Meal Planning

Introduction


Cooking is considered to be a divine art. But is it really so? Ask that to the meal maker at home who has to whip up delectable fares day in and day out and at the same time cater to every whim of each family member! Add to it the task of balancing the budget and ensuring a wholesome meal that is enough to give you the jitters.

If donning the chef’s cap is making you feel uneasy, here are some tips on meal planning to prevent you from landing in a soup. If you are a working parent or a housewife juggling numerous tasks at hand that take up your entire day, these helpful tips would make meal making a truly enjoyable experience and help you sail smoothly throughout the week.

Opinion of family members

You spent the whole evening baking and grilling a wide platter of food for your folks only to find them turning up their noses and heading to rummage the refrigerator. Though likes and dislikes can be cultivated, every member in the family may not appreciate all types of food.

First of all, ask members of your household to suggest some dishes, which they would love to eat, as it is their opinion that matters the most.

Keep in mind their likes and dislikes and allergies to certain types of food.

If you have already prepared a menu, ask them for some suggestions on the menu and make the relevant changes.

In case they do not agree with certain dishes on the menu, welcome all suggestions on the possible varieties that could be adopted.

Well, do keep in mind the likes and dislikes of children, as they are the one’s who are fussy about food!

Ask the kids what they would love to have for the whole week and always keep a substitute dish so that you are prepared in advance in case they throw a fit about a certain dish.

If there are certain restrictions to be followed due to religious or health considerations, choose food items that can be easily substituted instead of having to cook separately for each member.

Keep in mind health related issues

The first pre-requisite of a good meal plan is its ability to meet the nutritional needs of the entire family. You may have succeeded in appeasing every taste bud but the health issues too need a thought.

Since no single food will meet the entire nutrient requirement, decide on the type of meals to be had for the entire week. Make a plan about the inclusion of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. A vegetarian meal can also be balanced, affordable and at the same time provide good variety.

In the variety of meals that you have planned see to it that foods from each food group are included in some form.

If fussy eaters pose a problem, changing the method of preparation, a lovely presentation of the dish with interesting accompaniments can bring them back for second helpings.

If you are having more than one dish which has a high fat content then try and compensate with a low fat dish. This way you can be sure that your family will have healthy food.

Poultry or fish which is protein rich can be had thrice a week, meats can be had twice a week as it has a high level of fat and vegetables, especially leafy, can be had throughout the week as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Planning the meal

Plan a perfect and simple menu with alternatives for the week, which is less time consuming.

Make use of convenience gadgets (labour saving devices) since valuable time can be saved.

Make the best use of all the ingredients so that you do not land up wasting food. For example, if you need just chicken flesh for a particular recipe, then you can use as much flesh you want and then use the bones to prepare chicken stock which can be used for soups. Some dry chicken dishes can be made with the remaining chicken pieces.

To add variety to the menu use different methods of cooking such as broiling, grilling, baking. A chicken stew would be lapped up as easily as roasted chicken.

Keep a note on the ingredients that are made use of. This will help in writing the grocery list as well as budget.

Try and use ingredients, which can be used on a regular basis and cooked in a different style for e.g. dals go well with rice or chapattis and can be prepared very often but if prepared in a different way, your menu will look appetizing with each passing day.

Keep in mind that you do not waste even a single item from your grocery list, as it is a budgeted one, for e.g. If you have had bread for breakfast on Monday and there is some remaining the next day, you can use it by either making a bread upma or bread toast topped with butter, which tastes wonderful!

Make use of leftovers from previous day’s meals and turn them into a dish by itself for the next day. Ingenious presentation can help make even a simple dish look great and be a sure winner at the dining table.

A matter of money

If a trip to the market place sees you buying more than you intended, or the food on display was too good to resist, then a budget planning is what you essentially require. A good meal plan would be incomplete without a thought to cost cutting methods.

It is good to have a price list made to be able to compare the cost of similar foods. This way you can ensure the best buy within your budget.

Keep a particular amount fixed every week for your shopping so that you do not cross your budget while you are at the market.

A grocery list will help you buy the essential food items. This way one would not land up buying excess foodstuff.

Stay away from places that promise fancy gifts and offers on purchase of large amounts of food items, which you are sure is in excess of your requirements.

Do not cook in very large quantities to minimize wastage. Also, you would be spared of getting bored eating the same thing frequently.

Go for seasonal fruits and vegetables since they are cheaper and fresh.

