing bowl to drain off the water. Take a saucepan or any vessel with a lid( make sure that the saucepan or vessel is big enough so that the water does not come out and the lid closes tightly and prevents the steam from escaping) and add the required quantity of water. Heat it to a gentle boil on medium flame.

Add the washed rice into the water at this stage.

Close the lid tightly and heat it on medium flame for 20 minutes. Switch off the gas stove and allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes. Do not open the lid.

After 10 minutes open the lid and fluff up the rice using a fork or spoon. Rice is usually bland and hence can be eaten along with a side dish like rajma masala, chicken curry or egg curry. You can also enjoy a whole variety of dishes with rice.

Rice tastes better when eaten hot. If you are eating along with dal or sambar you can add 1/2 a spoon of ghee to increase the flavour.

Note: You can add salt if you want but I have avoided salt for health benefits.

If you want softer rice you can add 2 teaspoons of extra water and increase the cooking time to 25 minutes instead of 20 minutes.

Enjoy eating rice, a staple food of India and many other asian countries with your favourite gravy!!