Cutting Board Clean Up

Cutting boards: the most essential tool of the kitchen. Used regularly, but not really cleaned that regularly. I always cleaned it with soap and water but, it was not good enough. So here is how you can clean and disinfect your cutting board in no time and without using harsh chemicals.

Here's what you need:
• 1 lemon
• Grainy salt/Rock salt.

You will need half lemon for each side of the board that is, if you use both the sides of the cutting board and plan to clean both the sides.

Cover the cutting board with salt and rub it using the lemon and squeeze the lemon if you feel its dry. Once you rub this, set it aside for a few minutes. Then rinse with only water (no soap) and dry. This is a great way to disinfect your cutting board.

Italian Marinated Mushrooms

This is probably one of the easiest mushroom recipes you will come across. No cooking required, literally! These go well with beard or just as sides with your main meal.

A study done by the American Society for Nutrition found that white button mushrooms may promote immune function by increasing the production of antiviral and other proteins that are released by cells while they are trying to protect and repair the body’s tissues.

Like humans, mushrooms produce vitamin D when in sunlight. Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable source of this critical vitamin. 

Ingredients	Quantity
Mushrooms(button mushrooms)	1 cup
Garlic Cloves	5-6 cloves, finely chopped
Fresh Basil Leaves	handful, chopped
Garlic Bread Seasoning	to taste (optional)
Red Chili Flakes	to taste
White Vinegar	2 tbsp
Salt	½ tsp or to taste
Olive oil/ vegetable oil	½ cup

Method 

Wash mushrooms in water twice and pat dry with paper towel. Cut to bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients and mix till incorporated well. Add in the mushrooms to the marinade and mix. All the mushrooms need to be coated in the oil.

Cover and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Next day, taste and adjust seasoning and they are ready to be served or to be stored. Mix well before serving.

Points to remember 

• Serve as an appetizer, use in sandwiches, on pizza, in pasta etc.
• Shelf life is about 10-14 days in the refrigerator.
• Best to use good quality mushrooms. Use button mushrooms which are organic/cultured.
• Never use naturally grown mushrooms as they might have toxins and there is a chance of food poisoning since there is no cooking involved. 
• You can also use ¼ tsp of grated lemon zest for extra zing.

Crispy Aloo Toast

This dish is ideal for snack boxes/ picnics.

Ingredients	Quantity
Potato	1 cup (boiled  and grated)
Chili Powder	1 ½ tsp or to taste
Onion flakes	to taste (optional)
Garlic Bread Seasoning	to taste (optional)
Bread slices	4 slices
Sesame seeds	1 ½ tsp or to taste
Salt	to taste
Butter	1 tbsp
Tomato ketchup	1 ½ tsp or to taste
Mustard Sauce	1 ½ tsp or to taste

Method

Slightly toast bread slices (with or without butter). They need not be crispy, just dry enough so they don’t become soggy when we add sauce.

In a bowl add potato, salt, onion flakes and garlic bread seasoning, mix well. Divide it into 8 portions.

Cut the bread slices into two pieces diagonally.

Spread the tomato ketchup and mustard sauce evenly on the bread slices. Press down one portion of potato mixture and garnish with sesame seeds. Press down well so they don’t fall of the bread slice when you flip.

Melt butter on a skillet or nonstick pan. Add the bread slices potato mixture side up. Fry till the slices are golden brown. Flip over and add little butter just press and move the slices on the skillet to spread butter and crisp the slice equally throughout. Fry till the potato mixture is golden brown and sesame seeds are golden in color.

Points to remember

Ø  If you are packing the toast for lunch/picnic, make sure the slices have cooled down completely before packing or else the toast will become soggy.

Ø  Grating potatoes will help in avoiding the lumps and the mixture sticks well to the bread slice.

Ø  The seasoning mentioned above can be changed as per your taste and preference.

Magic Mushroom Masala

Mushrooms are used extensively in cooking, in many cuisines like Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese. Though neither meat nor vegetable, mushrooms are known as the "meat" of the vegetable world. Mushrooms are very rich in fiber, vitamin D, vitamins C, etc. hence it provides good nutritional value.

Ingredients	Quantity
Mushroom (each diced into 4 )	1 cup (boiled  and grated)
Onions (finely chopped)	1cup
Tomato (finely chopped)	1 medium
Capsicum (small diced)	1 small
Cashew nuts	1tbsp
Green chilies	2-3
Salt	to taste
Maggie masala-e-magic	1 packet
Ginger garlic paste	1tsp
Oil	2 ½ tbsp

Method

In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Take out from pan and keep aside.
Grind together cashew nuts, 1/2 cup onion and 1/4 cup water and 1 green chilly to a smooth paste.

In the same pan heat remaining oil and add 1/2 cup onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Sauté on medium flame till onions are lightly brown. Add slit Green chilies and fry for a minute. Add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are cooked say for about 3-5 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste lower the flame to low and sauté for 2 minutes. Add capsicum and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the ground onion paste and salt. Sauté on low flame till raw smell goes from the onions. Add a teaspoon of water if you find the masala is sticking to the pan.

Now add masala-e-magic powder and fry for a minute. Add mushrooms and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water to make the gravy. Cook on low flame for 10-12 minutes.

Serve hot with roti.

Points to remember

ü  To enhance the flavor you can add a tablespoon of cream to the gravy in the end. 

ü  You can also use an extra tablespoon of oil while frying the onions. This help to avoid the masala     from sticking to the pan.

Jolly Jelly

Jellies!! Don't you love them??

Ingredients	Quantity
Cold water	½ cup+3/4 cup
Gelatin	35gms
Sugar	2 cups
Food Color	few drops
Fruit essence	few drops
Castor Sugar/Regular sugar	for coating jelly
Ice tray/jelly mold/chocolate molds	for setting the jelly

Method

In a large heat proof bowl add ½ cup cold water and add gelatin stir well and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Place a sauce pan on flame on low heat, add 3/4 cup of water and sugar, stir till sugar dissolves. Later crank the heat to high. After a rolling boil simmer and let it boil for 5 minutes or till the syrup thickens a little.

Then add the hot syrup to the bowl with gelatin. Stir till gelatin completely dissolves in the sugar syrup and the mixture is clear. It should not have any lumps or sugar crystals. Now you can separate your jelly into separate bowls and add flavors and colors of your choice. For the above quantity I divided the liquid into 4 parts and added 2 drops of food color and 3 drops of fruit essence in each bowl. Mix well and taste. Grease your mold with some vegetable oil. 

Once you are happy with the color and flavor set jelly in ice cube trays in the fridge for 8-12 hours. de-mold the jelly and immediately roll them in sugar.

Arrange the jelly in a tray lined with baking paper for some time and sugar will set and form a layer. Once the jelly is firm to touch store them in a zip lock bag or air tight container in the fridge.

Points to remember

ü  It is better to use microwave safe bowls while making jelly. If your jelly starts to harden you can just heat it for few seconds in the microwave.

ü  For best results whenever using gelatin in your recipe soak it in cold water and allow it to bloom for few minutes.

ü  While adding color or flavor add little at a time as it can be too strong.

ü  If you like jelly to be sour you can add a pinch of citric acid to the liquid along with the flavors.

ü  Remember not to put different flavors of jelly in a same box or same zip lock bag.