You can make your dishes tangies and tastier with few tips and tricks, writes Ruchira. An exclusive for Different Truths.

Food is all about taste variety and individual choices. Even the tastiest and extremely well cooked dish tends to become a tad boring after a while. So certain permutations and combination and yes even experimentation with food is not only permissible but welcome too.

If you prefer to snack on Bikaneri Bhujiya, fried /roasted peanuts coated with salt or spice then sprinkle some red chili sauce or tomato ketchup on them. You will find them super tangy.

Tips related to food items do not require either too much effort or expenses. You can do this out of the cuff.  For instance, in case you are eating Marie and/or Thin Arrowroot biscuits as snack, try smear them with a dash of butter, jam or jelly which will enhance the taste. If you prefer to snack on Bikaneri Bhujiya, fried /roasted peanuts coated with salt or spice then sprinkle some red chili sauce or tomato ketchup on them. You will find them super tangy.

Brighten up your regular vegetable curries with salt. Towards this, mix a pinch of rock salt with the normal salt. You will find the taste greatly altered. For better of course. There was a former colleague of mine whose husband was a chef in one of multi-star hotels in the national capital; she gave me a useful tip while preparing the hot favourite Maggi noodles add a dollop of butter to enhance the taste. Believe me, I discovered she was right.

Another colleague, who is now a noted food blogger, gave me a tip on how to pep up the commonplace Bengali dish Kumror chhenchki (stir fried pumpkin). She asked me to add a small portion of chopped onions while the panch phoran – mix of five spices – was spluttering in the oil. The end result was excellent as predicted.

Another colleague, who is now a noted food blogger, gave me a tip on how to pep up the commonplace Bengali dish Kumror chhenchki (stir fried pumpkin). She asked me to add a small portion of chopped onions while the panch phoran – mix of five spices – was spluttering in the oil. The end result was excellent as predicted. On another occasion, one of my sisters-in-law briefed me about improving my perennial favourite laau-chingri (a mish mash of shrimps with bottle gourd). As per her suggestion, I added a dash of chopped onions while the mass was still simmering, threw in the already fried shrimps and finally garnished all of it with fresh, chopped coriander/parsley/cilantro leaves. It turned out to be delicious.

Here is another useful tip to upgrade the taste of your mutton/chicken/egg curry use any commonly available brand of meat/chicken masala. Add a pinch of Chana Masala too.  Don’t worry. Instead of spice overdose there will a rich unforgettable taste.

Many years ago, a fish-eating security guard employed in our housing society told the partner that while preserving fish in the freezer of your refrigerator add salt but never turmeric (a common practice). For the simple reason that frozen turmeric exudes an organic odour

In fact, food tips can come from anywhere and everywhere. Many years ago, a fish-eating security guard employed in our housing society told the partner that while preserving fish in the freezer of your refrigerator add salt but never turmeric (a common practice). For the simple reason that frozen turmeric exudes an organic odour that mars the taste of the fish.  Thereafter, we’ve discontinued the practice, and the taste of fish has improved.

While making gravy (soupy) dishes with vegetables you can improve the aroma by using dried Kasuri methi leaves available in most grocery shops and super markets of course.  Remember to first dry roast the leaves on a griddle/ tawa, crush them into a fine powder and then add to the already boiling gravy. Next, you must cover the dish and let it boil again. After cooling, when you remove the lid, the aroma that emanates will leave you thrilled.

That reminds me to get the best results while using the highly aromatic asafoetida (heeng) refrain from adding it directly to the hot oil. On the contrary, dissolve it into  a little portion of water before adding it to the dish.

That reminds me to get the best results while using the highly aromatic asafoetida

(heeng) refrain from adding it directly to the hot oil. On the contrary, dissolve it into a little portion of water before adding it to the dish. I made this blunder many a times. Hence this word of caution. How many of you know that the Maggi Magic Masala can add extra zing to your Baingan ka Bharta (smoked smashed brinjal/eggplant/aubergine). I have tried it often and the results are amazing. Interestingly, this masala can also be sprinkled on any vegetable sandwich, omelette, or scrambled eggs for remarkable results. Sounds a tad crazy? But I speak from personal experience. You can do likewise with the Pasta masala commonly available  in the markets. Just shows that Pasta masala has multiple uses rather than being confined to Pasta alone.

Coming to sweet dishes and desserts, rice pudding (milk rice/ kheer/ payesh) is a countrywide popular dish. In case you are looking for a slight alteration in   taste, I suggest adding some murmura (moori/ puffed rice) to your bowl of kheer.  This will ensure a balanced taste particularly if you don’t want too much of sweetness.

Coming to sweet dishes and desserts, rice pudding (milk rice/ kheer/ payesh) is a countrywide popular dish. In case you are looking for a slight alteration in   taste, I suggest adding some murmura (moori/ puffed rice) to your bowl of kheer.

How many of you like gulab jamuns?  How about ice creams during sizzling summers?  Most likely ice cream lovers will far outnumber the gulab jamun loyalists. Quite naturally, I was delighted to get this valuable tip from my foodie cum globetrotting cousin.  Accordingly, one summer weekend, I treated my family to mega dollops of vanilla ice cream with piping hot gulab jamuns smugly sitting on top of them. The feedback was simply astounding!

Photo from the Internet