Yoga emphasizes discipline in lifestyle and diet, a concept embraced by the West today. Adjusted to modern times for improved health, practitioners of hatha yoga avoid unhealthy eating habits to prevent obesity and related disorders. Incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables promotes a healthy lifestyle. The connection between yoga and traditional Indian diet dates back centuries. Ayurvedic practices, which involve herbal remedies, proper nutrition, yoga, and meditation, have been effective in treating metabolic and neurological conditions. These ancient techniques have become widely popular and adopted in the West.
In the traditional Indian yoga diet, there are three main categories of food based on yoga philosophy:
Satvik food is fresh, unprocessed, and free from preservatives, consumed raw, steamed, or lightly cooked. It is known for its soothing, detoxifying properties and is believed to enhance longevity, strength, and comfort.
Rajasic/ Rajasik food is lacking in essential nutrients and includes fried, highly seasoned, alcoholic, processed foods, and sweets. It is advised to be avoided in the Indian yoga diet as it can lead to discomfort and illness.
Tamasic food is low in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, often prepared with excessive spices, seasonings, and salt. Yoga philosophy discourages the consumption of this type of food as it can result in lethargy and an irritable disposition.
In the traditional Indian yoga diet, there are three main categories of food based on yoga philosophy:
Satvik food is fresh, unprocessed, and free from preservatives, consumed raw, steamed, or lightly cooked. It is known for its soothing, detoxifying properties and is believed to enhance longevity, strength, and comfort.
Rajasic/ Rajasik food is lacking in essential nutrients and includes fried, highly seasoned, alcoholic, processed foods, and sweets. It is advised to be avoided in the Indian yoga diet as it can lead to discomfort and illness.
Tamasic food is low in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, often prepared with excessive spices, seasonings, and salt. Yoga philosophy discourages the consumption of this type of food as it can result in lethargy and an irritable disposition.
The yoga diet is revered in Indian philosophy, with the Bhagavad Gita highlighting the importance of a balanced diet through ‘Yuktaahar’. This diet is specifically tailored to support yoga practice and spiritual growth. Ancient texts emphasize the significance of food quantity, quality, timing, and order. A proper diet is a prerequisite for effective pranayama practice. Mastery over one’s diet is essential for successful yogic endeavors. In addition to yoga, maintaining a balanced sleep and diet is crucial.
Improper dietary choices can lead to a range of issues affecting behavior, cognition, and decision-making. Achieving a balanced diet involves consuming appropriate levels of proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates, alongside an adequate intake of water. Ultimately, an individual’s happiness and well-being are of paramount importance. Nutritional needs vary depending on factors such as age and gender. The abundance of food choices in today’s society makes it difficult to establish a consistent eating routine. Exploring the potential benefits of adopting an Indian yogic diet may simplify this decision-making process.
Types of Foods in Traditional Indian Yoga Diet
SATVIK FOOD
The Indian yoga diet emphasizes the consumption of fresh, raw, and unprocessed foods. Sattvik diet, a type of yogic diet, consists of preservative-free foods that are typically eaten raw, steamed, or lightly cooked with minimal spices. This nutritious yet simple diet includes foods rich in cellulose and minerals, with flavors ranging from sour to sweet, such as tomato salad. Sattvik food is natural, fresh, soothing, and easy to digest, providing energy and promoting overall well-being. It includes carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins from sources like pulses, whole wheat flour, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. This balanced diet boosts energy levels, happiness, longevity, and strength, while aiding in digestion and detoxification. Sattvik food also enhances mental clarity and comfort for both the mind and body.
RAJASIK FOOD
Rajasic diet lacks essential minerals, vitamins, and nutrients, leading to acidity, hyperacidity, indigestion, and constipation. This type of food is often stale and fermented, consisting of fried, heavily seasoned, alcoholic, processed, and sweet items. Consuming such foods can result in weight gain and bodily discomfort.
It is advisable to steer clear of this diet to prevent discomfort and health issues. Caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee, along with hot chilies, mushrooms, garlic, tobacco, junk food, sugary treats, and stale items, are all part of the rajasic diet. These foods are highly stimulating, potentially causing negative emotions such as jealousy, anger, and selfishness. While leaders and fighters may favor this diet for increased intelligence, excitement, and confidence, it can lead to obesity, arthritis, diabetes, anxiety, and depression.
Yogic teachings suggest avoiding salty, bitter, and sour foods like mustard, alcohol, meat, and garlic. Yogis should also stay away from stale, excessively dry, and acidic items, opting instead for wholesome foods such as grains, wheat, barley, rice, ghee, vegetables, dry ginger, and pulses like moong. Moderation in food intake is emphasized in yogic literature to maintain a healthy balance, as excessive consumption of any food can be detrimental to one’s well-being.
TAMASIC FOOD
Tamasic food is characterized by its low cellulose, vitamin, and mineral content, often prepared with excessive spices, seasonings, and salts. Consuming such foods is not recommended by yoga, as they can lead to feelings of laziness and irritability. These foods are typically starchy, spicy, fried, and fatty, posing health risks due to their lack of essential nutrients and acidic nature. Additionally, they are associated with negative behaviors like selfishness, mood swings, and lack of discipline. Tamasic foods are difficult to digest and can cause issues such as constipation and diarrhea.
Foods high in fat that fall into the tamasic category include white flour, chilies, black pepper, alcohol, preserved fruits, jam, jelly, flavored drinks, sausages, pickles, papad, and bakery products. Improperly cooked, stale, and leftover foods also fit into this classification.
Individuals dealing with depression or chronic illnesses should avoid tamasic foods, as they can dull the mind, provoke anger, impede spiritual progress, and reduce life expectancy. These foods not only foster laziness and weakness but also cultivate pessimism. Those who consume tamasic foods may struggle with anger management, making it advisable to avoid them according to yogic principles.
FOOD TECHNIQUE ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA
Yogis engage in pranayama for extended periods. Therefore, it is recommended to consume easily digestible food. Excessive sleep is also discouraged for a yogic practitioner. A yogi should aim to fill half of their stomach with food, one quarter with water, and leave the remaining quarter empty to allow for proper air circulation.
According to yogic texts, the ideal time for a yogi to eat is when the air flows through the sun energy channel. Similarly, the best time for a yogi to sleep is when the air flows through the moon channel. Before practicing pranayama, a yogi should neither be too full nor too hungry. It is suggested to have some milk or butter before pranayama, while avoiding other foods. The concept of “mithara” involves filling half the stomach and leaving the rest to honor the divine.
