Vegetable Stock

Vegetable stock is the basic ingredient that gives a distinct flavor to any Soup. There is no specific recipe for Vegetable Stock. It can be prepared by using any left-over vegetables in the refrigerator also. Now a days we get Vegetable Stock or Vegetable Stock Cubes readily available in stores. However, it contains preservatives  which may be harmful for health. 

Approx. Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
Vegetables:
1 roughly chopped Carrot
7-8 Cauliflower florets
8-10 French Beans
8-10 roughly chopped Cabbage leaves
1 large Potato cubes
1 finely chopped Onion
18-20 Coriander Sprigs (with stems)

Other Ingredients:
8-10 Cups Water
1 small piece Ginger
5-6 Garlic cloves
Salt to taste
1 tspn Peppercons
1-2 Bay leaves

Method:

Peel the Potato and Onion. Wash all the Vegetables and roughly chop it. Take a large pot/pan and add water to it. Bring it to boil on large flame. Then add all the chopped Vegetables, Ginger and Garlic cloves to the Water. Also add Salt and Pepper cons to the Water. Then cover the pan and cook the vegetables for aprox. 20 minutes on medium flame. Thereafter add Bay leaves and again cover the pan. Simmer it for further 20 minutes on low flame. Turn off the flame and let the stock cool down. Pass it through a Strainer and discard the vegetables. Strained water is the Vegetable Stock. Transfer it in a Glass Bottle and refrigerate. The vegetable stock can be stored upto a week in refrigerator.

Alternatively, the Vegetable stock can also be stored in the form of ice-cubes. In that case, reduce the stock by boiling it further, without covering the pan. After straining, pour the stock in the ice-tray and deep freeze. At the time use, dissolve the cubes in hot boiling water. 

Notes:

1. The Vegetable stock can be made by pressure cooking all the ingredients.

2. You may vary the proportion of the vegetables to suit a particular recipe of Soup or Rice. 

3. Vegetable like Green Peas peas, Tomatoes. Corn cobs, Asparagus or any left-over vegetables (except vegetables like Bitter-gourd) may be used.

4. To suit a particular Soup / Rice preparation, the stock may be flavored by adding few Mint leaves/ Parsley / Celery / thyme or any other spice.

5. If you feel that the  taste of Vegetable Stock is very strong, then you may add some Sugar to balance the taste.

Stepwise Pictorial:

Basic Recipes

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Birasta

Birasta means brown onions. It is an important ingredient used in many type of Biryani to enhance the flavor. The method I have given is traditional method of making Birasta.

Ingredients:
Onions
Oil for frying
A pinch of salt 

Method:
Chop Onions into thin slices ad dry them in the sun for consecutive 3 days till the moisture evaporates and the onions become dry. 

Then heat Oil in a frying pan on high flame. Once the oil is heated, lower the flame and put onions in the Oil. After the onions changes its colour to golden brown, remove and drain them. Sprinkle some salt over it.

Store Birasta in an airtight container.

Notes:
Alternatively, the Onions can be dried in Oven by sprinkling some salt and oil over it. 

Stepwise Pictures:

Others

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Sambar

Sambar is generally served with Idlis or Dosa. It is a very simple and basic south Indian recipe, yet very delicious. 

Servings :
For 4 persons (approx.)

Ingredients :

For basic Dal:

1/2 cup tuvar dal (Arhar Dal)
1 cup water
1 tspn vegetable oil
1/4 tspn turmeric powder
1/4 tspn asafoetida powder
Salt to taste

For Tamarind water :
A small lemon sized tamarind
2 cups water

For Tempering :
2 tbspn vegetable oil
1 tspn mustard seeds
1/2 tspn fenugreek seeds
1 tspn cumin seeds
1/2 tspn asafoetida powder
2 chopped dry red chillies
7-8 curry leaves

For Sambar :
1 large onion (chopped in cubes)
2 small eggplants (Chopped in cubes)
1 large tomato (Chopped in cubes)
1/2 potato (Chopped in cubes)
1/4 cup red pumpkin (chopped in cubes)
1 drumstick (cut into 4-5 pieces)
2 cups Tamarind water
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
1 cup water
3 tbspns Sambar Powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh corriander leaves
Tempering  ingredients (as given above)
Salt to taste

Method :

To cook Dal :
Wash the tuvar dal and transfer it into a pressure cooker vessel. Add a cup of water, vegetable oil, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and salt. Pressure cook the dal. Set aside for using it in Sambar.

To make tamarind water :
Soak tamarind in 2 cups of lukewarm water for almost 15-20 minutes. Mash it and extract juice from the tamarind. Strain the water by using Muslin cloth. Set it aside.

To make Sambar :

Heat oil in a large pan. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder and saute. Then add dry chillies and curry leaves to the tempering. Now add onion and saute it for a minute. After onion is a bit transculent, add other vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, potato, pumpkin cubes and drumsticks. Saute it for 2-3 minutes. 

After sauteeing vegetables, add tamarind water and plain water. Then add turmeric powder and Sambar powder. Let the veggies get cooked into the tamarind water and sambar powder. Cover the pan with a lid. Bring it a boil and simmer on medim flame for 15-20 minutes. Check if the vegetables are cooked. Lastly add pressure cooked tuvar dal and simmer for few minutes. 

Garnish it with chopped corriander leaves and serve hot with Idlis or Dosa.

Notes :

SAMBAR POWDER :
Samar powder is readily available in market. However, it can be made at home by following the recipe given below:

Ingredients :
6 dry red chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tspn cumin seeds
7-8 black peppercons
1 tspn rice grains  
1 tspn tuvar dal
1 tspn chana dal  (Split bengal gram)
1 tspn urad dal 
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
2 tspn oil

Method :
Take oil in a pan and roast all the ingredients for a minute or two. Grind the ingredients into fine powder.

Stepwise Pictures:

Side Dishes

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