About Easy and Fun cooking

The word ‘easy’ itself says presenting without any effort and difficulties. Here comes my blog that introduces a new style of cooking- effortless and full of fun and joy, so as the name. If you are one of those who really hate to cook, but love to eat, then you are not alone this year. Here is a very simple solution for all your worries. In fact it would be strange if I say that i was one of those on one or more occasion. So what’s the deal? Why does cooking make so many of us utterly miserable? There is a very well said line- “Motivation is what gets you started and habit is what keeps you going”. So here is correct time when you will really enjoy cooking and make your family happy with few easy recipes mentioned in this blog. With this book one would really start loving cooking as it would make you prepare the yummiest delicacy in a short period of time and tons of fun as well joy.

Chef Ranjan of The Tamara Kodai

Ranjan Samal, Executive Chef at The Tamara Kodai, Kodiakanal, has emerged as an innovative and prolific chef who is using microgreens to enhance his dishes and create delicious yet healthy recipes.

Ranjan’s dishes and recipes have an innovative blend of microgreens, that have emerged as one of the hottest food trends in recent times for their numerous health aspects.

Born in Odisha and raised in Bengaluru, a multicultural city that is known for its amalgamation of different cultures, Chef Ranjan has always been intrigued by various mouth-watering dishes the city has to offer. In conversation with Sachin Kulkarni, Blooming Greens, Chef Ranjan talks about how his childhood at Bengaluru fascinated him to pursue a career as a Chef, his experiment with lotus leaf recipes, his innovative dishes, and his journey so far.

Always a passionate cook who loves to experiment with unique methods of cooking, Ranjan decided to prepare a signature dish while working at Tamara Kodai, and that is how he came out with a dish with the main ingredient as lotus leaves, which is a synonym of Tamara.

Another culinary practice that distinguishes Ranjan from other chefs is his use of microgreens in his recipes. He likes adding microgreens to the dishes he prepare because it makes the food more presentable and full of nutritional values that are good for health. Also, he likes the flavors the freshness of microgreens brings to his dishes. Besides using them for garnishing, Ranjan also uses microgreens as main ingredient in salad, sandwiches, and filling stuff in certain dishes. Ranjan always prioritizes on creating dishes that not just look good but taste amazing too.

Ranjan’s childhood in Bengaluru led him to go for a course in Hotel Management in Kolkata where people are passionate foodies and celebrate every festival with exotic food. It was at Kolkata where Ranjan first began to understand the various aspects of Food & Beverage (B&F) industry. Once he started his career as an Executive Chef, Ranjan got to know that besides being an excellent cook, a good Chef also has to be well-informed about other factors including human resources, food cost, labor cost, design, union rules, cleaning, and public relations etc.

Ranjan puts a lot of emphasis on food plating or as it is more commonly known as, food presentation. He likes to put his creativity in simple dishes making them more special and presentable to the guests. At times, guests find it surprising when they come to know that the dishes are the regular ones but prepared in a much better manner.

In every profession, there are ups and downs and Ranjan’s professional journey is also not untouched by the critics. Talking about his experience as a cook, Ranjan said that the kitchen is like a firework place where sometime you get burns, cuts, and scratches. However, you must always fulfill the guests’ demand with a smile. He said that even after putting a lot of efforts, you sometime get to hear not so positive feedback from the customers but instead of getting disheartened, you have to rework on the recipe and make it better.

When asked how he comes out with his innovative recipe ideas, Ranjan said that he often travels across the country to explore and learn about numerous types of spices India has got to offer. He has been bringing all such spices and is adding them to his unique dishes since the pre-opening .healthy microgreen dishes


MUSHROOMS

Nutritional fact of mushrooms:
Mushrooms are commonly thought to have little nutritional value, many species are high in fiber and provide vitamins, such as thiamine, ascorbic acid etc. Though not normally a
significant source of vitamin D. Mushrooms contain a large amount of vitamin D when,exposed to UV light. A chemical found in large concentrations in many mushrooms, to vitamin D2.
Mushrooms offer more than taste. They are loaded with nutrients essential to the human body. They are loaded with phosphorus and selenium, potassium and magnesium, and of course a few antioxidants in some varieties. The fresh mushroom should truly be a staple of any healthy diet. They are low in the ever present sodium but high in fiber. The average mushroom contains either no or trace amounts of cholesterol and fat. Vitamin A lingers in mushrooms with a gold or orange hue. The B vitamins in mushrooms are good for natural energies and fighting off infections. When the mushroom is consumed, it does not present a starch in the body and is easily digested without leaving much more than nutrients in its wake. The mushroom is comprised in weight by about 90% water.
Uses of Mushrooms:
Mushrooms are used in cooking, in many cuisine like Chinese, European and Japanese.
Mushrooms are also a source of some minerals, including selenium, potassium and phosphorus.
Mushrooms can be used for dyeing wool and other natural fibers. Before the invention of synthetic dyes mushrooms were the source of many textile dyes.


Mushrooms Selection:
When choosing, look for mushrooms that are firm and slightly moist, with no signs of decay. They should be heavy for their size and smell like the woods. To ensure freshness, check the gills on the underside of the mushroom. If they're tightly closed, the mushroom is young, mild-tasting and will last longer. If they're open, the mushroom is more mature and will have a more concentrated flavor but will not last long once you get it home. 

Mushroom Storage :
To store fresh mushrooms, keep them cool and dry. Refrigerate them in a basket or an open paper bag, but never store packaged mushrooms without venting and avoid cleaning them until you're ready to use them. They should stay fresh for 4 to 5 days.  

How to clean mushroom:
Mushrooms are extremely porous and soak up water like a sponge. Because they are mostly water, never soak fresh mushrooms. Simply brush away any clinging growing medium rather than washing with water. If you must, wipe them with a damp paper towel.

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