Hyderabadi Dum Chicken Biryani Recipe

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken (cut in pieces)
500 grams of Basmati Rice (Preferably pre-soaked for atleast half an hour)
2 medium Onions (thinly sliced)
5 Cardamom Pods (Choti Ilaichi)
2 Cinnamon Sticks (Dal Cheeni)
6 Cloves (Loung)
1 tsp. Garlic Paste (Pisa Lehsan)
1 tsp. Ginger Paste (Pisi Adrak)
200 grams of Plain Yogurt
½ tsp. Turmeric Powder (Pisi Haldi)
1 tsp. Red Chilli Powder (Pisi Lal Mirch)
3 tsp. Coriander Powder (Pisa Dhania)
1 tsp. Cumin Powder (Pisa Zeera)
½ tsp. Cumin Seeds (Saabut Zeera)
500 ml Stock
A few Saffron Strands (Zafran) (soaked in 5 tablespoons of water)
A handful of Ready Fried Onions (for garnish)
A bunch of Fresh Coriander Leaves (Hara Dhania) (chopped - for garnish)
200 grams of Clarified Butter (Ghee) or Cooking Oil


Directions:
Marinade the chicken pieces with the plain yogurt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, ginger paste, garlic paste and cumin powder.

Add the sliced onion and salt and mint to the marination. In boiling water add clarified butter or oil, cinnamon sticks, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds and boil the rice until it is half cooked. Add the rice to the meat. Pour a little clarified butter or oil and saffron water on rice and cook the rice on dum for about 30-45 minutes or until done.

Serve hot garnished with fried onion and fresh coriander leaves.





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Serving Suggestions: Serve Hot Garnished with Fried Onion and Fresh Coriander Leaves.
Degree of Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Category: Main Course Rice
Recipe Ethnic Group: Hyderabadi

making of Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients


•8 no: Large Chicken pieces
•11/4 cup: Yogurt
•2 tbs: Lime Juice
•½ quantity: Chopped Onion
•3-4: Dried Red Chillies
•2 tsp: Coriander Seeds
•2 cloves: Crushed Garlic
•1" piece: Grated Ginger
•1-2: Clove
•2 tsp: Garam Masala
•2 tsp: Chilli powder
•Salt to taste

Method

1.Make slits in the flesh of the chicken pieces and rub lime juice and salt over them. Keep aside for half an hour.
2.Grind dried chillies, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic and clove together. Mix the paste with garam masala and chilli powder.
3.Heat a pan and sauté the masala. Add onions and fry. Pour yogurt and stir well. Remove the pan from fire.
4.Arrange chicken pieces in a dish and pour over the yogurt mixture. Refrigerate the marinade overnight or at least for 4-6 hours.
5.Arrange the chicken on a broiler tray cook it in a pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes or brush oil over the chicken pieces and cook in a gas stove turning over till both sides are done.
6.Keep pouring oil and masala over the chicken pieces in between.

making of Hyderabadi Haleem

Ingredients


•1 kg: Mutton-boneless, cubed
•1 kg: Cracked wheat-soaked in water for » one hour and drained
•1 ½ cup: Yogurt
•1 tbsp: Ginger-garlic paste
•1 ¼ cup: Onions-chopped fine
•1 tsp: Green chilli paste
•2 tsp: Green coriander paste
•¼ cup: Lemon juice
•3-4: Black cardamoms-seeds only 3
•½ tsp: Cinnamon-broken and powdered
•1 tsp: Chilli powder
•1/2cup: Oil
•2 tsp: Salt
•Green chillies and mint leaves for garnish




Method



1.Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, chilli and coriander paste, cardamom and cinnamon powder, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt.
2.Marinate the meat in this mixture and leave 3-4 hours. Add enough water to the wheat and cook till tender. When cool enough to handle, blend to a paste in a blender.
3.Heat the oil and add the meat mixture. Turn around over high heat, till opaque.
4.Add water to cover and cook, covered over low heat till tender.
5.Add the wheat paste and continue to cook another 15-20 minutes.

making of Puliyogare

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Cooked White Rice

• 1 Cup Grated Dried Coconut (Copra)

• 4 Tsp Coriander Seeds

• 2 Tsp Peppercorns

• A Pinch Of Asoefetida

• 4 Tsp Ground Nuts

• 2 Tsp Mustard Seeds

• 12 Red Chillies

• 4 Tsp White Sesame Seeds

• 2 Sprigs Curry Leaves

• 2 Tsp Urad Dal

• 1 Tsp Channa Dal

• 1½ Cups Thick Tamarind Juice

• 1 Small Piece Jaggery

• 2 Tsp Cumin Seeds

• 2 Tbsp Puliyogare Mix

• Salt To Taste



Method:

• Roast the coriander, cumin, 6 red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves, pepper, asoefetida, 1 tsp mustard, 2 tsp sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp channa dal, 1 tsp urad dal and 2 tsp peanuts one by one till they turn aromatic.

