A few useful tips while preparing sauce and stock at home

Most probably we purchase sauces from store, and often stock – both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. If you are willing to spend a little time, you can prepare both at home. Towards the end I have added the recipes of tomato sauce and mayonnaise. Through this column I shall give you a few tips to keep in note while preparing sauce and stock.

10 Things to note while preparing sauces at home

1. Always use thick-bottomed pan for preparing sauces. Otherwise sauce may stick to the bottom of the vessel. It avoids formation of lumps and also improves texture and shining of sauces.

2. Keep stirring while preparing sauces. Then only raw smell completely goes out.

3. Add seasonings in the middle of the preparation. Never add them towards the end of preparation. It improves taste and pleasant smell of sauces.

4. If you feel that sauce is too thick, add milk or cream to reduce consistency. Add 1 big spoon of milk or cream only at a time. Add more only if needed.

5. If you want to increase the thickness of sauce, mix some corn flour in a little cold water to prepare paste and add towards the end of preparation. Use high flame and stir continuously. You can also use arrow root powder.

6. If you want to add cream or butter to your sauces, never add while flame is on. If you do so, sauce may separate. Put off the flame before adding them, and never heat again.

7. Just before you serve your sauce, always check the taste.

8. If you prepare sauce earlier, to avoid the formation of a thin layer on the surface, cover the lid of the container using a cling film.

9. You can store your homely sauces in refrigerator for a maximum of three days.

Things to note while preparing stock at home

1. When you add salt to stocks at the beginning of preparation, towards the end, salt content may be excess. So while preparing dishes which need stock, always keep this point in mind. Add salt to such dishes only after adding salt.

2. When you prepare stocks, use low flame and keep lid half-closed.

3. When foams and thin layer appear on the surface of stock, remove them using a spatula occasionally.

4. If you add a glass of cold water along with other ingredients, fat and similar contents appear on the surface.

5. When preparation is complete, keep the stock in that pan itself and allow it to cool. A thin layer of fat appears on the surface. Remove it before removing bone parts. Then transfer the contents to another bowl, wait till it cools completely and remove excess fat once again.

6. If you keep stock in refrigerator, heat it once in 2 or 3 days. Otherwise your stock may get damaged.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:

1. Extra virgin olive oil – 2 big spoons

2. Onions – 1 big, chopped fine

    Garlic – 1 clove, chopped

3. Tomato – 1 kg, chopped

    Vegetable stock – 150 milli

    Fresh basil leaves – 2 big spoons (If dry basil leaf is used, 1 small spoon is sufficient)

4. Sugar – A pinch

5. Salt and pepper – As required

Tomato Sauce – Method of preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan, and sauté ingredients no: 2 for 5 minutes.

2. Stir occasionally, and onions should never turn brown.

3. Add ingredients no: 3 and reduce the flame.

4. Cook for 20-30 minutes till contents turn thick.

5. Allow the contents to cool and blend it using a mixer till the sauce turns soft.

6. Strain the sauce, and then add a pinch of sugar.

7. Add salt and pepper and heat the sauce again.

8. You can use sauce as you needed. Store the rest in refrigerator for a very few days.

Mayonnaise

Ingredients for Mayonnaise:

1. Egg 1

    Salt – ¼ small spoon

    Mustard – ½ small spoon

2. White wine vinegar – 1 big spoon

3. Olive oil – 300 milli

Mayonnaise – Method of preparation:

1. Mix together ingredients no: 1 in a mixer and beat for 30 seconds.

2. Add white wine vinegar and beat again.

3. While you are beating the contents, add olive oil slowly.

4. When you add 150 milli olive oil fully, Mayonnaise turns thick.

5. Pour the remaining oil and beat again.

6. Transfer the contents to a storing container and keep in refrigerator.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine March 16-31, 2016

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