How To Improve My Cooking ! ?

Hi

Even I had not stepped to kitchen before marriage.

After marriage I learnt few basic cooking from my mom n husband(yes he cook better than me).. still always my dh used to scold my cooking I used to put more salt or burn it up n stuff. I was working as software engineer so no time managing house n office so I didn't care much to improve cooking...

Now after coming usa I became stay at home since am not working now I decided to give interest about cooking..

Now my dh n his colleagues too love my cooking(shares food at office during lunch)

Tips:

Don't try elaborate food first just do basic items.

Keep watching YouTube cooking videos in free time

When you visit mom's watch while she cooks and get sambar and rasam powder from her and get exact number of spoons and tamarind size she adds and write down.

PS: I know how it feels when kids don't eat food.. I can help you if you need more info feel free to message me

 

Hi op,
Some tips from my experience..
1) Taste the dishes at every stage for example-adding tamarind to sambar..just add half of what you have, taste it and then add if required.
2)Always try to keep measurement..example-measure dhal that you are going to make for sambar and spoon measure which amount of sambar powder to be added.. this will give you consistent taste.
3)IMO tomatoes play major role in deciding the taste (south indian) so you should remember some basic tips of amount of tomatoes for different curries..If you are tamilian let me know i'll give some basic tips for amount of tomatoes for our curries.
4)Amount of powders to be added for each dish has some basic rule so always use same measuring spoon.
If you want any more details..let me know..don't worry dear..keep trying..all the best

 

@EagerForInfo ,
I just went through the other thread of yours regarding problems with finance with husband. I am sure all this is making you jittery and naturally, you are not in a happy frame of mind when attending to other household issues like cooking etc. Other Ilites have given you very good tips above, as well as in the other thread. All i want to tell you is that you just aim to do your best and do not worry about pleasing your husband.
Regarding cooking, it does get better with experience, but if u have not succeded upto now, it may be due to your frame of mind. Nowadays you have tube videos, as well as cooking sites like padhuskitchen for instance, which is very good for basic daily cooking.
For a good sambhar, some important things u can keep in mind:
!(1)Cook the thur dhal very well and mash it properly.
(2) Use fresh tamarind as far as possible, if using paste, dilute it, and taste after adding.
(3) Sambhar powder quantity also u can follow as given in the recipes specifically.
(4) fry / cook the veges first till 3/4th cooked, and then add the tamarind juice, sambhar powder and let boil
After raw smell of tamarind is gone, add the dhal, curry leaves, coriander, and boil for 5 more minutes and take
down and temper in the end with mustard,curryleaves, one red chillie and little powder asoefotida.
Relax and try to enjoy your cooking, and u will definitely get good results. Wish u all the best.

 

Some tips and tricks from my kitchen, use the same sambar powder which turned out well. Don't try different brands. We use home made sambar powder. Similarly use the same amount of tamarind, sugar, salt etc every time. Keep tasting while you are cooking, tasting let's u know what to add more. Always be reluctant to add salt and sambar powder with exact quantities, start with smaller quantities and keep tasting and add more.
And ya, marriage doesn't make everyone chef! So chill, and enjoy cooking...
If you're watching videos o following recipes, then you should follow same measurements and the same brands which the author has followed.

 

Please try homemade sambar powder and watch YouTube videos. It will help you a lot. I have improved my cooking ability with this techniq.

 

Hi,

I generally put one spoon sambar rasam podi and one spoon of home made podi.

For varutharacha podi, you have to first roast thoor dhal, chana dhal, corriander seeds, red chili, vendayam, curry leaves and coconut .. Grind it.. Keep it in airtight container. Use it for sambar.. Yours will taste the same every time

Best wishes

 

First relax. Its k its not late now also. I get you when you say that your dishes are not consistent in taste. If your sambar is too tangy then add more dhall and sambar powder. If your sambar is less tangy then add boiled tomatoes. Like dhall and sambar powder you can measure tamarind too. When I started cooking I used to be like you with the sambar having different tastes at different times. So i started measuring the tamarind because i didnt understand the lemon size tamarind concept. So i used to split the tamarind now my family of 4 needs 10 pieces of tamarind for lunch for which 6 or 7 handfulls of turdhall is sufficient. My husband used to laugh saying he has not seen anyone measuring tamarind. He is an expert cook. But i didnt mind, till i got confidence i used to measure. Dry roast dhaniya, grind and keep aside. If your sambar is watery you can add this ground dhaniya to make it thick. It would give a nice flavour to sambar in addition to making it thick. Instead of toor dhall you cand add moong dhall too to sambar which we usually make for tiffin. For araichu vitta sambar, i add 2 teaspoons of dhaniya, 1 spoon of channa dhall and 1 spoon of urad dhall, a little vendhayam(fenugreek) and 2 teaspoons of coconut all roasted and ground. Roast coconut well which would give a nice smell to sambar. As for curries, am sure you know the quantity of the vegetables needed for your family when you cut. Salt alone you have to be careful. As for spice if you add more then you can adjust it by adding coconut. If its less spicy you can add sambar powder and rasam powder to increase the spice. It would give nice smell to the curries. Maintain a notebook, when you get everything right on a day, dont hesitate to note the measurements in it.

 

I really get inspired watching the episodes of Snack Attack by Chef Ranvir Brar...