This mindset is crucial for a yogi as it fosters harmony between the mind and body. Having the right attitude towards a yogic diet is equally important. Typically, a yogic diet consists of easily digestible vegetarian food that is rich in energy and nutrients. This type of diet helps in reducing the risk of heart disease, maintaining blood pressure, and managing cholesterol levels. The yogic diet is specifically designed to keep yoga practitioners healthy and strong. Individuals with an unhealthy lifestyle can also benefit from following this diet to enhance their yoga practice and overall well-being.
So I hope this blog helps you to understand which type of food is good for the human body….
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A prayer from the Yajurveda: “May for me prosper, through the sacrifice, milk, sap, ghee, honey, eating and drinking at the common table, ploughing, rains, conquest, victory, wealth, riches. May for me prosper, through the sacrifice, low-grade food, freedom from hunger, rice, barley sesame, kidney beans, vetches, wheat, lentils, millets, panicum grains and wild rice. May for me prosper, through the sacrifice, trees, plants, which grows in ploughed land and which grows in unploughed land.
This prayer, composed around 800 BC, gives us a pretty good indication of the food of that period.
It is believed, that the Aryans set the agricultural patterns of food production that still prevails in India. The cultivation of rice, pulses, beans, peas, wheat, linseed and even hemp is mentioned in the Yajurveda, but the Rig Veda does not mention rice or wheat, only barley (yava). Thus making barley one of the earliest grains known to India. One is curious to know about the food eaten by the Aryans. Deductions about the food of the Harappa’s are made from the archaeological artifacts but there is however, little or no evidence of their cooking habits. On the other hand, there are listed evidences of food eaten by the Aryans, in the Rig Veda and other books. Barley was fried in ghee and fashioned into cakes or fried and then dipped in honey. Bengali sweets could trace its lineage to this technique. Rice came in later, but went on to dominate the food scene. Common accompaniments with rice were ghee, curds, pulses or meat. Wheat though not mentioned in the Rig Vedas, finds a mention in the Yajurveda and the Brahmans. Amongst pulses the three prominent ones were urad, moong and masur. Rajma too makes an appearance and meat was commonly eaten. Ox, goats, birds; buffalo, humped bull and sheep were slaughtered for food. Animals were killed at ritualistic sacrifices and the meat would then be eaten. Dogs, village cock, boar and carnivorous animals were considered diet taboos. The taboo was relented only for times of distress. However, it should be noted that meat eating was encouraged only when there were guests or as offering to the gods.
Barley is one of the oldest grains. Rice came in much later, but it quickly found a place of prominence. Meat eating was common, but killing of animals other than for eating or religious sacrifices, was not encouraged.
Spices and Condiments
Salt was not common in the early Vedic times. Not only was it a rarity but also students and widows were not permitted to consume it. Newlyweds had to abstain from salt for the first three days after their marriage. Salt was obtained from lakes, rivers, sea, swamps and mines, citrus, turmeric and long pepper. Later came in pepper and asafoetida. The spice list isn’t too exhaustive, as the Aryans did not favour the use of spices.
One of the words for black pepper was Kari. It was a vital ingredient in meat dishes; over the centuries Kari got Anglicized and became curry, applying to wide range of seasoned dishes.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits were an integral part of the Aryan diet. Three varieties of jujubes, udumbura fruit (Indian fig) and Saphaka (trapabispinosa) were commonly eaten, so was the rose apple and mango. Radish and ginger were munched on after meals to help in digestion. As it is in some communities even today garlic, onion and leek were looked down upon. The Rig Veda mentions the lotus stem, cucumber and later lotus roots, bottle gourd, singhada, aquatic plants, bitter gourd, a variety of methi for flavouring, mahua flowers, yam and other roots. Spinach,leafy vegetables, elephant yam (suran) and sweet potato are also mentioned. Grapes, forest fruits like berries are recorded and the newer fruits mentioned are jackfruits, banana, palm, tenduka and several species of citrus fruits.
Banks of rivers beaten by foam was where pumpkins and gourds were cultivated. Areas that were frequently flooded were used to grow grapes, long pepper and sugarcane.
Sweets and Desserts
The earliest sweetener was honey. A common welcome drink of those days was madhuparka, a honey sweetened concoction of curd and ghee. Later jaggery and sugar dominated as sweetening agents. Rock sugar was common and jaggery became the base for many sweet preparations.
Many of the sweets made in those times exist even now, slightly or not modified. In preparations related to dairy products there is a mention of payasya (not payasa), which was the solid part of curd mixed with boiled milk, crystal sugar and herbs. Shirkarini, the ancestor of present day shrikhand was made out of strained curd, crystal sugar and spices.
Interestingly the Rig Veda cites honey from smaller bees better than the one from bigger bees.
Beverages
Milk was one of the main ingredients in the cuisines of the Vedic period. Though cow’s milk was preferred, buffalo and goat milk was also used. Grains were cooked in milk to prepare dishes. Other by products of milk like cream and ghee were also used extensively. Curd was very popular and the churning method was used to derive butter. Two varieties of cheeses, porous and non-porous find a mention in the texts. Adults consumed solidified and clarified butter while children ate fresh butter. A popular dairy oriented drink was the rasala, a sweet and spicy curd. Speaking of drinks, one cannot have a chapter on food of the Vedic period without a mention of Som rasa or Soma. It was an exhilarating drink, which was called hoama in Iran and Soma in India. Soma was usually offered to the gods and consumed by priests during sacrifices. It was believed that an individual who consumed Soma was fortified beyond his natural abilities. The process of extracting the Soma juice was an elaborate one. The Soma plant was sprinkled with water and ground with a stone on other stones placed above holes that were connected underground, the grinding then yielded a sound that was similar to bellowing bulls! The ground paste was collected on a cowhide and strained through a Sheep’s wool cloth; the sparkling liquid that was obtained was mixed with milk, curd or flour and consumed. However there are no clear leads on what exactly was the Soma plant. While drinking Soma was commended, Sura was condemned. Sura, was an intoxicating liquor made from fermented barley or wild paddy and was consumed more by the Kshatriyas, but there were kings like Asvapati, who proudly declared that there were no drunkards in his kingdom. Parisruta was prepared from flowers or by fermenting certain grasses and Kilala was a sweet drink made of cereals. Masara, another drink was made of rice and spices, allowed to ferment for three days. Water was rightly called amrta or nectar. The Aryans consumed fruit juices from a very early stage. Juice of the mango, jamun, banana, grapes, coconut and edible water lily were common.
According to the Sutras, hospitality is one of the five duties of the householder. Eating before offering to the gods, brahmans and guests was considered improper. Sacrificial priests, father-in-law and a king were considered specially deserving of hospitality, but one couldn’t disregard even a sudra or a lower born as a guest. Besides these, the smaller creatures were also fed. Purity of food and cleanliness while preparing food was much stressed upon. Food prepared overnight or that, which had gone sour, was considered unfit for consumption. Commercially available foods were discouraged, especially ones that were flavoured. The presence of hair, insects or rat droppings in food was not acceptable. Food smelt by humans or animals was not eaten and so was food touched by the lower castes. There are several rules of etiquette for dining, most of which are based on commonsense.
