Appam (Bread)
Appam is a type of South Indian pancake madewith fermented rice batter and coconut milk. It isa popular food in South Indian states of Keralaand Tamil Nadu. It is also very popular in SriLanka where it is commonly referred to by itsanglicized name as Hoppers. It is eaten mostfrequently for breakfast or dinner. It is calledChitau Pitha in Oriya, Paddu or Gulle Eriyappa inKodava. It is known as Appa in Sinhala andArpone in Burmese.Appam ingredients may differ according to thedish like Plain hoppers (Vella Appam),Kallappam, Egg hoppers, Milk hoppers(Palappam), Honey hoppers, String hopper(Nool Puttu), Pesaha appam, Achappam,Neyyappam, Vattayappam.
Vineet Kaushal
Classification of Sea Food
The sea foods mainly is divided into two categories −Fish − They are fish with fins and internal skeleton. For example, Tuna, Mackerel, and King fish.Shell Fish − They are fish with shell but no internal bone structure. For example, Crabs.Let us understand more about Fish.FishFish can be cut for cooking in the following form −Complete − As caught.Dressed − Fins, tail, scales, and head removed.Drawn − Viscera removed.Steak − Cut into cross section slices, each slice containing a part of bone.Fillets − Boneless sides of fish; with or without skin.Tranches − Pieces of fillets.Butterfly Fillet − Both sides fillets kept naturally joint while cutting.
Indian Rice Dishes
Indian Rice DishesRice is consumed with either Daal, curds, gravy, or curry if it is plain. Variants like Biryani, Pulao, Curd-Rice, and Tamarind-Rice are consumed as a one dish meal. Rice is washed thoroughly and cooked with water, salt, and little ghee in a pressure cooker or electric cooker. In this section, we will discuss some of the popular rice dishes.Plain RiceIt is boiled/steamed rice without any spices.Ingredients −Raw long grain rice 1 cup, water, salt ½ teaspoon, ghee 1 tbsp. (optional).Preparation −Take 2 cups water in a medium saucepan.Add salt and ghee to it.Bring it to boil.Add rice and boil it for 5 minutes.Turn down the heat and cook for 15 minutes with lid on.Cut the heat.Let it stand for 5 minutes with lid.The grains should be finely cooked yet separate.PulaoThis is spicy rice cooked in veg or non veg stock and pieces of vegetables or meat.Ingredients −Long grain rice 1 ½ cup, Green Peas ¼ cup, Dices carrot ¼ cup, Any other diced vegetable of choice, Bay leaf 1 piece, Garam Masala Powder ½ tbsp., Turmeric and Red Chili Powders, Mustard Seeds and Cumin Seeds ½ tbsp. each, Asafoetida a pinch for chhonk, chopped coriander leaves 1 bunch, salt ½ tbsp., oil 2 tbsp., vegetable stock 2 ½ cups.Preparation −Wash rice and keep aside.In a heavy bottom pan, add oil.When it is heated, add Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Asafoetida, and Turmeric Powder.Add vegetables and red chili powder and stir for a couple of minutes.Add rice, stock, and salt.Bring to boil on full heat.Reduce heat and cook rice for 15 minutes.Cut the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes with lid.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.Meat pulao is made of replacing pieces of vegetables with pieces of boneless meat and meat masala.KhichdiKhichdi is rice cooked with mainly lentils and chopped carrot. The split green grams or pigeon peas are used as accompanying lentils with rice. This one dish meal is light on spices and always seasoned with ghee.BiryaniBiryani is a savory Mughal delicacy the Northern Indian lands have given to the world. Though there are veg and non-veg versions prepared, the non-veg version of Biryani prepared with meat stock and meat pieces is more popular. Here is how a gourmet mutton biryani is prepared −Ingredients −For Rice − Star Anise 1, washed & drained basmati rice 500 gm, Bay Leaves 2, Black Cardamoms 2, Black Cumin Seeds 2 tbsp., Black Peppercorns 6, Green Cardamoms 6, cinnamon sticks 1”X2, Cloves 6, Fennel Seeds 1 tbsp., Nutmeg ¼ Piece, Mace 1 flower, Salt 2 tbsp.For Mutton Marination − Mutton 1 kg cut in 2 inches pieces, Garam