• Blend to a fine powder using a coffee grinder and set aside.

• Fry the remaining musatard seeds, red chillies, urad dal, channa dal, peanuts, sesame seeds, and curry leaves in heated oil.

• Add the tamarind juice, salt, and jaggery. Mix well.

• When the liquid starts boiling, add the powdered masala and cook in low flame till a sticky masala is obtained.

• Allow the masala to cool.

• Mix this with plain cooked rice to get puliyogare or tamarind rice.

• Add dried copra gratings to rice.

making of Tomato Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 Tomatoes

• Salt to Taste

• Pepper

• Mint Leaves

Method:

• Cut the tomatoes and boil in sufficient water.

• Add chopped mint leaves and salt to the boiling mixture.

• Boil for about 10 minutes.

• Cool and blend the tomatoes with the help of a mixer.

• Sieve the blended mixture.

making of Coconut Ladoos

Ingredients

400gms Sweetened Condensed Milk
200 gms Dessicated coconut.
Method
Mix the dessicated cocconut with the condensed milk thoroughly in a container.
Now heat the mixture on a very low flame till all the mixture sort of sticks together.
Remove the container from the cooking range.
Allow the mixture to cool jut enough so that you can make the ladoos.
After each ladoo is done roll it over dessicated cocconut powder.

A HEALTHY DIET PROGRAMME

A HEALTHY DIET PROGRAMME

(It can reduce the weight by over 3-4 kgs in a week. Always exercise regularly with any diet programme)
This Healthy Diet Programme is designed to flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. It will improve your emotions because of its cleansing effects.
After 7 days you will begin to feel lighter because you will be lighter by at least 3 - 4 Kgs. The effectiveness of this seven day plan is that the food eaten burns more calories than they give to the body in caloric value, but is completely nutritional and gives all vitamins, elements, etc. as required. This plan can be used as often as you like without any fear of complications however it is suggested that you rest for a week between each repetition.
You will have an abundance of energy and an improved disposition.

YOU MUST ABSTAIN FROM ALL ALCOHOL. YOU MUST DRINK 10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY

DAY ONE - All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons on the first day. Especially watermelon and cantaloupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing a lot of weight on the first day are very good.
DAY TWO - All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large boiled potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.
DAY THREE - A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.
DAY FOUR - Bananas and milk. Today you eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the vegetable soup, which may be eaten in limited quantities.
DAY FIVE - Today is a feast day. You will eat sprouts and paneer and tomatoes. Eat 280 grams of sprouts and paneer. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.
DAY SIX - Sprouts and paneer and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of sprouts and paneer and vegetables. Eat to your heart’s content.
DAY SEVEN - Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.
Vegetables can be taken in the form of salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic and herbs. No more than one teaspoon of oil. Do keep way from beans (Lima, Pinto, kidney.) because they tend to be high in calories even though they are very good for you.
BEVERAGES YOU MAY CONSUME WHILE ON THE PROGRAMME.

Water flavoured with lemon or lime if desired.
Club soda
Black coffee, No cream or cream substitute, No sugar or sweeteners.
Black tea.
No fruit juices before Day 7.
HOW AND WHY IT WORKS.
DAY ONE - You are preparing your system for the upcoming programme. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are natures perfect food. They provide everything that you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.
DAY TWO - It starts with a fix of complex carbohydrates coupled with an oil does. This taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of Day 2 consists of vegetables, which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.
DAY THREE - Day 3 eliminates the potato because you are getting your calories from the fruits. Your system is now prepared to start burning the excess pounds. You will still get cravings which will diminish by Day 4.
DAY FOUR - Bananas, milk and soup sound like the least desirable and strangest diet. You are in for a surprise. You will probably not eat all the bananas that you are allowed. But they are there for the potassium you will have lost and the Sodium that you may have missed during the last 3 days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easily this day will go.
DAY FIVE - Sprouts and tomatoes. The sprouts are for iron and protein. The tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purity your system. You should notice colourless urine today. You must eat 6 tomatoes.
DAY SIX - Day 6 is similar to Day 5. Iron and proteins from sprouts, vitamins and fibre iron vegetables. By now your system is a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look from Day 1.
DAY SEVEN - Day 7 finishes of the programme like a good cigar used to finish of the Victorian meal. Except it is much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.
Disclaimer : No responsibility is undertaken by me for people using this programme. Everybody's requirement is different and always consult your doctor.