Gradually as the Aryans spread themselves all over India, the entire country adapted to their ways of food and life.
Interesting trivia
The Kashyapa Samhiti (200 BC) has detailed accounts of every aspect of rice cultivation: sowing, irrigation, seed transplanting, weeding, watering, protection from birds (using scarecrows), defense against vermin and finally threshing. Even conditions for second round of crops are elaborated. Methods that are followed to this day.
Vegetarianism was predominant in India because of the sheer abundance of food available, even before the Vedic times. Cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits and milk flowed freely. Nowhere else in the world one saw this kind of abundance. Indeed the land of milk and honey!
Clay, wood, metal and stone were materials commonly used in making utensils. Leather vessels were used for storing liquids.
Practice of rinsing the mouth before and after eating was common.
Moderation in food consumption was advocated in those times too. It was said that eating only twice a day would make a person wise and intelligent. People fasted on the day of a sacrifice.
Heritage Cuisine Utensils and Styles of Cooking
Indian cuisine is diverse and the use of exotic spices imparts to the preparations, fantastic flavours, enticing aromas and tantalizing tastes. Indian cuisine, like the rich cultural heritage, also possesses a 5,000-year-old history and a wealth of heritage.
Indian society is multicultural and multifaceted and the manifold regional culinary varieties enrich the diversity of the cuisine making it increasingly popular all over the world. Each region has its own cuisine and style of preparation. Cooking utensils play an important part in the preparation process. Down the ages, pots and pans discovered by archaeologists and now housed in museums possess immense heritage value. Made of clay, metal, alloys and also stone, they were used in the preparation of cuisines during the reigns of prominent empires and dynasties and reveal interesting details of the blending of that period’s culinary habits, agricultural production, economy and infrastructural progress. Excavations at the Indus Valley, one of the oldest and at that time a highly developed civilization in the world indicate that around 1500 B.C. the Aryans entered India. Over the ages, India witnessed the rise and fall of several empires – the Mauryas, the Guptas, the Slave dynasty, the Mughals and Sikh rulers of the North, the Marathas of the West and the Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras in the South.
Starting from the 15th century onwards ships carrying Portuguese, British, French and Dutch traders started arriving in India. The British later colonized and ruled over India for about 200 years till 1947 when India gained Independence.
Tracing cooking utensils with heritage value would necessitate tracing their origins. The Bronze Age on the Indian subcontinent began with the Indus Valley civilization. Inhabitants of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa developed techniques in metallurgy and produced copper, lead, bronze and tin. Artisans produced a wide range of utilitarian and decorative objects using specialized techniques of stonework, ceramics and metallurgy. Copper, bronze and shell were used to make utensils. Pottery or ceramic ware of the era was heavy and fine clay was used in making smooth surfaced vessels which were then painted in black over red. Coarse grey ware was meant for rough use such as cooking. The surface of the vessels was rough, coarse grey and decorated with incised designs.
Wheat and barley were the main food crops grown by the Indus valley farmers. Peas and dates were also grown. Cattle, goats, sheep provided milk and meat. Food was cooked on hearths and grain was ground to flour by rubbing a rounded stone across on top of a flat stone. Bread and porridge were part of everybody’s diet. Commoners thrived on vegetables and fish and the rich ate poultry and game.
During what is called the Golden Age of India, that is, the Mauryan and Gupta Empires, during the 320-550 BC, pots and pans recovered from that period reveal that a high degree of skill and perfection was reached in the preparation of clay utensils, which were popular in daily domestic use. Influences of Buddhism, Jainism and later Islam affected food habits of the people. Even the rock edicts of Ashoka supported the benefits of vegetarianism but the utensils in, which they were prepared, were not mentioned. From the Mauryan Empire to the frequent invasions by Turco-Mongolian marauders into the country from around the 10-11th centuries and prior to the establishment of the Mughal Empire, Vasco Da Gama arrived in India in 1498 leading to colonization of parts of India by the Portuguese. As with other cuisines, Indian cuisine absorbed the new world vegetables such as tomatoes, chilies’ and potatoes. The Mughals (1526-1857) introduced Mughlai cuisine to India, the influence of, which spread from Kashmir and Awadh in the North to Hyderabad far down in South India. The cuisine was different in each region but it was rich, aromatic and spicy. The cooking utensils used, that is the degh or degchi and handi were common as these were used in the preparation of traditional North Indian cuisine.
While the British were in India till 1947 they introduced a cuisine of their own. Anglo-Indian cooking was almost a culinary balancing act of local ingredients and foreign tastes. Mulligatawny, kedgeree, Indian curry powder and Worcestershire sauce are all products of the British Raj. The pots and pans used by the bawarchis cooking for the British were of Indian origin. We learn from history that not all food was cooked in utensils. The hordes of Mongols invaders who came in search of riches to India chose to eat while in the saddle. They gorged on chunks of meat roasted on hot slabs of rock or on skewers over logwood fires as they did not find time to cook regular meals. From the 13th to the 16th centuries, the armies of Chengiz Khan, Taimur Lang and Babur were compelled to travel long distances on foot, horses and camels to reach India. Those roasted chunks must have tasted like today’s barbecued steaks. There were other forms of unconventional cooking which are prevalent even today. The Patthar ke Kebab owe their origins to the erstwhile nawabi era of Hyderabad. Marinated lamb is cooked over a patthar (stone). A black granite stone about half-an-inch thick is heated over a bed of hot charcoal and the meat is cooked on the stone. Another form of an “outdoor” kitchen is the khad (deep pit) style of cooking of Rajasthan. When hunting wildlife was not considered a violation of animal rights, members of the royal family would set out on a shikar. The big game would be carried back to the castle by coolies, minor shikar such as wild boar, teetar (partridge), bater (quail) and rabbits were lunchtime fare for the hungry hunters in the jungle
In the khad style of cooking large leaves and mitti (wet earth) were used in lieu of a utensil. The heat source at the base of the pit was by burning charcoal covered with dry twigs and cow dung to provide the heat. The marinated shikar was tightly wrapped in the leaves, which were then coated with mitti and placed in the pit which was then covered with sand. After a passage of time the pit was dug up, the dried-up mitti crust was broken and the deliciously aromatic preparation, cooked in its own juices, was ready to be eaten. The Khad khargosh is prepared today on special occasions replicating those shikar days. The Kashmiri preparation of Gushtaba and Rishta involves the pounding of pieces of boneless mutton along with the fat with a wooden mallet on a wooden block overnight till the strands of mutton split and the mutton turns into mince which is used to form koftas.