Masala 1 tbsp.,1 Ginger-Garlic Paste 2 tbsp., Raw Papaya Paste 3 tbsp., Hung Curds 6 tbsp., Juice of 1lemon, Red Chili Powder 1 tbsp., salt 1 tbsp. Saffron strands 2 pinches soaked in ½ cup milk.Other ingredients − Thinly sliced onions 4 fried till brown, Chopped tomatoes 2, 4 tbsp ghee. Oil, Rose Water, Kewra essence 6 drops.Preparation −Mix all ingredients for margination and keep standing for 1 hour.Cook the marinated mutton over medium heat by stirring in between till it is soft and intact.Keep covered aside.Soak the rice for 20 minutes in water. Wash well and drain.In a small piece of clean cloth take Black Cardamoms, Black Cumin Seeds, Black Peppercorns, Green Cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, Cloves, Fennel Seeds, Nutmeg, Mace, and tie a knot to make a small bag.Bring around 800 ml water to boil.Add rice, bay leaf, salt, and spice-bag into it.Cover and cook until the rice is half done.Drain the water and remove the whole masala bag.Add Kewra essence and rose water into saffron-milk mixture.Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat.Add ghee and bay leaf.Reduce heat to minimum.Add a layer of cooked rice, top with cooked meat pieces, sprinkle some saffron water, top with fried onion slices and ghee.Repeat till ingredients are over.Put the lid on the pan. Seal the pan using flour dough or foil.Cook the Biryani on low heat for 30 minutes.The difference between Pulao and Biryani is, the Biryani is layered while being cooked, uses exotic spices such as saffron, and has a traditional gourmet cooking style unlike pulao.South Indian communities prefer some simpler and tangy rice dishes such as lemon rice, curd rice, tomato rice, and tamarind rice. These rice versions are often prepared using roasted peanuts, split black gram and yellow gram powder, and a Chhonk of curry leaves, asafoetida, and turmeric.
BASIC Indian Gravies
Basic Indian GraviesGravy is the soul of Indian cuisine. Gravy is a thick liquid of saucy consistency that provides body and flavor to the curries and other food preparation. It provides the basic five tastes − bitter, hot, sweet, sour, and salty. In this section, we will discuss some popular gravies −White GravyA basic gravy that adds body to the curries.Ingredients −Chopped Onions300 gmGreen Cardamom2 piecesCashew nuts200 gmBay leaves2 piecesWater200 mlChopped Green Chilies2Ginger-Garlic Paste25 gmOil5 tbspSweet Yogurt200 gmPreparation −Put cashew nuts in boiling water for five minutes.Drain the water and put fresh water and chopped onions into it.Cook till onions turn soft.Drain the water and grind to fine paste.Heat oil in a wok.Add cardamoms, bay leaves, and chopped green chili.Add yogurt into it and cook for a while.Add cashew nut-onion paste and cook further till oil separates.Cut the heat and let it cool for storing.A variation named Yellow Gravy is prepared by adding turmeric and saffron and replacing green chili with yellow chili.Red GravyIt is tomato based gravy that introduces sour taste.Ingredients −Tomatoes1kgGinger Garlic Paste20 gmOnions500 gmGaram Masala10 gmTomato Puree250 mlChili Powder30 gmPreparation −Boil tomatoes by adding onions and whole Garam Masala till they turn soft.Blend them together till smooth.Add ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, and tomato puree in this mixture.Boil the mixture for 20 to 25 minutes.Yet another version of this gravy called Makhani Gravy is prepared with addition of butter 100 gm, 200 ml cream, and 2 tbsp fenugreek powder.Brown GravyIt is used as a base for preparation of meat curries.Ingredients −Chopped Onions1 kgRed Chili Powder30 gmTomatoes500 gmTomato Puree200 mlGaram Masala5 gmOil5 tbspPreparation −Heat oil in a pan.Add Garam Masala, chopped onion into it and cook till the onion turns brown and translucent.Add red chili powder, tomatoes, and tomato puree.Cook on medium heat till the tomatoes leave water.Grind this mixture into fine paste.Shahi GravyThis gravy is used in gourmet Indian cuisine.Ingredients −Cashew nut200 gmOnions50 gmAlmonds75 gmGreen Cardamom Powder5 gmPoppy Seeds25gmBay Leaves2Ginger-Garlic paste10gmGaram Masala1 tbspOil4 tbspPreparation −Boil cashew and poppy seeds together.Boil onion and almonds separately.Grind them to fine pastes.Take oil in a frypan.Add Garam Masala, bay leaves, and cardamom powder.Add all pastes except cashew-poppy seeds paste.Cook for a while on low heat by stirring occasionally.Add cashew-poppy seeds paste.Cook further for a couple of minutes and cut the heat.Yet another version of Shahi Gravy called Korma Gravy is prepared using 1 cup dried solid milk (Khoya) and 1 cup yogurt.Green GravyThis gravy is used in gourmet Indian veg and non-veg cuisine. Its main ingredient is coconut.Ingredients −Fresh grated coconut2 cupsFresh Chopped Cilantro with stems1 cupGreen Chilies4 piecesMint (Optional)¼ cupSalt½ tbsp.Ginger1 ½” piecePreparation −Put all the ingredients in a blender.Grind to fine paste of thick consistency by adding a little water.
Indian Snacks
Indian SnacksLet us take a look at some of the popular Indian snacks −Alloo Bonda− It is prepared by molding spiced and mashed boiled potatoes into rounds, coating them the batter of gram flour, and deep frying them till golden brown.Idli − It is made with the batter of rice and black gram. Two parts of rice and one part of split husked black gram is soaked for eight hours. They are ground separately in a pouring thick consistency and mixed well together. This batter is kept at warm place for fermentation for around 6 to 8 hours. The batter is set into Idli molds and steamed for 15 minutes.Poha − It is made of beaten rice. The beaten rice is washed and all water is drained. It becomes wet and soft. Some oil is heated in a pan and mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, green chili pieces, and curry leaves are added to it. Peanuts and chopped onion and finely chopped potatoes are added too. After cooking this mixture, the soaked beaten rice is added and mixed well. It is cooked for a few minutes. Finally, salt, a pinchful of sugar, and fresh grated coconut is added to bring tangy taste.Sago Khichadi − The sago is soaked for nearly 2 hours. Ghee is heated in a heavy bottom pan. The cumin seeds and a few pieces of green chilis are added to the ghee. Then pieces of potato are added and fried for a little while. The soaked sago is added alongwith coarsely ground powder of roasted peanuts. The mixture is cooked for a while with lid; stirring occasionally. Finally, some salt and a pinchful of sugar is added.Pakoda (Fritters) − They are prepared by missing onion or potato slices in gram flour with red chili powder, salt, and carom seeds. They are then deep fried till they turn golden brown and served with chutneys.Samosa − It is prepared by stuffing spicy mixed vegetable into stripes of dough, folding them in a triangular shape, and finally deep frying them. The vegetable involves roughly mashed boiled potato and green peas spiced with turmeric and pieces of green chili, fennel seeds, corn nibbles, raisins, and broken cashew nuts.Thalipeeth − It is made of five grain flour. The split chick-peas, rice, wheat, green gram, dry red chilies, and coriander seeds, are roasted. These all ingredients are ground to fine power. At the time of preparation, the flour is kneaded using water and salt into fine soft dough. Some chopped onion and cilantro is added. Some oil is applied to the surface of a skillet and a dough is gently spread into a round disk by pressing it with hand. Finally, the skillet is transferred to heat and the Thalipeeth is cooked on both sides with lid.Upma − Its basic ingredient is broken wheat called daliaor coarsely ground wheat called suji. Regular chhonk is prepared in a pan and some chopped onions, green chili, peanuts, split chick peas, and tomatoes are fried in it. The dalia or suji, salt, and some ginger juliennes is added and stirred for a while. Finally, Boiled hot water is added and the mixture is covered immediately to cook thoroughly.Dhokla − Its main ingredient is gram flour and suji. They both are combined and mixed well with ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, sugar, thin buttermilk and salt. The mixture is fermented for six to eight hours. The batter of thick pouring consistency is then steamed for 10-12 minutes. The dhokla is cut into pieces and seasoned with a chhonk of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.Urad Vada − The main ingredient is black gram. The split and husked black gram is soaked for two hours. It is ground coarsely to thick consistency. Chopped fresh coconut green chilli pieces, and salt is added to taste. The wadas are made with hand making hole at the center and deep fried till they turn golden brown on both sides.Vadi − They are small bite size spicy and tangy rolls cut into disks and fried till crispy.Bakhar Vadi − A mixture of dry roasted coconut, red chili powder, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, chopped fried cilantro, salt, and tamarind pulp is cooked. A mixture of all-purpose flour, corn flour, baking powder, and carom seeds is kneaded into fine dough. A small portion of dough is rolled into a flat disk and the cooked mixture is evenly spread on the top of the disk. It is then rolled and cut into pieces. These pieces are deep fried in oil.Alu Vadi − It is made of arum leaves. A mixture of gram flour, carom and sesame seeds, red chili powder, salt, and tamarind pulp is applied evenly on the back of the arum leaves. The leaves are then folded into tight roll. This roll is steamed for 10 to 12 minutes, cut into pieces, and shallow fried.Kothimbir Vadi − A thick mixture of chopped coriander, chick pea flour, ginger-garlic-green chili paste, salt, and carom and sesame seeds is shaped into a long roll. The roll is steamed for 10 to 12 minutes. It is cut into pieces and sallow fried.
Introduction to Cookery
Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors – it’s how you combine them that sets you apart.…Wolfgang Puck, American Chef, Restaurateur, and Occasional Actor.Food Production and its related operations are integral elements of hospitality management, hotel management, and restaurant businesses. It requires a skilled staff who can produce a wide variety of quality foods.In addition, the culinary staff of a hotel or a restaurant is also required to produce food in a large quantity. Let us start with understanding the basic term ‘Cookery’ in detail.What is Cookery?Cookery is an art and science of preparing food for consumption by using heat. Cookery is an age-old practice. A primitive human must have found a piece of meat or vegetable cooked in the bushfire by chance. He must have found it edible, chewable and easy to consume. Probably, he even must not have cooked deliberately until he knew how to create fire.The simplest method of cooking was holding a piece of meat or vegetable in the fire directly, which is still in practice, with a little sophistication. From the age-old cooking practices to cooking for fine dining, cookery has come a long way with the evolution of humans, their skills, diverse cultures, and the equipment. Today, cookery is an inseparable part of our lives that rules our tongues and hearts.Why Cook Food?We can have some foods in the raw form too, such as salads and fruits but we need to cook certain foods such as beans and meat to make them edible.In addition, if we eat some vegetables without cooking, they can transfer harmful bacteria or substances into our bodies. For example, uncooked beans contain anti-digestive enzymes. Uncooked capsicum (Bell Pepper) contains Capsaicin that can create burning of stomach lining. Cooking helps to destroy unwanted substances present in the food and unwelcomed effects of consuming it.There are many reasons behind cooking food. Some of them are −To make the food digestible.To kill any harmful bacteria present in it.To make appearance of the food pleasant.To change its physical and chemical form.
