It’s taken me weeks and days to finally put these thoughts down. This is about a recipe that is THE reason why I endeavoured to start my blog Four Steps or Less. This simple recipe first hit me hard and then motivated me to do something about what struck me most. Looking at it positively, this recipe for चटपटा भुना मेवा – Spicy Roasted Nuts – that I will be posting later today is the source of inspiration for me to think about, and talk about green cooking or being energy smart. This started when a TV cooking show hosted by a popular chef was running in the background and my subconscious self was possibly paying attention to it while I was actually doing something else. I was dismayed and shocked to see that a conventional recipe of roasting nuts suggested that the oven needed to be preheated to 300 to 400 degrees then left running for another 20-30 minutes to roast nuts. Considering that we are becoming mindful and feeling responsible about making the earth green and reducing our carbon footprint, this much oven time for the simple pleasure of enjoying roasted nuts seemed criminal to me. This subliminal viewing of a cooking show made me pay attention to the amount of oven cooking happening in this part of the world. After some research and observing more conventional recipes for most popular dishes I discerned that most recipes that asked for an average of 30-45 minutes of oven time could actually be prepared using alternate cooking methods in less than half the time that oven cooking took. That would mean if we are really serious about saving energy and time and genuinely trying out alternative cooking methods, we could reduce the carbon footprint of our cooking by half.
I fully recognize that oven baking is popular as it is convenient, it gives that scrumptious golden brown colour and a delectable crisp crust to savour. To add to these reasons, all of us are so used to conventional oven cooking that it seems like it is the only way to cook a particular dish. However, I honestly feel that the colour and crust both could still be achieved by using alternate green and smart cooking methods. I am determined to try out some conventional oven recipes by replacing the energy-sucking oven cooking method with alternate smart cooking methods or a fusion of green cooking being used for most of the cooking time with some time on the oven, if needed. I sincerely hope that this will contribute to minimizing damage to the environment. This recipe will be the first one in the series that I will try my hands at and post them on my blog in the days to come. If it makes even one of you try this energy efficient method, I would have achieved my purpose of starting this conversation about green cooking.
Tag: healthy
Crazy Spicy Cranberries- फ़िरंगी करौंदे
Why this recipe?
This is a quick recipe. Unique flavour of spices added to cranberries.
Cranberries are loaded with vitamin C and dietary fibres, calcium and other vitamins. Needless to say cranberries are a known remedy for so many gynaecological problems, so try it if you want to experience a different flavour of the same good old cranberries.
COOKING TIME: 5-8 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon cooking oil
250 grams of frozen or fresh cranberries (karonde)
2 inch of frozen green chillies or 4 fresh green chillies
¼ glass of water
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons red chilly powder
STEPS:Step 1. Put cumin seeds (jeera) in heated oil, sauté for 30 seconds
Step 2. Add all of the rest of ingredients to the pan and cover lid. Keep on heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3.Open lid and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4. Enjoy spicy, sweet, sour crazy cranberries.
Roasted Garlic-भुनी लहसुन
As healthy as garlic is, it adds a distinct flavour to our foods. This stinking rose, if roasted does wonders and turns an ordinary recipe into a gourmet meal. Check out the steps below for a quick way to always have roasted garlic ready with you to add to any recipe.
STEPS:
Step 1. Cut the garlic bulb into half horizontally.
Step 2. Wrap the halves of bulbs in silver foil and throw it in the oven when the oven is already in use for something else. Roast for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3. When the foil cools down, open the foil and hold the half cut bulb in the foil and press it to squeeze roasted garlic out of it. It will smoothly come out completely mess free leaving the shell of the cloves within the foil.
Step 4. Store roasted cloves in an airtight container in the fridge. These can be stored for months without it going bad.
Handy Tip:
Add mashed roasted garlic to yogurt dips, hummus or any other recipe that requires garlic as an ingredient.
Quick Savoury Gluten Free Crispy Crepe-बेसन सोंधा चिला
Why this recipe?
GLUTEN FREE- loaded with vitamins and minerals
QUICK TO MAKE- Takes 6-10 minutes to cook and come out yum.
This recipe saves you : your precious time and provides a nutritious snack or breakfast option
You can be creative -add other ingredients like nuts, raisins, tomatoes, cottage cheese, spring onion, chopped spinach or mushrooms.. Amaze yourself and your family by being different each time you try this recipe. For non vegetarians, you could try rolling a sausage or adding sautéed chicken pieces inside the crepe before you serve it or minced cooked meat in the dough.
COOKING TIME : 6-10 MINUTES
SERVES – 2 to 3
Will make 7-8 crepes
INGREDIENTS:
2 tea spoon oil
200 grams chickpea flour
250 ml glass of water
2 tea spoon salt
1 tea spoon red chilli powder
1 tea spoon garam masala (all Spice)
2 square inch of frozen ginger or fresh grated ginger (optional).
1 small tomato- chopped (optional)
1/2 medium green pepper/capsicum – chopped (optional)
1/2 small onion – finely chopped (optional)
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves (optional)
STEPS
Step 1. Add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala to chickpea flour in a mixing bowl, add water and whisk it well for 2-3 minutes. If adding cut veggies, fold in all chopped veggies.
Step 2. Pour a ladle of mixture on heated non-stick pan surface. (Optional- Put a few drops of oil around the crepe . Let it cook for a minute
Step 3. Turn around the crepe, let it get brown/roasted for about a minute other side as well. It is ready to serve.
HANDY TIPS:
1. You can be creative with adding veggies to this crepe. Spring onion, grated cottage cheese, chopped spinach, green chillies, other herbs, all go well.
2. Adding vegetables will make the crepe more moist and soft.
3. This crepe will go well with spicy or sweet tomato chutney, coriander
Flavourful Tip-ज़ायकेदार सलाह
Bhuna Jeera, as it is called in India, roasted cumin seeds can add a distinct tangy flavour to any recipe. It can be used a spice while cooking and it goes really well when added to yogurt drinks, cocktails, fruit punches and salads. Prepare Bhuna Jeera (roasted cumin powder) at home by simply roasting cumin seeds in microwave for 1-2 minutes moving it every 30 seconds so that it does not burn. Grind the roasted seeds to a coarse powder and store in air tight container.
Healthy Green Beans-फलियाँ आलू
Why this recipe? why should I try it? How is it green? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following four steps or less recipes?
This recipe is quick, is loaded with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients.
You save: considerable fuel energy and precious time by using water in the recipe to make the ingredients cook fast. By using alternate high and low heat you get the right colour that appease your eyes and flavour that satisfies your taste buds.
SERVES: 2-3
COOKING TIME: 6-10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 palm sized potato cut in small pieces
500 grams cut french beans (fresh or frozen)
1 teaspoon oil
1 pinch asafoetida powder (hing)- optional
2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/4 glass of water
1 teaspoon mango powder or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon all spice (garam masala)
STEPS:
Step 1. Put asafoetida powder and Cumin in heated oil, after 30 seconds add cut potatoes, cut beans, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric.
Step 2. Add 1/4 glass of water, cover the lid and turn heat to high for 3-4 minutes.
Step 3. Turn potatoes around and keep it with lid open on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4. Add mango powder and garam masala before putting it into serving dish.
HANDY TIPS:
You can replace mango powder with lemon juice.
YOGURT DILL DIP-दही की चक्का सोई चटनी
Gluten Free, quick and nutritious
Ingredients:
750 grams yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
2 inch frozen crushed green chilli
2 teaspoon dill weed or fresh dill
Preparation:
Put yogurt in the muslin cloth and hang it for 1-2 hours for the water to drain out.
STEPS:
Step 1. Remove yogurt block from the muslin cloth and put it in a container.
Step 2. Add salt, frozen garlic, frozen crushed green chilli and dill weed.
Step 3. Mix everything thoroughly and store in refrigerator.
Handy Tips:
1. You can be as creative as you want to be , replace Dill weed with other herbs like chives, rosemary, basil, mint, coriander or spices like red chilli pepper, black pepper.
2. You can also add finely chopped bell peppers, mushrooms or cucumber.
Cocothai Fish-थाई सब्ज़मछली
SERVES: 3
GLUTEN FREE, HIGH IN OMEGA 3 FATS AND FIBRE
Why this recipe? How is it green and quick? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following this four steps or less recipe?
It is quicker than a quick recipe.
Using frozen stir fry vegetables, will save 10-12 minutes of your time required to wash, cut, chop veggies.
By using this recipe you save 10-12 minutes of your precious time that is about 5 to 8% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average (assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen)
COOKING TIME: 8-10 minutes
PREPARATION:
Marinate Fish for 10-15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For Fish Marination
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoon all-spice (garam masala) or any other spice mix
1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Curry Topping:
2 teaspoon oil (1 for fish,1 for curry)
1 tablespoon of sesame (til) seeds
1 tablespoon Thai curry paste ( Green, Red or Yellow)
1 can of coconut milk
½ teaspoon of red chilli powder
500 grams of mixed frozen vegetables
1 square inch of frozen chopped green chilli (if preferred)
STEP 1. Put sesame seeds in heated oil. Stir for 30 seconds and add thai curry paste to it.
STEP 2. Add coconut milk, thawed frozen vegetables. Keep it on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes with lid covered.
STEP 3. On another stove, put marinated fish on to heated oil in a pan and cover the lid. Turn it once after 3-4 minutes while vegetable sauce is cooking on the other stove.
STEP 4. Fish and sauce will be done almost at the same time within 5-6 minutes. Serve sauce over fish. You can chose to garnish it with spring onion, craisins and nuts of your choice.
HANDY TIPS:
1. This preparation can be served as a soup, a topping on grilled veggies or meats or as a curry to go with rice or with roti, naan or bread.
2. Bring your creative side to play and add some flavourful herbs like lemon basil, rosemary, cilantro or dill.
Energy Smart Tip-बिजली बचाओ सलाह
When baking a cake or using an oven for a recipe, consider using the same electric energy and your time to roast/bake/ grill ingredients for another recipe for another day. If you think hard, there will always be something that can be done like roasting an eggplant, potatoes, or another vegetable, or meat or nuts that can be stored in the refrigerator for use for another meal. Conventional cooking range ovens have enough space to accommodate several dishes on its racks, so make use of the space, energy and time.
This way not only you get better organized for the next meal, you help make the earth green, save some carbon footprint you may otherwise leave with using oven time and again. To add to this, be Energy Smart and check out the off peak time for your province and plan using the oven at a time when it costs the least and you can save energy cost.
Roast Eggplant Mash (Baingun Bharta)-गुणों वाला बैगुन भर्था
Why this recipe? How is it green? Am I saving some time by following four steps or less recipes?
GLUTEN FREE, Source of dietary fibre, vitamins and rich in antioxidants compounds
Using Pre sautéed onions and pre roasted eggplant/Aubergine is saving 15-25 minutes of your time.
You save: 40% of fuel energy and 15-25 minutes of your precious time that is about 8 to 10% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average(assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen).
COOKING TIME: 10-15 Minutes with preparation following time saving tips
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
1 large roasted egg plant, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 big tomato chopped
2 big onions chopped small (and sautéed, if you followed save time for next time tip)
2 inch frozen ginger
1 inch frozen chopped green chilli
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon of mango powder or pomegranate powder
Coriander leaves or spring onion for garnish
STEP 1. Put bay leaf and cinnamon into heated oil, let them get brown and add sautéed onion (If using fresh cut onion , sauté until they are translucent)
STEP 2. Add chopped roasted aubergine, salt, chilli powder and coriander powder
STEP 3. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté until all water from tomatoes dries out
STEP 4. Add pomegranate powder or mango powder before putting it in serving dish.
HANDY TIPS:
Aubergine/eggplant can be roasted right on the stove by putting it on a metal mesh or in the oven. Conventional recipe requires it to be roasted in a clay oven called tandoor. To get the smoky flavour on an oven or stove roasted eggplant, follow the process in smoking hot tip
To ensure energy efficiency and minimize carbon footprint of your cooking, put the eggplant in the oven when you are using the oven for some other baking. Roasted eggplant can be stored in fridge for days before you make the bhartha/Mash.
To save time for this recipe use pre sautéed onions that you stored in your fridge the last the time around. (remember the save time for next time tip)
Four Steps or Less 