Monsoon is the most pleasant and refreshing weather. It is the most awaited season. Or we can also describe Monsoon as a plate of steaming Pakoras and a hot cup of ginger tea. But along with these monsoons, indulgence also comes flu, water-borne diseases, and infections. It is a dreaded season for health hazard. Most infections are food-borne. Therefore special care should be taken in the kitchen.
• Try to keep your kitchen clean and dry. (Also keep your surroundings clean)
• Try to maintain proper hygiene.
• Keep the windows open so that there is proper ventilation and thus it helps to lower down the moisture content.
• Wash fruits and vegetables properly.
• Keep your utensils clean and dry.
• Always wash your hands properly before cooking.
• Use boiled water or filtered water.
Apart from the basic hygiene, you need to have a healthy and proper balance diet.
Include-
• Home cooked food.
• Herbal drink like green tea or black ginger/cinnamon tea (anti-oxidants)
• Eat lots of bitter vegetables- bitter gourd (karela), methi seeds (fenugreek seeds), neem.
• Food that dries in nature- chickpea (chana), rajma(red kidney beans), oats, sprouts(moong, moth).
• Lots of almonds, walnuts, and dates.
• Try to use asafetida, garlic, ginger, cumin, curry leaves, clove and turmeric in little more amount than usual.
• Try to include grilled and tandoori dishes-paneer tikka, grilled corns and vegetables.
Avoid-
• Streetside food. (especially, which left open for a long time- cut fruits, panipuri, chat)
• Deep fried dishes. (though one cheat day is not a problem)
• Eating fermented food such as idli, dhokla, bread. They are responsible for gastrointestinal problems.
• Eating stale and uncooked food. As fruits and vegetables if cut and left to stand catches pathogens.
So be alert while planning a menu and also while cooking. But don’t stop yourself from making some monsoon delicacies.
Take out your grill/sigree/ oven/ tandoor and try making this lip-smacking
HIDE n SEEK TIKKA
[This is a Paneer (Cottage cheese) and cheese tikka. Same-restaurant style but roasted in the home oven]
INGREDIENTS-
250 grams Paneer, diced (almost into 8 big cubes, and make sure that the paneer is firm)
½ cup onions, diced
½ cup peppers (any red, yellow or green), diced
1 tomato cut into big pieces (remove the seeds)
½ cup hung curd
1 tablespoon fresh cream *(do not use malai)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoons crushed black pepper
¼ teaspoon or less red chili flakes/red chili powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano or any Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon oil
¼ cup finely chopped coriander and mint
8 cubes cheese (you can take processed cheese cubes or cheddar cheese)
METHOD:-
STEP 1- MARINATE IT
• Mix curd, cream, oil, lemon juice, coriander-mint and all dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Add paneer, cheese, peppers, onions, and tomatoes to it.
• Marinate it for 20 minutes. (Refrigerate it for better results)
STEP 2- SKEWER IT
• If using bamboo skewers or toothpicks dip it in water for 10 minutes. If using steel skewer grease it with oil.
• Skewer paneer cubes alternating with peppers and onions
• While doing this stuff cheese cubes between two paneer cubes.
STEP 3- GRILL
• If using oven pre-heat it at 200 C for 10 minutes and place the skewers on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or till the crust looks golden brown. (You might need to turn the tikkas)
OR
• If you are using a microwave grill it. Place the tikkas over the steel stand set the power and grill it for 15 minutes. In between turn it and grill it from another side till it becomes golden brown.
OR
• If you do not have both the above options, you can grill it on an electric sandwich toaster. Grease the toaster and place the tikkas over it. (DO NOT CLOSE THE LID) and thus you grill tikkas easily.
OR
• If you want the best-flavored tikkas, use a CHARCOAL GRILL. That smoky flavor makes it heavenly.
(Avoid grilling tikkas on a tawa as it doesn’t come out perfectly also it is quite messy)
· After 15-20 minutes when the tikkas are done remove it from the oven carefully.
· Place the skewers on a serving plate with some crunchy salad and a lemon wedge. (you can see soft molten, gooey cheese peeps out from paneer cubes i.e it is called as HIDE n SEEK TIKKA)
· You can serve it with some nice tasty dips.
Enjoy this monsoon treat. Eat healthy-stay healthy!