| Food Disasters
There is no dearth of disasters in the kitchen, especially if you are an aspiring cook or a housewife who is torn between her several 'roles' (wife, mother, housekeeper, accountant and what not !). However, you need not panic. Simply because you’re not the only one. Besides, all those who have tread that way before have made it their mission to find ingenious means of setting things right. I am sure you’re at the edge of your seat by now - tingling with excitement at the thought of playing magician, setting all those apparently unsolveable problems right with the magic Midas touch of your hands. So here we go.
1. Gravy
a) With too many things on one’s mind, the most common mistake one makes is adding too much salt. Just do the following:
i) Peel a potato.
ii) Slice it and add it to the gravy.
iii) Let it simmer for about ten minutes.
iv) Then remove the potatoes. The salt will be reduced reasonably.
v) Another way is to add tomato puree to the gravy and simmer.
b) If your gravy has got burnt, then let the gravy stand for a while. Without stirring, pour out the top portion alone. If the gravy has a smoky smell, then add a little sugar and simmer. This will help reduce the burnt smell.
c) Is the gravy lumpy? Sieve it without pressing. You have smooth, lump-free gravy.
d) Is your gravy too hot to handle? No worries. Just beat some curd. Remove the gravy from direct heat. Pour in the curd and simmer for a minute over low flame.
2. Rice
a)There is probably no kitchen in the country where rice is not cooked. There are chances of rice getting burnt too. In case you are faced with such a situation, then here is what you should do:
i) Move the rice into another vessel (without scraping the bottom of the vessel)
ii) Moisten a slice of bread and put it on top of the rice for a while. The bread will absorb the foul smell.
b) If the rice is overcooked, just pour cool water on it and drain, then spread out on a dish and microwave for a minute
3. Cake
a) If your cake is sticking to the sides of your baking tin, chances are you have used salted butter to grease it. Replace this with unsalted butter and remove your cake with ease.
b) Is your cake too crumbly and you really don’t know how to use it up? Well, here is a smart one. Make trifles. Put a layer of crumbled cake, and cover it up with a layer of stewed fruit. Then pour some custard sauce over it. Garnish using nuts or jam. For best results- let your imagination run riot.
These are some tried and tested ways of salvaging food disasters. However, that should not keep you from experimenting.
Sangita Kanjilal
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