Role of a Kitchen Manager
There's a bond among a kitchen staff, I think. You spend more time with your chef in the kitchen than you do with your own family.…Gordon Ramsay, British Chef and Restaurateur.Every commercial business needs effective communication and commercial kitchen is not an exception. Places like commercial food preparation units, communication is vital to execute the culinary operations successfully and smoothly.In the domain of commercial kitchen, if the right information is shared at the right time with the right person, it can help to increase kitchen productivity.Role of a Kitchen ManagerThe kitchen manager is a chief chef of the kitchen who is responsible for overall operation of the kitchen. Being the leader of a busy team, the kitchen manager needs to be quick at solving real problems occurring in the kitchen.The kitchen manager’s responsibilities include −Ensuring all food items are prepared and served according to the preparation unit’s recipes, portioning, cooking, and serving standards.Monitoring and controlling the inventory of kitchen items.Supervising the food preparation activities in the kitchen.Supervising if hygiene and cleanliness standards are met.Scheduling the staff according to the working time.Training the new staff.Monitoring equipment maintenance issues.Play active role in achieving the financial target of the food preparation unit.Creating food plans and budget plans for special occasions.Recording key pieces of information such as staff schedules, employee performance and attendance, food and beverage sale, customer’s lost and found, and duty reports in a timely manner.
Kitchen Staff (Brigade de Cuisine)
The responsibilities of kitchen staff are as follows −S.No.Role & Responsibilities1Chef de CuisineMain cook. Overall management of kitchen and staff, supervising, creating new recipes, and training apprentice.2Sous ChefDeputy cook. Takes charge in the absence of Executive cook.3Chef TournantHas skills and knowledge of every section. Takes charge as and when required.4Chef Grade ManagerPrepares all cold savory food.5Chef SaucierPrepares sautéed items.6Chef PoissonierFish and Seafood cook. Prepares sea food dishes.7Chef PatissierPastry cook. Prepares cakes, breads, and pastries.8Chef EntremetierHot appetizers cook. Prepares soups and stocks.9CommisJunior cook.
Indian Street food
Poha − It is made of beaten rice. The beaten rice is washed and all water is drained. It becomes wet and soft. Some oil is heated in a pan and mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, green chili pieces, and curry leaves are added to it. Peanuts and chopped onion and finely chopped potatoes are added too. After cooking this mixture, the soaked beaten rice is added and mixed well. It is cooked for a few minutes. Finally, salt, a pinchful of sugar, and fresh grated coconut is added to bring tangy taste.Sago Khichadi − The sago is soaked for nearly 2 hours. Ghee is heated in a heavy bottom pan. The cumin seeds and a few pieces of green chilis are added to the ghee. Then pieces of potato are added and fried for a little while. The soaked sago is added alongwith coarsely ground powder of roasted peanuts. The mixture is cooked for a while with lid; stirring occasionally. Finally, some salt and a pinchful of sugar is added.Pakoda (Fritters) − They are prepared by missing onion or potato slices in gram flour with red chili powder, salt, and carom seeds. They are then deep fried till they turn golden brown and served with chutneys.Samosa − It is prepared by stuffing spicy mixed vegetable into stripes of dough, folding them in a triangular shape, and finally deep frying them. The vegetable involves roughly mashed boiled potato and green peas spiced with turmeric and pieces of green chili, fennel seeds, corn nibbles, raisins, and broken cashew nuts.Thalipeeth − It is made of five grain flour. The split chick-peas, rice, wheat, green gram, dry red chilies, and coriander seeds, are roasted. These all ingredients are ground to fine power. At the time of preparation, the flour is kneaded using water and salt into fine soft dough. Some chopped onion and cilantro is added. Some oil is applied to the surface of a skillet and a dough is gently spread into a round disk by pressing it with hand. Finally, the skillet is transferred to heat and the Thalipeeth is cooked on both sides with lid.Upma − Its basic ingredient is broken wheat called daliaor coarsely ground wheat called suji. Regular chhonk is prepared in a pan and some chopped onions, green chili, peanuts, split chick peas, and tomatoes are fried in it. The dalia or suji, salt, and some ginger juliennes is added and stirred for a while. Finally, Boiled hot water is added and the mixture is covered immediately to cook thoroughly.Dhokla − Its main ingredient is gram flour and suji. They both are combined and mixed well with ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, sugar, thin buttermilk and salt. The mixture