Since centuries cooking utensils have been made out of different materials and defined shapes based on the dish to be prepared in them, style of cooking, temperature required and source of heat. Utensils of different eras were based on the local and regional agricultural produce, which was governed by the environmental surroundings such as climatic conditions, supply of water and quality of the soil. Manmade influences included religious traditions, community taboos, caste distinctions and prevalent zaika (taste).
Typical kitchen of the 18-19th century. The tradition of using wood-fired stoves and metal utensils is followed by some villagers for their daily cooking.
All these factors combined to define the cuisine of each generation, their cultural milieu, social philosophies and economic standing. Although cuisines, recipes, ingredients and styles of cooking differed from region to region, there was not much of a difference in the conventional designs of the utensils. A reflection on the socio-economic system that prevailed in India centuries ago was that shelves of royal kitchens and the upper classes were agleam with silverware. Intricately worked serving dishes made of gold, silver and base metal belonged to those classes. The metals were believed to impart purifying and healing properties to the food. Terracotta kitchenware was for ordinary people. In common use in the clay-rich areas of the Indo-Gangetic plains of the North, these sun-baked vessels were environmentally friendly. They were ideal for preparing dishes over even heat. Cooking in earthenware vessels imparted a unique flavour to the food.
Those living in the eastern, western and southern regions used utensils made of various metals and alloys, the areas being mineral rich. Another reason was that they did not break as easily as pots and pans made of clay. Cast iron cookware is heavy, doesn’t rust easily. Food cooked in them enhances the iron content of the food benefiting those with iron deficiency.
Aluminium was introduced in India in the earlier 1800s. Affordable, light and strong, it was a good conductor of heat but not a good cooking alloy as contact with strong acids, alkalis and salt from food caused the metal to dissolve. Peetal (brass) is an alloy of tamba (copper) and zinc, while bronze (kansa) is an alloy of copper and tin.
Copper and brass vessels react to acids and salt and can cause food poisoning. Therefore they must be coated with kalai (tinning) regularly. Just as bronze disappeared during the 1950s, brass and copper utensils have also been replaced with stainless steel cookware. Superior conductors of heat, they are rarely seen in kitchens today as they wear out easily and require kalai frequently. Till the 1960s the kalaiwallah was a regular visitor to all homes to bring a shine to the utensils. Popularity of stainless steel drove him out of business. Copper is still used to clad the exterior of stainless steel cookware for heat conduction as stainless steel is not a good heat conductor. Some cookwares use a sandwiched layer of aluminum at the base for uniform heating. Such vessels are called heavy bottomed. Cooking utensils retained their original shapes even when the material used in their manufacture kept changing. Down the ages recipes and tastes have changed, culinary preferences and perceptions kept shifting but the conventional shape of the utensils has not altered. The type of utensils used in Indian kitchens for cooking depends on the dish to be prepared, ingredients and the style of cooking. A selection of cooking utensils includes
DEGH / DEGCHI: Not usually seen in modern-day kitchens, this brass vessel with a spherical base tapering sharply from the middle and ending in a narrow opening allows steam to condense and roll back into the food. Ideally used for the traditional slow-cooking process today known as the DumPukht style of cooking.
Degchi used for Dum cooking
HANDI: A spherical clay pot along with a lid, this utensil is used for cooking Dum Biryanis over a slow fire, and for preparing curries requiring low heat. The handi has been used for centuries and has been handed down from one generation to another.
PATEELA / BHAGONA: A circular vessel made of brass or stainless steel. It has straight walls and a narrow brim and is used to boil milk or cook many types of dishes.
KARHAI: A shallow wok with around base. Traditionally made of copper or brass, it has generally been replaced by stainless steel. Deep frying, sautéing and making dry preparations are done in the karhai.
CHAKLA & BELAN: The dough for chapatis is rolled out on the traditional chakla, a round board, and belan, a rolling pin.
TAVA: A round thick iron griddle with a slight concave in the centre, it is a must in most Indian households. Used for making rotis, chappatis and paratha.
SIL BATTA: The sil is a flat stone and the batta a cylindrical grinding stone. Used pan- India, having different names, these grinding stones are used to prepare chutneys and spice mixes for cooking in the North, East and West and to grind soaked lentils in preparation for dosas and vadas by South Indians.
TANDOOR: A cylindrical clay oven with thick walls to retain the heat generated by burning charcoal at the base. Used for roasting or baking tandoori rotis, vegetables, paneer (cottage cheese), marinated mutton and chicken.
BAGHAR: Small frying pan with a long handle, used forgiving tarka (tempering) to dals and vegetables.
BOTI (chopper), CHULHA (stove), CHAKKI (wheat grinder) have no utility in modern urban kitchens designed for stand-up operations. These are commonly used today by villagers in the rural belts of India.
so i hope this blog helps you to gain some knowledge about indian food story.
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chef interview questions asked during job interview
Chef interview questions and answers for Hotel management students.
Q1. Why are you interested in this property? Ans . Always do research on the company details and come ready with the specific details about the organisation that is of interest to you. Also tell how you can bring value to the company in the role for which you are interviewing.
Q2. Why did you choose your career as a chef? Ans. What attracted me towards being a chef was being able to work with food and creativity. Since childhood I got attracted toward food and cooking.
Q3. Why did you join hotel industry? Ans. Hospitality offers a job that change all the time. It is a fast growing industry where you are doing varied task each day.
Q4. What are the main responsibilities of a modern executive chef? Ans. The executive chef sets the standards of the kitchen. He is the head of entire kitchen. The main responsibilities of an executive chef include planning, purchasing, supervision, training the staff, preparation of menu, hiring of staff and also guest service and satisfaction.
Q5. Name 4 different types of knife? Ans. Chef Knife, paring knife, Boning knife, carving knife.
Q6. What factors contribute to the development of a cuisine? Ans. When a style of food preparation is labelled as a cuisine, it represents either a particular country or a culture.
Q7. What is the temperature of a danger zone? Ans. This is the temperature ranges between 5 degree Celsius – 59 degree Celsius. In this temperature the bacteria grows rapidly.
Q8. Explain FIFO? Ans. FIFO- First in First out. Food received first should be used first.
Q9. Why the chefs should wear neat and clean uniform? Ans. Neat and clean uniform is sign of proper hygiene.
Q10. What is HACCP? Ans. HACCP stands for HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINT
Q11. Name cuts of vegetables? Ans. Juliennes, Brunoise, Chiffonade, Macedoine, Wedges, Paysanne, Jardinier, Mirepoix.
Q12. What are the 3 basic rules of personal hygiene for chefs? Ans. 1. Clean hands and trimmed nails, 2. Clean uniform, 3.Properly trimmed hairs.
