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2 Responses to “Stocking your Pantry for Indian Cooking 101 - Part 2”

1. Michele Says:
   October 22nd, 2008 at 2:11 am

   I love SHow me the Curry - I have learned so much from both of you. Thanks! I am working on pre-grinding (chopping) garlic and ginger - My question is how long does it last after I do this? Can I get it in the fridge or should I freeze the bulk of it. I use it 3 times a week and I just cook for two.
   Also I have been practicing making chapatis and roti’s - The dough appears to be good once I make it, but after I cook them they are a little on the tough side or hard. What am I doing wrong?

   I appreciate any help/suggestions you can give…Thanks

2. hetal Says:
   October 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 pm

   Hi Michele,

   Thanks for the feedback! Pre-ground (minced) ginger & garlic do not stay fresh for too long in the fridge - few days at most. After that, the color changes and it gets a funny smell. Try this trick: grind your ginger and garlic in bulk (you can grind together or separately). Then, take a measuring spoon (tsp or Tbsp) and measure out portions onto a baking sheet or pan. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours. Then, place the frozen portions into a freezer safe zipper bag and return to the freezer. Your ginger and garlic will be ready (pre-portioned) when you need it. You can have 2 different bags - one for tsp and one for Tbsp. The benefit of grinding separately is that some recipes call for one or the other, not both. Btw, you can do this with green chilies too!

   Regarding the chapati, here are a couple of questions: Are you using warm water to knead? Do you let your dough rest for 15 - 20 minutes before rolling? Are you using oil in the dough? Are you keeping the cooked chapati in a covered container as soon as they come off the stove? Are you pressing the chapati gently while trying to puff?

   Let us know if any of these things could be the problem.

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