How to make Khoya (or Mawa) at home

I am one of those stubbornly self sufficient people when it comes to cooking. I love making everything from scratch. So, when I needed mawa to make Mawa Cake, instead of saving 2 hours of my life and buying it from the shop, I decided to make it on my own. Making it is so damn easy and involves almost zero labor!

Visit www.foodomania.com for the recipe & step by step pictures.
Link to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/khoya-home-homemade-mawa/

Rasam Powder

Say hello to Ma. She's been kind enough (or.. should I say, excited! :P) to share her 'secret' Rasam powder recipe with us. ;-) Rasam, Saaru, Chaaru, Saathumudhu... different names, one dish. A tamarind based south Indian soup flavored with various spices to give it a different taste every time. Rasam is an indispensable part of a South Indian feast.

How to make Chocolate Shards - step by step

For the recipe + step by step pictures, please visit http://www.foodomania.comLink to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/chocolate-shards-step-step-pictorial/

Essential Equipments for Baking

I keep getting a lot of questions from beginner bakers regarding cups, spoons, pans, how to get started, substitutes etc. I  thought, why not write a post on the knowledge I've gathered in these past few months? :D

Today, I'm going to be talking about equipments that are absolutely necessary for every baker. This is the perfect shopping list.Of course, you can go ahead and buy fancier equipments if you have the money and space to store them. :)

Baking in Microwave Convection Oven

OTG vs Microwave Convection is a topic that has been widely discussed. I have used both. And even though it took me a few burnt cakes to get the settings right, I like my convection microwave oven more. I think it can be a very efficient choice for your kitchen. Most of us have tiny kitchens. In such cases, having a separate oven for baking and a separate one for microwaving makes no sense. Convection ovens are handy and make almost anything albeit they are more expensive than regular microwaves. (Click here to read about different types of ovens)

A convection microwave is a combination of a standard microwave oven and a convection oven. It allows food cooked in the convection microwave to be cooked quickly, yet come out browned or crisped as in a convection oven. For example, a convection microwave oven can be preheated to bake cakes, which is not possible with standard microwave ovens.

I have an Onida Black Beauty Convection Oven. But I'm sure the principles of baking are the same in all convection microwave ovens. Any questions, just leave a comment. I shall try to answer as correctly as possible! [Disclaimer: I'm not claiming to be an expert!] ;-)

I've tried to demystify some of the questions and doubts involved with baking in a convection microwave oven. There are of course so many other functions your could try, but in this post, I'm sticking to Baking. (I'll probably do another one on other functions like defrosting, cooking, grilling etc)

Self Rising Flour

It is flour that has a leavening agent – baking powder – and salt added to it during packaging. Since the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the flour, you will get the same nice lift to your baked goods every time you use it.. Here's how to make self-rising flour if you don't have any on hand

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons baking powder

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients; store in tightly covered can or jar.
Use in any recipe calling for self-rising flour.

Tip: It is a good idea to sift the mixture 2-3 times before storing.

Add that 'zing' to your Brownies.. :)

We all agree that brownies are sinfully delicious, right? Forget brownies for a sec, we are constantly looking for ways to spruce up a recipe. And here are few ways you can make your brownies better.

Tempering Chocolate | Step by step guide on how to temper chocolate

I only assume that 99% of the people are as crazy about chocolate as I am. Chocolate equals Nirvana! :-D Have you ever wondered how chocolate gets that lustrous sheen? Ever wonder what makes the chocolate go 'snap'? The answer is Tempering, folks, tem-pe-ring! :-D

Egg Substitutes

What can I use to substitute for eggs in a recipe? - is a question I've been haunted by, many a time. Being a lacto-vegetarian, we don't use eggs. And it is a problem when I serach for recipes like mousse, ice cream etc. There are numerous recipes that don't call for eggs, but curiosity keeps me on my toes to experiment substitutes for eggs in a recipe. Although a recipe can be Veganized by using suitable substitutes, there's really no sure way to tell which will work the best for a recipe. To know that, you must understand the purpose behind adding eggs (binding, keeping it moist, leavening etc) And so, depending upon what you're making, you need different substitutes.

I've compiled a list of whole egg substitutes here. (Not yolk or white) You need to decide which will be your best bet, while substituting for in a recipe. If you know what the eggs are added in a recipe for, half your job is done. :) Don't worry, it isn't as complicated as it sounds. I have (at least I hope I have) made it as simple as possible. This is an inclusive (& not exhaustive) list. So, if I have missed out anything/you have any other substitutes, do let me know. I shall include it here.

How to make Cottage Cheese / Paneer

For this recipe, visit http://www.foodomania.com
Link to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/homemade-paneer-cottage-cheese/