Q13. What is the use of a Boning knife? Ans. Boning knife is use to de-bone meat, poultry and fish.
Q14. What is the use of a Paring knife? Ans. Paring knife is small and easy to handle for peeling and carving fruits and vegetables.
Q15. What information should a recipe contain? Ans. 1. Name of the dish. 2. Number of portions. 3. Ingredients and amount of each. 4. Method of preparation.
Q16. How do you get your inspiration to become a chef? Ans. Reading cookbooks, dining out on local flavours and working with my mother in kitchen developed the interest in me towards cooking.
Q17. What is your favourite food to eat? Ans. Apart from Indian cuisine I love Italian cuisine because of variety of pasta and sauces.( NOTE: This answer should be given on your own interest )
Q18. What is a Menu? Ans. A menu is a list of food and beverages offered to customer along with the price.
Q19. What is Cover? Ans. Cover refers to the number of seating available at the restaurant.
Q20. What is PAX? Ans. PAX refers to the number of guest.
Q21. Why do we need to put cooked food in refrigerator? Ans. The main reason to put food in refrigerator is to protect food from spoilage and bacteria.
Q22. What are the methods of cooking? Ans. Baking, Broiling, Roasting, Frying, Grilling, Braising, Stewing, Steaming, Boiling, Poaching
Q23. What is the serving temperature of an ice cream? Ans. The ideal serving temperature of an ice cream is -14degree Celsius to -12 degree Celsius. The storage temperature of an ice cream is -20 degree Celsius to -18degree Celsius.
Q24. Name a few types of pasta and pasta preparations? Ans. Types of pasta: Penne, Macaroni, Farfalle, Lasagne, Fusilli, Ravioli, Tortellini, Type of pasta preparation: pasta in pesto sauce, pasta Bolognese, pasta mac n cheese, pasta alfredo, pasta arabiata.
Q25. What is an Emulsion? Ans. An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally unmixable.
Q26. Name some herbs and spices used in the kitchen? Ans. Star anise, Basil, Bay leaf, Cardamom, celery, chervil, chives.
Q27. How many courses are there in French classical menu? Ans. French classical menu contain 17 courses of meal.
Q28. What is Bouquet Garni? Ans. Bouquet Garni is a bundle of herbs and vegetables like bay leaf, black pepper, celery, onion, thyme and parsley. It is normally used to give flavour to soups, sauces and gravies.
Q29. Name few types of Breads? Ans. Baguette, Bagel, Brioche, Chapatti, Ciabatta, Foccacia and Tortilla.
Q30. What is Buffet? Ans. A Buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners serves themselves.
Q31. What do you like most about being a Sous Chef? Ans. The ability to see different management styles from different chefs and the ability to learn different cuisine styles from different chefs. All of these things helps me to grow and become better rounded.
Q32. What is Roux? Ans. Roux is a thickening agent which is used to thickened soups and gravies. Equal quantity of refined flour and butter cooked together at a certain period of time. There are three types of roux: White, Blonde and Brown.
Q33. What is Marinade? Ans. The final flavouring agent is called marinade. A seasoned liquid in which a product is soaked for the purpose of either flavouring or tenderizing or both.
Q34. What is MSG? Ans. MSG- Monosodium glutamate
Q35. What is Hors d’ oeuvres? Ans. Small relishes or appetisers. Served as first course of meal in French cuisine.
Q36. Why are fresh herbs considered better? Ans. Fresh herbs are always preferred over dried herbs because the flavour tends to be more complex and complete.
Q37. How are herbs categorised? Ans. Herbs are categorised as fresh, dried, pickled and frozen.
Q38. What all skills are required for food presentation? Ans. Presenting food properly requires a high level of skills, knowledge and imagination.
Q39. What are the basic factors of food presentation? Ans. Temperature, flavour, colour, shapes, texture and garnish.
Q40. What is a KOT? Ans. KOT stands for kitchen order ticket.
Q41. Why do you want to work here? Ans. Your property is one of the best property in which I can enhance my skills.
Q42. What are the different types of breakfast egg preparation? Ans. Soft boiled egg, hardboiled egg, scrambled egg, fried egg, sunny side up, omelettes, poached eggs etc.
Q43. What is Consomme? Ans. Consomme is a very clear soup made by clarifying a stock and adding a garnish
Q44. Name different type of mother sauce? Ans. Bechamel sauce, Espagnole sauce, Tomato sauce, Veloute sauce, Hollandaise sauce and Mayonnaise sauce.
Q45. Name different cuts of fish? Ans. Darne, Supreme, Tron,Goujons and Goujonettes, Mignon, Paupiette. Q46. Name cuts of chicken? Ans. The chicken contains: 2 Breast 2 Drumsticks 2 Supreme 2 Thighs 2 wings
Q47. Name cuts of mutton? Ans. Shoulder, Legs, Breast, Middle neck, Scrag end, Best end, Cutlets, Saddle, Loin, Kidney, Liver, Lambs tongue.
Q48. Name Indian gravies? Ans. Onion tomato gravy, White gravy, Makhani gravy, Brown gravy, Yellow gravy.
Q49. Name some Indian Rice preparation? Ans. Boiled rice, Pulao, Biryani, Zarda, Kashmiri pulao etc.
Q50. Name some Indian sweet? Ans. Kheer, Balushahi, Rasgulla, Gulabjamun, Ghewar, Ladoo.
Q51. Name some International soups? Ans. Mulligatawany- India Gazpacho- Spain Paprika- Hungary Minestrone- Italy Scotch broth- Scotland Petit marmite – France French onion soup – France Bouillabaise – France Chowder – America
Soup is also known as a complete meal because it was found healthy, nourishing, economical and wholesome. Soup is a liquid food consisting of meat, seafood, vegetables, cereals
HISTORY OF SOUP
The word soup comes from a French soupe (“soup”, “broth”), which comes through vulgar latin suppa (“bread soaked in broth”) from a Germanic source, from which also comes the word “sop”, a piece of bread used to soak up soup or a thick stew.
Soup is said to be as old as the history of cooking. The earliest soup dates back to 20,000 BC in Xianrendong Cave China where the ancient pottery showed signs of scorch marks which suggests that the pot must have been used in making hot soup.
It is thought that ancient soup makers simply dug a hole in the ground, lined it with animal skin, and used it to boil water using hot stones. This practice dates back to the Neanderthals who used to boil bones and render fats that would prevent protein poisoning. This cooking method resulted in a drinkable broth.
Why was Soup Cooked?
Cooking was the best thing that ever happened to the early man after the discovery of fire. The advancements in pottery allowed man to boil meat, grains, roots, and vegetables, instead of eating them using the roasting method.