making of Egg Noodles

Ingredients

Plain Noodles - 1 pocket
Onion cut into small pieces-1
Tomato juice-2 tbs
Ginger and garlic paste-1 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
pepper powder- 1 tsp
Egg-1
Oil- 1 tbs
Salt as required
Method
Take 500 ml water in a vessel and allow it to boil. When it is boiling add the noodles and cook it for 3 min.
Drain the water and keep the cooked noodles separately.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion till it becomes golden brown
Add the ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder and fry for 2 min and then break the egg into it and fry well.
Add the tomato juice onto it and heat it for 1 min, add salt and mix these with the cooked noodles.

making of Tomato Bread

Ingredients

1 medium potato
1 large tomato
A few curry leaves
4 green chilies
1 cup water
5-6 bread slices
11/2 tsp. oil.
Salt
A pinch of turmeric.
Few coriander leaves for garnish.
Method
Take a skillet and heat the oil, then add the cut potato, cut green chilies and the curry leaves.
Lower the gas and cover the skillet for a couple of minutes to let the potatoes cook.
After the potato is cooked add the pureed tomatoes and fry it for 5 min or till it dries a little bit, then add the water, salt and turmeric and let it boil.
When it starts boiling add the whole slices one by one, pushing it on side so as all slices get soaked nicely.
Now simmer for 5-7 min.
Serve hot with chopped coriander on top.

making of Pizza

Ingredients

For the Pizza base and Topping
2 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Ajwain
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Parsley or Oregano flakes
Finely chopped 3 cloves of fresh garlic
3 finely chopped green chilies
2 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoon oil
Salt to taste
Shredded mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese
Toppings of your choice.
For the pizza sauce:
1 16 oz tomato sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne powder
Salt to taste
Method
For the Pizza base
Soak yeast in hot water for 5 minutes or until it foams on the surface.
Mix all ingredients except yeast well.
Add yeast and again mix well.
Add water to prepare soft dough.
Cover the dough and set it aside for at least 11/2 hour or until it doubles itself in size.
For the Sauce
Mix all ingredients to the tomato sauce.
For Pizza
Preheat Oven to 400 F. (this is a must)
Take the dough as it is without trying to blend it again on a pizza pan or cookie pan.
With a rolling pin roll the dough to the edges.
Spread a thick layer of sauce on the dough.
Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese on it.
Garnish with the toppings. Common ones are sliced or chopped red onions, sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, ground meat, green peppers, pineapple, jalepeno peppers.
Sprinkle cheese after you garnished all the toppings on the pizza.
Set oven to 350 F. with more heat on the lower side.
Let it bake to 18-20 minutes or cheese is melted and base is brown.

Aloo Pastry Puffs

Aloo Pastry Puffs


Ingredients

1 pastry puff sheet (this is found in the frozen foods section)
1 big potato
Some cumin seeds
Some fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste


Method


Boil the potato, peel the skin and mash it, but not like a paste.
Take the pastry puff sheet and cut into 9 small squares.
In a kadai, put a little oil and add the cummin seeds. When they splutter add the fennel seeds. Fry for about 30 seconds and add the smashed potato. Add garam masala, turmeric and salt. Mix everything well and keep on flame for about a minute. Remove from gas and allow it to cool a little bit, say for about 5 minutes.
Now take the square piece of the pastry puff sheet and put some of the potato mixture in the centre.
Dip your finger in water and apply water on all the four sides of the sheet so that the sides can be stuck.
Now fold the square piece diagonally, in the shape of a triangle. Make the remaining squares pieces in the similar way.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the made pastries in a baking tray and bake it for approximately 20 minutes or until the puffs are golden in color. Once they turn slightly golden then turn it over and allow the other side to cook too.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

making of Beetroot Halwa

Beetroot Halwa - Ingredients:



Beetroot 1 kg
Milk 1 1/2 litre
Sugar 400-500 gm
elaichi powder (cardomon)
saffron few flakes.
Ghee 1 tbsp




Beetroot Halwa - Directions:



Peel and grate beetroot


Put milk and dudhi in a heavy saucepan. Boil till thick, stirring occassionally. Once it starts thickening, stir continuously. Add sugar and cook further till thickens. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.


Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.




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making of Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji - Ingredients:


8 pavs (squarish soft buns about 4" x 5" size)
butter to shallow fry.

For Bhaji:
capsicum chopped fine 1
onions chopped fine 2
tomatoes chopped fine 2
chopped mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower,
potota, beans, bottle gourds, etc.) 2 1/2 cups
shelled peas 1/2 cup
butter 2 tbsp.
pavbhaji masala 2 tsp.
chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp.
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp.
sugar 1/2 tsp.
salt to taste
water (in which vegetables were boiled) 1 cup
each ginger grated, garlic crushed 1/2 tsp.
juice of 1/2 lemon.



Pav Bhaji - Directions:


Pressure cook mixed vegetables and peas till well done.


Mash them coarsely after draining.


Heat butter in a pan.


Add ginger-garlice, capsicum, onion, tomatoes.


Fry for 2-3 minutes till very soft.


Add pavbhaji masala , chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar and fry further 2-3 minutes.


Bring to boil.


Simmer till gravy is thick, stirring and mashing pieces with masala, in between.


Add lemon juice, stir.


Garnish with chopped coriander and a block of butter.


For Pavs:


Slit pavs horizontally leaving one edge attached. (To open like a book).


Apply butter (as desired) and roast open on a griddle till hot and soft with the surface crisp on both sides.


Serve hot with bhaji, a piece of lemon and chopped onion.

making of Sweet Coconut Samosa

Sweet Coconut Samosa - Ingredients:

desiccated coconut 75 gms
light soft brown sugar 45 gms
unroasted shelled cashews lightly crushed 30 gms
rolling pin
seedless raisins 30 gms
evaporated milk 250 ml
ground nutmeg 1/2 tbsp
ground cinnamon 1/2 tbsp
filo pastry 12 sheets
sunflower oil or melted butter over the pastry 1 tbsp

Sweet Coconut Samosa - Directions:
Put the coconut, sugar, cashews, raisins and evaporated milk into a small, heavy-based saucepan and pace over a medium heat. Stir and mix the ingredients thoroughly and as soon as the milk starts bubbling reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered until the coconut has absorbed all the milk, about 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently.


Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the nutmeg and cinnamon. Allow to become cold. Divide into 12 equal portions.


Pre-heat the oven to 180 C (350 F/gas mark 4). Line a baking sheet with greased greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment. Place a sheet of filo pastry on a baking board and brush well with oil or butter. Fold the pastry in half lengthways. Brush with oil or butter again and fold it widthways.


Place a portion of filling on one half of the pastry and fold the other half over it. Seal the edges with cold water. Press the edges with a fork and trim with a pair of scissors.


Place the samosa on the prepared baking sheet and brush liberally with oil or melted butter. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes or so until the samosas are golden brown.


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Indian Recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi

Indian Recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi: Vella Kozhakattai
Ingredients:


For Dough
2 cups rice flour
1 tbsp oil
A pinch of salt

For Filling
1 coconut (grated)
1 cup jaggery (powdered)
1 tbsp ghee


Method :

Mix grated coconut, jaggery and ghee in a heavy pan. Cook on a medium flame, stirring continuously till thick. Allow to cool. Form small balls and set aside. Heat 2 cups of water in a pan. Add salt, oil and flour, then stir continuously till dough leaves the sides of the pan. Allow to cool and knead well. Take a small ball of dough and with greased palms pat into a disc. Put some filling in the middle and seal it. Make all Kozhakattais and steam till done.

Welcome to Recipes Indian

Indian cuisine has been around for at least 2500-3000 years and it has changed much over the years. The use of many different herbs and spices make each dish quite unique. Each different region in India is known for it's wide selection of different recipes and Indian cooking styles and tastes. Though about one third of the population is strictly vegetarian, there are many different dishes that include chicken, lamb and goat meat. In India though the cow is thought of as a sacred animal therefore you will not find many recipes including beef. Food is such an important part of Indian culture as in most cultures, and plays an important role in the family life and in festival celebrations. Most families in India still sit down together to enjoy their meals with one another. There are a couple of main courses and they are usually served along with different pickles, chutneys and of course different types of Indian bread, which is called "roti". There is also usually a dessert served as well.

Indian cooking has many different styles throughtout all of India. For that matter, there is really not one accepted style of Indian cuisine but rather many different styles. So if you travel to India you will find that the food prepared by the people and restaurants in that area will be different in each area. Of course there will be some similarities but it will also be very different from place to place.