Although I love cooking it can sometimes becomes boring :halo: and somedays I just don’t feel like cooking/or cooking something fast.
I’ve read somewhere that you can prepare the fried onion mix for the base of many dishes and store it in the fridge and it won’t go off.
I’ve also read about garlic/ginger pastes which you can store in the fridge with no problem.
Both seem useful if you are in a rush. Does anyone make them and if so, any advice for me? Do I fry and onions in bulk and just stick them in the fridge?!
Any recipes for these are more than welcome as well as any other shortcuts.
Hi Sara,
would love to use readymade pastes but husband doesn't like their taste.
That's fine..if he prefers fresh, then u can also keep chopped onions and tomatoes handy. I chop onions once a week and tomatoes twice weekly, but if you have a food processor, it'd be alot easier and less time consuming. OR..to cut time even faster, most large grocery stores carry chopped fresh onions.. If he's okay wiht it, u can also used diced tomatoes from the can..it really doesn't make much difference. My mother in law would make her own paste and keep it in the firdge it was good for 7-10 days i think..
readymade garlic paste from the store has some acidic preservative in it...it sputters like crazy in hot oil....i hate it! fresh garlic is so much better.
i never understood how to best use the pre-fried onions in desi cooking. Do you pour them when the curry is almost done?
Cooking for two is pretty fast anyways...most meals are done in less than an hour if u just defrost the meat first. I also like cooking salaans in the oven or the slow cooker. I dont have to stand over it and get other things done
My mom fries onions and stores them in fridge. Also, for tarka in daals, she fries onions, zeera, lal mirch and stores that too.. but I think it's only for 3-4 days, not more. It's real fast.
I've used the dried pre-fried onions that come in a packet. But that was only when I was really lazy. Then I found out that they have preservatives in them, along with other additives, to increase shelf life. I've also seen people use the ginger and garlic pastes that come in a jar. Same thing. Then I thought about it, why cook food with something thats been sitting on the store shelf for God knows how long? and if you are only cooking for 2 most of the time, those ready made pastes sit in your fridge for a very very long time. I switched to fresh everything and it makes a huge difference, taste-wise etc.
My mom fries onions and stores them in fridge. Also, for tarka in daals, she fries onions, zeera, lal mirch and stores that too.. but I think it's only for 3-4 days, not more. It's real fast.
my mom does that also, she makes her own ginger and garlic paste, stores some in freezer, some in fridge. She also makes her own tomatoe puree and freezes it also. These are some good ways to save time. And it's not store-bought!
Also, you can always make kababs, rolls, samosas, cutlets and that kind of stuff and freeze them all. When you need lunch/dinner fast, you can boil rice and have it with daal and kabab.. or roti too.
my mom does that also, she makes her own ginger and garlic paste, stores some in freezer, some in fridge. She also makes her own tomatoe puree and freezes it also. These are some good ways to save time. And it's not store-bought!
Yep, my mom makes alot of stuff at home because she doesn't like store bought items.. like garam masala powder and any type of masala for that matter such as bhuna hua zeera, dhania, etc.. she stores them in containers and they last VERY long. also chaat masala, ginger/garlic paste, tomato puree, yogurt all at home.
readymade garlic paste from the store has some acidic preservative in it...it sputters like crazy in hot oil....i hate it! fresh garlic is so much better.
i never understood how to best use the pre-fried onions in desi cooking. Do you pour them when the curry is almost done?
Cooking for two is pretty fast anyways...most meals are done in less than an hour if u just defrost the meat first. I also like cooking salaans in the oven or the slow cooker. I dont have to stand over it and get other things done
I mostly sautee ginger garlic paste, then add fried onions, them tomato paste and all other stuff to make masala...
So hwo do u guys make the garlic/ginger paste? i've seen peeled garlic cloves availble at stores but not ginger.. the tho tof having to slice hte ginger makes my hands hurt =|
well if you are making the paste then you don't have to slice it, just peel it and cut it into big chunks, throw them in the blender with garlic and little water. blend it all.
Also, you can always make kababs, rolls, samosas, cutlets and that kind of stuff and freeze them all. When you need lunch/dinner fast, you can boil rice and have it with daal and kabab.. or roti too.
This is a superb idea and we do it all the time since we're always on the run.
My mom fries onions and freezes them.. she covers ginger/garlic paste with a tablespoon of cooking oil.. stays good for longer!
When our maid is on vacation, she even cooks meat and we freeze it (cook it with gin/garlic paste and turmeric) this way whatever veg or gravy we're making takes very little time.
Nowadays you an get premade ginger/garlic paste. My Mom has been buying the jar of it from her nearby paki/Indian store for decades now. Okay maybe not decades but for at least ten years(1 decade-haha) The point is you put the jar in your fridge and use it when you are ready to cook and its hassle free becuase you don’t need to need to make a paste yourself anymore. The jar lasts up to 20-30 cookings for me since these days I only cook for two people-my hubs and I. As for the onions-you can fry them and store them in a seal tight zip lock bag and keep it in the fridge for up to a week at a time. Sure saves time in cooking!! Thats all the tips I know for shortcuts.