Submerging the food in water held more importance. It allowed the food to cook faster and thoroughly. It also provided for better flavours in the soup since the food would release its juices and make the soup tastier. Starches made the soup thicker allowing the meal to be more satiating.
The soup is classified into 4 category.
1.Thin soup 2.Thick soup 3. Cold soup 4. International soup.
These 4 soups are further divided into different parts.
THIN SOUP Most of the thin soups are clear, flavoured nutritious liquids and are prepared without the use of starch. is soup is a thin liquid with small garnish of small cut food items. Thin soups are classified into two parts: passed and unpassed soup
Passed soups are those soups which are mild in flavours. It is a soup which is basically strained after preparation with the help of strainer or a muslin cloth. The speciality of this soup is that it is simple, clear, transparent and flavourful. This can be made with poultry, beef, veal and vegetables. one of the famous example of passed soup is Consomme’.
Unpassed soups are those soup which are prepared same as clear passed soup but it is not strained and has solid ingredients in it. The preparation method is same as passed soup and can be prepared from beef, veal and vegetables. example of unpassed soup is Broth and Boillion.
THICK SOUP
Thick soup are not transparent as thin soups. They are thickened by adding a thickening agent such as a roux(thickening agent prepared by cooking equal amount of refined flour and butter), cornflour, cream or by pureeing one or more ingredients. Thick soup are classified upon the type of thickening agent used in it.
1. Cream soup: This soup is prepared from puree of vegetables, meat, fish and poultry. The name cream soup is normally given after the main ingredients example Crème de Tomate, which is a cream soup made from tomato. Cream soup are generally thickened with roux, liaison, or other thickening agents and little amount of milk or cream is added into the soup which gives smooth creamy texture to the final product.
2. Veloute soup: The French word veloute translated into English which means velvety. This describes the finished texture and appearance of the soup. The main thickening agent is a blond roux or a veloute sauce.
3. Puree soup: Puree soups are thick soups made by cooking and then pureeing vegetables or ingredients used in soup. For example, lentil soup, potato soup and vegetable soup.
4. Bisque: It is a shellfish based soup, which is passed and may be garnished with dices of seafood used in the soup. Traditionally it is thickened with rice and finished with cream. for example lobster bisque.
5. Chowder: Chowder soup is not strained and traditionally they are seafood based soup thickened with potatoes and finished with cream or milk. For example clam chowder. Chowder are from USA and most classical version comes from Manhattan and hence the name Manhattan chowder.
COLD SOUP
As the name suggest, these soups are served cold but not chilled. Chilling would dull the flavour and the soup would taste bland. They do not form a separate classification as they can be thin, thick, passed or unpassed. For example Gazpacho, Vichyssoise and Jellied consommé.
INTERNATIONAL SOUP
These again do not form a separate classification as they represent the region of origin. For example Green turtle soup, French onion soup, Chowder.
List of International soup.
Green turtle soup – England
French onion soup – France
Minestrone – Italy
Ajiaco – Colombia
Gazpacho – Spain
Miso – Japan
Tom Yom – Thailand
Egg drop soup – China
Chowder – America
Paprika – Hungary
Mulligatawny- India
So I hope now you got to know about the history and types of soup.
Sauce is a liquid or semi liquid mixture a combination of ingredients and a keen light and strong aroma all contribute to a perfect sauce.
A perfect sauce has a colorful appearance a velvety texture, a definite taste and a natural flavor. Sauce is generally served along with the dish.
Sauces are categorized into two types
1. KITCHEN SAUCES: Those sauce which are prepared in home kitchen, restaurant kitchen or hotels kitchen are known as kitchen sauce. These sauces have limited shelf life and should be consumed as soon as possible. For example: mother sauce, apple sauce, mint sauce etc.
2. PROPRIETARY SAUCE: Those sauces which are available in the market and the company did not leak out their recipe. These kinds of sauces have more shelf life and contain different types of preservatives. For example: 8n8, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce etc.
IMPORTANCE OF SAUCE
1. Sauces add flavor to the dish and at the same time also helps to cook food.
2. Sometime sauces are served to bring out the character to the dish.
3. The most important reason to serve a sauce is to provide moistness to the food.
4. Sauces are also used to provide a contrasting color onto a plate, so that the overall appearance of the dish is enhanced and it looks like a work of an art.
5. Sauces add texture to the food and enhance the overall experience. Traditionally, a crisp-fried texture of the fish finger is enhanced by providing a creamy tartare sauce.
6. Sauces also helps to increase the nutritional value of the dish.
7. Some sauces helps in the digestion for example mint sauce, apple sauce orange sauce. A sauce is to be served with any kind of food item whether it’s savoury, sweet, hot or cold. Very sweet desserts such as meringue are served with a chunky tropical fruit salsa to cut down excess sweetness of the meringue.
Different types of thickening agents are used to thicken the sauce such as corn flour, rice flour, roasted gram flour, roux, coconut, coriander and cumin powder, tamarind pulp etc. Chinese normally use corn flour to thicken their sauces and soups on the other hand Indians generally used coconut powder, roasted gram flour, tamarind pulp, coriander and cumin powder.
In continental and French cuisine they use Roux to thicken their soups and sauces.
Roux: Roux is a mixture of equal quantity of refined flour and butter which are cooked together in a frying pan for a certain period of time. Roux are classified into 3 types.
Roux get its name according to its colour.
HOW TO PREPARE ROUX.
1. White roux: The equal quantity of butter and refined flour cooked together for 2-3 minutes on medium flame. The raw flavour of the flour is just cooked out while maintaining the white colour. This roux is used in the preparation of bechamel or white sauce. This milk based sauce is thickened with white roux.
2. Blonde roux: Also known as golden roux. Blonde roux is cooked for 3-5 minutes which give light caramelised colour. This roux is used for the preparation of veloute sauce and other sauces which require golden texture.
3. Brown roux: This roux is cooked for 7-10 minutes until the mixture developed dark brown in colour and gives nutty aroma. This brown roux is used in the preparation of brown sauce such as espagnole sauce and brown gravies.
In French cuisine and continental cuisine “Mother sauces” are widely used to prepare most of the food preparations. Mother sauces refer to any one of the five basic sauces, which are the starting points for making various secondary sauces or their derivatives. They are called mother sauces because each one sauce is like head of its own unique family. A sauce is essentially a liquid plus some sort of thickening agent along with other flavoring ingredients. Each of the five mother sauce is made with a different liquid and a different thickening agent. Three of the mother sauces are thickened with different roux. The different types of mother sauces are:
These sauces are classified into 3 parts i.e. “Hot sauce, Warm sauce and cold sauce”.
HOT SAUCE – Bechamel sauce, veloute sauce, espagnole sauce and tomato sauce.