is fermented for six to eight hours. The batter of thick pouring consistency is then steamed for 10-12 minutes. The dhokla is cut into pieces and seasoned with a chhonk of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.Urad Vada − The main ingredient is black gram. The split and husked black gram is soaked for two hours. It is ground coarsely to thick consistency. Chopped fresh coconut green chilli pieces, and salt is added to taste. The wadas are made with hand making hole at the center and deep fried till they turn golden brown on both sides.Vadi − They are small bite size spicy and tangy rolls cut into disks and fried till crispy.A very large variety of street food includes Bhel, Pani-Puri, SPDP (Sev-Puri-Dahi-Puri), Chaat, Roles and Wraps in veg and non-veg variants, spiced corn nibbles or cobs, sandwiches, Vada-pao, Kachchi Dabeli, Ragdaa-Pattie, Bread Pakora, Kebabs, and Momos.Most of the street foods are prepared using various masalas. The street food is often served with Tamarind chutney or Dates chutney. The coconut chutney is prepared with either dry coconut or fresh coconut grinding it with garlic, green or red chili.
Indian Desserts
Indian DessertsIndian desserts are part of main course though in many regions now dessert is being treated as a course after main course. The desserts prepared in pure ghee are considered the best in taste and appearance.Indian Desserts are made of powdered nuts, dairy products, and flavoring condiments such as cardamom and saffron. They are sweetened by adding sugar. The desserts also use shredded carrots, suji, chick pea flour, and hung curds. Let us see, some popular desserts of India −Falooda − It is a popular sweet made of cooked vermicelli, rose or khus syrup, chilled milk, and basil seeds.Gajar Halwaa − It is prepared by cooking shredded carrots in milk with sugar, broken cashew nuts and almonds, raisins, and cardamom.Gulab Jamun − They are round sweetmeats in sugar syrup. All-purpose flour, milk powder, and baking powder are mixed together and kneaded into fine tight dough. It is divided into small round doughs of 1 inch diameter. These small doughs are deep fried till golden brown. Once they cool, they are added into cardamom-flavored sugar syrup and kept aside till they soak the syrup. After a couple of hours, Gulab Jamuns turn soft, swollen, and edible.Jalebi − Jalebis are coiled sweets dipped in sugar syrup. The mixture of all-purpose flour, Corn flour, Curds, and salt is prepared with a thick consistency and fermented for eight hours. It is then filled in a piping bag with 5mm diameter nozzle. Oil is heated in a deep frying pan and the jalebis are prepared directly into heated oil by pouring the batter into oil in the pattern of coil. They are fried till done and put into the sugar syrup.Kulfi − It is a traditional ice cream of Indian subcontinent mostly sought after during summer. It is made of freezing the mixture of thick evaporated milk, sugar, crushed almonds and pistachios, and saffron.Motichoor Laddoo − It is a sweet and flavorful ball-shaped dessert made of Boondi, the fried chick pea flour with pearl shape. To start with, the batter of gram flour with thick flowing consistency is prepared. It is then directly fried into hot oil in the form of small drops when passed through a circle-slotted spoon. Once the Boondi is fried, it is put into sugar syrup and kept for some time. Shelled watermelon seeds, raisins, and cashew nuts are added into this mixture and laddoos are prepared by taking three tbsp. portion of the mixture in hands and shaping it round.Paaysam or Kheer − It is a dish made using either vermicelli or rice, which is cooked in milk flavored with sugar, cardamom powder, saffron, coarsely cut nuts, and pure ghee.Ras Malai (Ras = Juice, Malai = Cream) − It is a flattened sweetmeat in flavorful milk. Its main ingredient is cottage cheese. Fresh cottage cheese is mashed and rolled into small balls of 2 inches diameter. They are flatten a little. They are cooked with sugar, water, and essence of Kewra or Rose for 8 to 10 minutes. They turn soft and bigger once cooked. They are put into a flavorful mixture of thick milk, cardamom powder, blanched and sliced almonds and pistachios, and saffron. This sweet is often consumed chilled.Shreekhand − The main ingredient in this dish is hung curds. Thick curd is acquired by hanging it for 3 to 4 hours in a thin cotton cloth so that most of the water is removed from it. It is then mixed with sugar, cardamom powder, one or two saffron strands, and crushed almonds and pistachio nuts.If the pulp of ripe Alphanso mangoes is mixed with Shreekhand, a very delicious sweet called Aamrakhand is prepared. Both Shreekhand and Aamrakhand are consumed chilled with Puris.Suji Halwaa − Its main ingredient is Suji, which is sauted in ghee with sugar, crushed or sliced nuts, raisins, saffron strands, and cardamom powder. Finally, the halwaa is cooked by adding hot water into this mixture.
