Vegetable Broth or Stock

Vegetable broth or stock is an essential ingredient in soups, flavored rices as mexican, mushroom, and few more Chinese dishes. It is nutritious and flavorful recipe that adds flavors to the dishes.

 Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Oil,

1 Bay Leaf,

1/2 Tbsp Peppercorns,

9 Large Garlic Cloves,

2 Large Onions, cut into big chunks,

2 Large Tomatoes, cut into cubes,

4 Carrots, cut into big pieces,

4 Stalks Celery, Chopped,

4 Stalks Spring Onions,

4 Stalks Leeks,

10 to 12 Parsley Springs,

1 Gallon/16 Cups Water,

Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Wash the vegetables well.
• Take a heavy bottom pan and add oil to it.
• Add in the garlic to the oil and turn on the flame.
• Once the oil is warm, add in the bay leaf and peppercorn.
• Add all the vegetables in one after the other and allow them to cook for a while (approximately 5 to 6 mints).
•  Now, add in water and allow the vegetables to boil on a high flame and close the pan with a lid.
• Once the water starts boiling, remove the lid, reduce the flame and allow the vegetables to simmer on low flame for an hour.
• After an hour turn off the flame and allow the stock to cool a little and drain the liquid and trash the vegetables.
• Allow the stock to cool down to room temperature and refrigerate it for 5 to 7 days. 

Brown Rice Dosa

One week end we picked up Brown Rice bag from the grocery store instead of white. Since then I was constantly looking out for brown rice recipes as I want to prepare some thing different. My search came to an end when I found this recipe on 'The Chef and Her Kitchen' blog. I prepared these dosa's thrice and every time they tasted very well. Here is the recipe with my changes to it.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Brown Rice,

1 Cup Urad Dal (Skinless),

1/2 Cup Chana Dal,

1 Cup Rice Flakes (Poha),

2 Tbsp Methi Seeds,

Salt to Taste,

Ghee/Oil to roast the dosa.

Batter Preparation:

• In a bowl add urad dal, chana dal, rice and methi seeds and wash them thoroughly with water.
• In the same bowl add water to the ingredients and soak them for 9 to 10 hours or over night.
• Next day morning, or after ten hours soak rice flakes in water for an hour.
• After an hour, mix all the soaked ingredients and blend them into a fine paste by adding water. Make sure that the paste is thick in consistency.
• Add salt to the batter and leave it to ferment it. Batter can also be fermented in preheated oven for 20 to 30 mints.

Dosa Preparation:

• Heat a non stick pan on a medium flame.
• Once, the pan is hot, mix the batter well and place a big ladle of batter on the pan and spread it on the pan in a circular motion to form a uniform shaped dosa.
• Add ghee/oil on the edges of dosa and cover it with a lid.
• Let it cook on medium flame for a mint or two and remove the lid.
• Turn the dosa on to next side and allow it cook for a mint or two.
• Once the dosa is done with texture of your choice (smooth or crispy) remove it and serve it a chutney of your choice.