WARM SAUCE-Hollandaise sauce.
COLD SAUCE -Mayonnaise sauce.
While preparing the sauce always keep in mind that hot liquid should never be added into hot roux or hot roux into hot liquid as it may cause the sauce lumpy. A cold liquid is always added into hot roux or hot liquid is added into normal temperature roux.
BASIC SAUCES AND THEIR DERIVATIVES
So I hope the basics of sauces are clear to you.
In my next post we will discuss about the recipes of basic mother sauces and the recipes of their derivatives. Meanwhile keep cooking, stay healthy and eat fresh with me your foodie friend chef venkatesh sharma.
Pasta is one of the world’s most eatable item in the menu. Well every country has its own unique version of pasta. Most of the people link pasta with Italian food and believed that it was originated in Italy. While pasta is traditionally italian, it actually has a very ancient history that make it almost impossible to know who came up with the dish first.
The history of pasta is difficult to trace for several reason’s. The word pasta itself translate to ‘paste’ in italian. It refrence to the dough made from flour, eggs and water.
When we talk about pasta, we must first define the term. The word pasta is generally used to describe traditional Italian noodles which differentiate it from other type of noodles around the world. Pasta is made from unleavened dough which consist of ground durum wheat flour and water or egg. The use of durum wheat set pasta apart from other forms of noodles. Higher gluten content and low moisture make it perfect suited to pasta production.
The durum wheat dough is pressed into various shapes. A common belief about pasta is that it was brought to Italy from China by Marco Polo during 13th century. There are more than 600 shapes of pasta in the world.
Some of the famous pasta shapes are:.
Anelli
Penne
Fusilli
Macaroni (elbow pasta)
Farfalle
Cannelloni
Fettuccine
Ravioli
Lasagne
Tortellini
Gnocchi
Some widely used pasta preparation are:
Pasta arabiata
Pasta mac n cheese
Pasta carbonara
Lasagne pasta
Pasta nepolitan
Pasta agli-o-lio
Now I would like to share my favorite pasta preparation which is pasta agli-o-lio.
PASTA AGLI-O-LIO
INGREDIENTS:
Boiled pasta 1cup
Chopped garlic 1 tablespoon
Basil leaf 4-5 no
chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon
chilli flakes 1 teaspoon
chopped fresh thyme 1 sprig
olive oil 1 tablespoon
butter 1 teaspoon
Blanched broccoli 1/4 cup
bell pepper 1/4 cup
chopped olives 1 tablespoon
Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoon
Parsley chopped 1 tablespoon
black pepper crushed 1/2 teaspoon
salt to taste
METHOD
in a frying pan add olive oil and butter and heat for few seconds. now add garlic and fresh rosemary and thyme into it and toss for 15-20 seconds. once the herbs is properly tossed add blanched broccoli and bell pepper to it. saute the vegetables well into oil and butter. now add boiled pasta to it , add salt, black pepper fine chopped parsley and basil, mix well and sprinkle crushed black pepper to it and toss gently. turn off the gas and add basil leaves, chopped olives and Parmesan cheese to it. mix well and serve hot with garlic bread.
The history of kebab trace back to both Asia and Africa. The word kebab means to ‘roast’. The term can also be referred to a meat Patty mixed with the number of spices.
In Asian countries kebabs are served along with rice, salad, flat bread and chutney. The kebabs are considered to have originated in Turkey when soldiers used to grill chunks of freshly hunted animal skewed on their sword on open fire. The name was first discovered in a Turkish script of ‘kyssa-i-yusuf’ in 1377 which is the oldest known source where kebab is started as a food item.
Pakistan is one of those Asian countries where people crave for spicy rich cuisine. Traditional food in Pakistan naturally include a wide range of spicy kebab. Some of the famous kebab includes sheekh kebab, shaami kebab, reshmi kebab, chapli kebab, bihari kebab, Tikka, doner kebab, pasanday and peshawari kebab.
The people of both India and Pakistan are simply fond of different varieties of kebab. In India some of the famous kebabs are bihari kebab, bori kebab, kakori kebab, kastoori kebab, hariyali kebab and galouti kebab.
The most famous kebab of India is galouti kebab or galawat kebab. It’s the most softest kebab which melt in the mouth. There’s an amazing story which is related to galouti kebab. In Lucknow there was a king named Assudaula who was fond of food and his love for meat was endless so when he became old, fatty and his teeth started to fell down, one day he called his chef and city’s local kitchen masters to prepare a kebab for him which he can easily chew as he’s not having teeth. So there a person who is not having one hand, prepared a kebab which is known as galawat or tundey kebab. The kebab was so soft that it melted in mouth of king and he liked it so much. The galawat kebab is prepared with minced meat of goat, for softness raw papaya paste is added. The raw papaya contain papain which help to tenderise the mutton faster, apart from this different types of herbs and spices are added in the preparation of this kebab. It also contain sandalwood powder. This kebab is good for health as it also contain medicinal herbs. The authentic galawat or tundey kebab can be found in Lucknow.
So today I would like to share recipe of ‘Rajma ke Galouti kebab’.
Rajma ke Galouti kebab
Ingredients:
Boiled rajma. 1cup
for Galouti masala
Jeera 1tablespoon
Coriander seeds 1tablespoon
Blackpepper corn 3-4number
Green cardamom 6-7 number
Black cardamom 2-3 number
Fennel seeds 1teaspoon
Star anise( chakriphool) 2 number
Cloves 3-4 number
Ajwain 1teaspoon
Dried rose petals 1 tablespoon
Bayleaf 2 number
Khus ki jad 2grams
Paan ki jad 3grams
Chandan powder 1/2 teaspoon
Roasted besan 2 tablespoon
Ghee 5 tablespoon
kewra essence 1 teaspoon
Fried onion paste 1tablespoon
Fried onion paste 1tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
METHOD
In a blender make a fine paste of Boiled Rajma and transfer to a bowl.
In a frying pan add jeera, coriander seeds, black cardamom, green cardamom, fennel seeds, black pepper, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, ajwain, dried rose petals, bay leaf, khus ki jad and paan ki jad, lightly roast these ingredients and make a fine powder in a blender.
now in a bowl add rajma paste, fried onion paste, fried cashewnut paste, red chilli powder, 3 tablespoon of desi ghee, chandan powder and prepared galouti masala. mix well and add roasted besan. combine the mixture well.
now in the center of the mixture place a small bowl to this add lighted charcoal add a teaspoon of ghee and cover the bowl with a tight lid and keep aside for 15 minutes.
now open the lid take out the bowl. In a frying pan add 2 tablespoon of ghee. wet your hands with little water, take small portion of mixture and flatten on your palm. carefully add it on hot frying pan and cook from both the sides.
Take out on a tissue paper. serve hot with mint chutney.
Try out the recipe and share your views.
keep cooking-eat healthy and stay fit @chefvenkatesh sharma
Tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking. The tandoor is used for cooking in India, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Afghanistan, Burma, Middle east, Bangladesh and Central Asia.
Tandoor is derived from a Persian word ‘Tannur’. The oldest example of tandoor were found 3000B.C in Harrapan and Mohenjodaro civilization. The Portuguese were the first to introduced tandoor. In India Bhramins prefer vegetarian food and the khatriyas prefer non vegetarian dishes, but one thing which is common in both the caste is preparation of breads in tandoor. In India tandoor was brought by portuguese via Afghanistan. During 14th century a noted poet Amir Khusro describe ” Naan-e-tanuk” which reffers to light breads and “Naan-e-Tanuri” which means baked on stone walls of tandoor at the imperial court in delhi. In India Punjab adopted tandoor so well, but Jahangir was credited by whom tandoor got so much appreciation. Jahangir was the mughal king who is fond of food. He is the one who introduced portable tandoor. Whenever he used to travel to kashmir and other part of India he prefer tandoor food while his journey so he told the potter to prepare a tandoor which can be took along with him wherever he goes.
The original tandoor is made up of clay and the food is cooked with fired charcoal. nowadays we can find electrical and gas tandoor in hotels and restaurant. The tandoor is used to make different type of breads, kebabs and starters. Temperature in tandoor can approach upto 480 degree Celsius. The food prepared in tandoor gets a very unique charcoal and smoky flavour.
In tandoor we can prepare a large number of starters. There are four basic marinations which can be used in any starter preparation. so lets check out the basic tandoori marination.
TYPES OF TANDOORI MARINATION
Red tandoori marination is prepared with Hung curd, black salt, garam masala, red chilli powder, mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste, chaat masala, fine chop green chilly, fine chop coriander and mint, cumin powder, salt, turmeric, kasoori methi and lemon juice.
Yellow tandoori marination includes hung curd, black salt, garam masla, ajwain, mustard oil, salt, turmeric, kasoori methi, chaat masala, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, fine chop coriander and mint
Achari tandoori marination is prepared with Hung curd, black salt, garam masala, red chilli powder, mustard oil, chaat masala, ginger-garlic paste, fine chop green chilly, fine chop coriander and mint, cumin powder, salt, turmeric, kasoori methi, lemon juice and paste of mix veg pickle.
White tandoori marination includes hung curd, saunf powder, ajwain powder, kasoori methi, salt, lemon juice, grated process cheese, cream, vegetable oil, fine chop green chilly, ginger-garlic paste, fine chop mint and coriander.
Green tandoori marination includes hung curd, salt, lemon juice, garam masla, kasoori methi, mint and coriander paste, chaat masala and vegetable oil
If you don’t have tandoor but wants the exact flavour then add a small bowl in marinated item bowl now add burn charcoal into the small bowl add 2 cloves and a tablespoon of ghee and cover with a lid for about 10 minutes. Then grill the food item on a grill pan. After the food item is grilled again do the burnt charcoal process. You’ll get the exact restaurant style flavour.
So stand up fold your sleeves and prepare your favourite food item whether it’s veg or nonveg with one of above tandoori marination.
Keep cooking- eat healthy and stay fit.
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The baking of bread is one of the oldest human activities. The art of baking was developed early during the Romans Empire. It was a highly famous art at that time because the Romans loved baked items. Around 300 B.C baking was introduced as an occupation and respected profession for Romans. The first professional bakery was established in 168 B.c in Rome. These baked good promoted Baking from Europe to several parts of Asia. The bakers began to prepare bread at home in wood fire ovens and start selling them on streets. This trend became common and soon the baked product started to sold in the streets of Rome, Germany, London. On July 7 1928 a bakery named ‘Missouri’ introduced first automatic bread slicing machine which was invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder.
World war 2 directly affect the bread industries in the UK. Baking schools closed during this time and at the end of war there were absence of skilled bakers. This change the perception of bakery and new baking method introduced. The new method includes adding of chemicals to dough and premixes.
Some Bread products are:
Breads
Bagels
Doughnuts
Muffins
Buns
Pastries
Pies
Brownies
Cakes
Croissant
Cupcakes
Cookies
Pita
Macroons etc
So now I would like to share my favourite Chocolate fudge Brownie recipe with you all.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter 1/2 cup
castor sugar 1 cup
Eggs 2 no
vanilla essence few drops
Refined flour 1/2 cup
cooking oil 1 tablespoon
cocoa powder 1/2 cup
salt 1/4 teaspoon
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180 degree celcius.
Lightly greased baking pan with some oil and line baking or butter paper in greased tray.
In a bowl combine melted butter, oil and sugar together and whisk well for about a minute. now add eggs and vanilla essence and beat until lighter in colour. it will take about 2 minutes.
Sift the refined flour, cocoa powder and salt with a strainer. gently fold the dry ingredients into wet ingredients. ( do not over beat the mixture)
Pour the batter into greased tray and bake for about 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degree celcius.
Remove and allow to cool at room temperature. now slice the brownie and serve with vanilla ice-cream.
You can add chopped walnut, peanuts, almond or chocochips for crunch or taste.
I hope you like the recipe. so try at your home as soon as possible.
In India since childhood everyone is fond of LADDU, whether it’s besan laddu, boondi laddu, motichoor laddu or any other form everyone like it so much.
The laddu can be placed on the top of Indian hierarchy of sweets because it is served on all happy occasions. Laddu are also associated with Hindu Lord Ganesha.
The laddu is a sphere shaped sweet and the word is derived from a Sanskrit word ‘laduka or lattika’. The laddu are made up of different types of flour, ghee, dry fruits and sugar. It is believed that the laddu was originated during the time of epic Mahabharata where the ‘vedhya'(medicine man) used to prepare small round balls of jadibuti(different kinds of medicinal herbs) and coat it with jaggery and coconut, so that the fighters and patient’s can easily intake it.
It is also believed that during the ancient time laddu were given to teenage girls to keep their raging hormones under check. Even now a day’s the laddoos are given to the pregnant lady and to the new born babies mother, which helps to give energy to the women’s body because after delivery the women’s body loose energy so to recover the energy laddu is given to women’s.
So the common forms of laddu are motichoor, boondi, besan and aate ka laddu.
Today I would like to share two different healthy recipes of laddu. The one is Methi(fenugreek) ke laddu, which is very good for pregnant ladies and it is also good to eat during winter season as it contain dry fruits and fenugreek which helps to give warmness to the body.
The second one is my favorite Oats ke laddu which is very healthy and can be eat by those who are very health concious.
chef venkatesh 