Indian Chutneys and Pickles
Indian Chutneys and PicklesChutneys and pickles enhance the flavor of main food by complementing it.ChutneysThey are thick and savory mixture of either grated coconut, roasted peanuts, mustard or sesame seeds, green chili, and salt. Chutneys are also prepared using tamarind pulp, seedless dates, and raisins by cooking them in water for some time, and adding jaggery, salt, cumin seed powder, and chili powder.The chutneys are served with main food, snacks, or street food too.PicklesPickles are prepared by marinating the pieces of raw mango, root vegetables, garlic, raw tender turmeric, or lotus stem in salt, oil, and ground condiments. For pickles, mostly sesame, peanut, or mustard oil is used. They are served as an accompaniment with Parathas, Rotis, and rice dishes.In Southern India, they also prepare pulpy pickles by cooking local leafy vegetables with garlic, chili, tamarind, jaggery, and oil to have them with rice.
Bagoong Monamon (Fish Sauce)
Bagoong monamon, bagoong monamon-dilis, orsimply bagoong and bugguong munamon inllocano, is a common ingredient used in thePhilippines and particularly in Northern Ilocanocuisine. It is made by fermenting saltedanchovies ("monamon" or "munamon" in ilocano)which is not designed, nor customarily used forimmediate consumption since it is completelyraw. Therefore it is used as a cooking ingredient,upon when it is cooked alone, it can be used asan accompaniment to traditional food dishes. Tomost Westerners unfamiliar with this condiment,the smell can be extremely repulsive.Bagoong is however, an essential ingredient inmany curries and sauces.This bagoong is smoother than bagoong terong,however, they are similar in flavor. The odor isunique and smells strongly of fish. Fish sauce,common throughout Southeast Asian cuisine, isa by-product of the bagoong process. Known aspatis, it is distinguished as the clear refined layerfloating on the thicker bagoong, itself. Patis andbagoong can be interchanged in recipes, depending on personal taste and preference.Bagoong is used as a flavor enhancing agent, inthe place of salt soy sauce, or monosodiumglutamate. It is used in creating the fish stockthat is the base for many ilocano dishes, likepinakbet, or as a dressing to greens in the dishcalled kinilnat or ensalada. Bagoong is also usedas a condiment, in many cases, a dipping saucefor chicharon, green and ripe mangoes, or hardboiled eggs.It is similar in taste and smell to that of anchovypaste.Bagoong monamon is marketed either with bitsof fermented fish (which is often used to makeflavorful soups, especially in the locano"Dinengdeng;" or it can be fried for a quick meal)or without (marketed as "boneless" bagoongmunamon, usually stored in bottles). Boneless bagoong, if left undisturbed for quite some time,will settle to the bottom of its containerseparating the clear patis from the solids, aspatis comes from bagoong.In other areas of the Philippines, this type ofbagoong can be named for the locale they camefrom, e.g. bagoong balayan (which is produced inthe coastal town of Balayan in the Province ofBatangas).