Tuesday, August 2, 2011

VINEGAR IN INDIAN COOKING...Garima Aggarwal this inf. is very enriching. Can we discuss some indian dishes in which vinegar can be used..

Vinegar (Sirka) is also used to ground spices, helping to release their delicate flavors.
Sirka is also used is a substitute of yogurt 
and other acid preparations used as marinade.
In India vinegar is used to give the special acid flavor that characterizes oriental cuisine.  
Vinegar is also a food preservative and 
flavoring agent for pickles, dressings.
It is a "wet masala", where  vinegar is 
used in exchange with oil, and as ingredient 
of dishes
like fish, mutton, chicken, and many other.
Vinegar's acidity makes it a natural wonder
in one's  kitchen.  Meat tenderizer: Vinegar's acid helps break down muscle fibers in tough meats. Make a mixture of half vinegar and half broth, and soak tough meat in this solution for up to two hours. (Because of vinegar's ability 
to tenderize, never leave fish in a marinade 
that contains vinegar for longer than 20 minutes; otherwise the fish might get mushy.)  
Fish poacher: When poaching fish, put a tablespoon of vinegar in the poaching water
to keep the fish from falling apart. 
Vinegar helps the protein in the fish coagulate, and mushiness isn't a problem because fish is usually poached for less than 20 minutes.
Put a tablespoon of vinegar in the water 
when boiling eggs.
When a recipe calls for buttermilk and you 
have none, substitute plain milk and add a 
little vinegar. Use one tablespoon of vinegar 
per cup  of milk.
Cover peeled potatoes with water and a tablespoon or two of vinegar to keep them
from browning.
Use vinegar to make pickles or to can 
vegetables to preserve their  freshness.

Different parts of India, use various souring agents. Dahi in the North, tamarind in the South, kudumpalli (fish tamarind) on the Malabar coast, kokum in Maharashtra, lime, vinegar, amchur
(dried green mango), anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) and others are all vital elements in the structure of Indian cooking.
The souring agent gives the foods the  acid 
kick that brings it to life.
India though has remained relatively immune
to the value of vinegar, despite our taste for sourness and no lack of liquids that could be made into it. This may stems from our complex attitude towards alcohol, with vinegar deriving residual guilt though not alcoholic itself.
Vinegars are used in cooking and baking; for making salad dressings, to transform milk into
a buttermilk substitute, and in marinades.

1 comment: