Basic Indian Style Tomato Gravy #VEGAN ( How To Make In Bulk And Freeze ) Step By Step Pictures

This traditional Indian Style Tomato Gravy can be used as a base for all sorts of vegetables or tofu . This is often referred to as a "curry". It is usually eaten with plain white rice or with Indian Bread Roti/Naan/Paratha.

How To Make Basic Indian Style Tomato Gravy In Bulk & Freeze For Quick Meals

Preparation Time:- 15 Minutes
Cooking Time:- 30-40 Minutes
Makes:- Gravy for 3-4 Curries approx
Recipe Source:- Preety's Kitchen

Ingredients:-

Oil:- 1/4 Cup
Cumin seeds:- 1 Tbsp
Bay Leaves:- 2
Garlic:- 1/8 Cup, chopped
Ginger:- 1/8 Cup,chopped
Onion:- 5-6 medium/small size, chopped
Tomato Puree:- 4 Cups ( Grind the fresh tomatoes until smooth to make tomato puree)
Salt
Turmeric Powder:- 1 Tbsp
Red Chilli Powder:- 1 Tbsp
Garam Masala Powder:- 1 Tbsp
Coriander Powder:- 1/2 Tbsp
Dried Mango Powder/ Aamchoor Powder:- 1/2 Tbsp
Cardamom Powder:- 1 Tsp
Nutmeg:- A Pinch
Cinnamon:- 1/2 Tsp
Brown Sugar:- 1 Tbsp

Procedure:-

1) Grind the onion ,ginger and garlic together in a food processor till you get a smooth paste.

2) Heat the oil in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pan on a medium flame. When hot add cumin seeds & bay leaf.

4)Add the onion , ginger & garlic paste you prepared. Fry until light brown in color and all the moisture from onion paste is gone.

4)Add the tomato puree, sugar and all the spices. Cook for 15-20 minutes stirring in between until the raw smell of tomatoes are gone and gravy is well cooked. Do the taste test and make any adjustments if needed.

5)Switch of the gas, let the gravy cool down .

How To Store / Freeze The Basic Indian Style Tomato Gravy

1) Label the bags and fill the gravy ( as much you need for one recipe individually) in the freezer safe zip lock bags or airtight containers.

2) Put all the bags in one big gallon size freezer safe bag to avoid any leakage and pop them into the freezer.

How To Use The Gravy From Freezer

When ready to use just take out one ziplock and put the frozen gravy directly in a pan and heat it on medium-low heat. As soon as it melted you can add anything of your choice like mix of precut frozen veggeis, or cut tofu or potatoes ,chickpeas and peas, etc.Let it come to a boil and do the taste test , adjust the seasonings if you want ( you can add any other seasonings if to like depending on what recipe you are making) and then switch off the gas. Sprinkle some cilantro leaves over the top and serve hot.

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How ( 5 Ways ) To Reheat Leftover Pizza

Reheating the cold pizza using any of the methods mentioned below will bring that slice back to life and no longer will you have to eat it cold, rubbery, burnt, or flavorless.

Putting pizza in the refrigerator will break down the chemicals inside the dough, which gives it that bummer, tough texture the next day. Before putting the leftover pizza in the fridge, Wrap the pizza in plastic wrap, put it in a freezer bag or other container to avoid drying.

The USDA and other food safety experts recommend leaving pizza out at room temperature for no more than two hours.

How To Reheat Leftover Pizza

Toaster Oven Method: 

Toaster ovens are good if you just have a just one or two slices to reheat and they’re also energy efficient.

HOW TO DO:- 

Preheat over to 400 degrees 
Put in slices on some foil for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Skillet Method: 

The skillet method is great to recreate the crispness of the original pizza. Cast iron skillets works better but a frying pan can work as well. Reheat your pizza slices one at a time in a covered pan over a medium-low heat until warm – this will keep the crust crispy while reheating the upper layer

HOW TO DO:- 

1: Get a large skillet, and heat some olive oil until it is ready, over medium-high heat. You only need enough olive oil to coat the pan,

2: Reduce heat to medium/medium-low, and put pizza in the pan. 

3: Cover the pan (very important or the toppings won't get warm), and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Conventional Oven Method: 

A conventional oven is likely to give you the closest to original texture and taste for your reheated pizza slices. It’s also the most practical for reheating lots of slices at once.

HOW TO DO:- 

1.Heat a foil-lined cookie sheet in a 450°F oven until hot (high heat makes the crust crispy). 

2.Arrange slices on the sheet and heat until the cheese is bubbly.

If it's cold (from the fridge), heat for 10 minutes. 

If it's fresh but not hot, just heat for about 5 minutes.

(The time will depend on what toppings you had and how cold it was in the fridge. It's done when the cheese bubbles.) 

Microwave Method 

This is the least favorite method to reheat the pizza but in case you don't have enough time to do any of the above method orjust feeling lazy..;)..then opt for microwaving .. 

HOW TO DO:- 

Place a single slice in the microwave for only 10 to 20 seconds. Just enough to soften up the cheese and dough a little bit.

OR 

Per slice: 20 seconds in the microwave to warm up the bread then 30 seconds under the broiler to melt the cheese and crisp the topping.

Barbecue grill 

works great for reheating pizza too if you have one at home

So how do you usually eat your leftover pizza?

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How To Make Perfect Okra/Bhindi (Slime-Free)

Okras long and elegant pods, also known as lady’s fingers, are high in vitamins A and C.Okra is cultivated as a vegetable and used extensively in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Indian and Southeast Asian cooking. Okra's long distinct shape and tendency to get slimy or sticky sets it apart from other green vegetables.Certain cooking techniques will prevent your okra dish from being overly slimy.Okra can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as boiled, baked, breaded ,fried, microwaved & sautéed, and is also used in soups and stews. A common complaint when cooking okra is that it becomes too slimy. It is important to remember that you cannot avoid some slime when cooking okra. However, you can reduce the amount of slime by using tips mentioned below.

TIPS TO MAKE SLIME FREE OKRA 

USE FRESH OKRA:- Use only fresh-picked young pods,The best ones are the ones that get easily snapped when you bend the tail end of the pod . When they are too mature they become fibrous and woody and require lengthy cooking times. That's when they become all slimish. Okra can be stored in the refrigerator in a paper bag up for upto 3 days but for the best flavour use the same day as purchased.

WASH WHEN READY :-Water enhances the sliminess so hold off on washing the okra until you are ready to cook them. After washing make sure to dry them really good..( I use a paper / kitchen towel to wipe and dry each okra before cutting).If your okra was refrigerated, bring it to room temperature first and pat it dry before slicing or cooking the okra.

LET IT DRY BEFORE COOKING:-Cut okra into rounds, diagonally or long slices. Once cut, put into the sun for at least 30 mins to dry and remove some excess moisture. Alternately, spread them on kitchen towel in single layer and leave it for few hours on your counter top at room temperature.It is a must that the okras are dried properly to reduce sliminess.If you are serving the okra whole as a side dish, and don't want the liquid to be released during the cooking, trim around the stalks in a cone shape, so that the pod isn't pierced. While chopping them; make sure that you have dry chopping board and knife. Keep dry kitchen paper next to you and clean the slime from knife using it whenever needed.

COOK LOW AND SLOW:- This i learned from my mom to cook okra on low heat without stirring too much. When sauteing okra, be sure that it is spread out in an even layer in the pan ( i always like to use non stick pan). If the pan is over crowded, the okra will begin to sweat and release moisture (slime).NEVER NEVER cover the pan while the okra is cooking. Covering the pot will cause steam and unwanted moisture.

ADD SALT LAST:-Add salt to okra only when it is just finished cooking. To add the salt, let the okra cook completely, remove it from the heat and then sprinkle salt to taste and toss quickly. If you add the salt at the beginning of the cooking process or during, it can result in a release of moisture (slime).


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SOME OTHER TIPS TO REDUCE SLIMINESS OF OKRA 

1)Soaking the okra in vinegar before cooking may help reduce the sliminess of the cooked vegetable.Rinse the okra with fresh water and pat the pods dry after the vinegar soak. Prepare and cook the okra as directed in the recipe. (soak them in water with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar for at least 15 minutes). ( I have yet to try this one).

2)Reduce the amount of slime by adding a teaspoon of lemon or lime juice or Dried mango powder or soy yogurt to okra while cooking. 

             

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