Well, here I am, back after a few months hiatus. But new things are happening, food-wise. Yesterday I began a diet/food plan, based on a nutritionally sound program called Isagenix. Two meals replacement drinks/day, supplements and a good cleanse. Just what I need.
My husband, David, and I both work at home, so we work whenever - sometimes late into the evening. For me, the two meals replaced must be breakfast and lunch, since we like our social time, and generally make dinner together. And, if I am going to only have one meal a day, I am going to make it interesting.
So, I have decided to improve my Indian cooking skills and repertoire this first month by making good, healthy, low calorie dinners from Monisha Bharadwaj's fabulous book, Gourmet Indian in Minutes. The edition I am using was published in 2008 by Kyle Books. Lots of great color photos, delicious looking recipes.
Last night I made ghee and paneer cheese, recipes from my book, A Simple Celebration, the Nutritional Program for the Chopra Center for Well Being, published by Random House/Harmony Books in 1997. Both recipes pretty simple, really. For the cheese, I bring 1 1/2 gallons of whole milk to a boil, til it begins to foam. Then I add two quarts of buttermilk, turn off the heat and stir. The curds and whey begin to separate. When it's cooled a bit, I add some salt and strain it through cheese cloth in a strainer and squeeze out the remaining whey. The more whey you get rid of, the harder the cheese will be. Refrigerate overnight, setting the strainer over a bowl to continue to catch the dripping whey, before removing from the cheesecloth bundle.
For ghee, simmer unsalted butter in a large, heavy pan with high sides until it goes through two foaming cycles - it's burbling off the liquid. It will start to brown the milk solids that fall to the bottom - the browner you let it get, the nuttier it tastes. Strain it through cheese cloth, too, into a glass jar.
Tonight I am cutting the paneer into cubes to sauté and add to Monisha's recipe for Sindhi Kadhi (Vegetable and Tomato Curry) on page 97. Stay tuned for the final menu and recipe.
Visit Ginna'sWebsite
No comments:
Post a Comment