Tips for Puddings

* Add a tsp. of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chilli, along with salt to make it last longer and taste fresher.
* Blend all ingredients together and keep overnight in a cool place. Use with any savoury dishes like pastas, minestrones, bakes, etc.
* Always sprinkle gelatine over the water. Never put in dry pan, then add water and heat. Never boil gelatine. Only warm to dissolve. Safest is to heat the container over a hot griddle (tawa). Stir always.
* While whipping cream never overdo it or butter will form . Always whip over a tray of iced water or ice cubes. Whip in sharp upward strokes till soft peaks form.Keep in refrigerator till used.
* Puddings (at least of my kind) are a no hassles beauty. No hard and fast rules about ingredients. Don't grimace if any of the ingredients is missing. Just substitute, compromise and eureka! You'll come up with an original. Just stick to general norms for mixing of jellies, gelatine, whipped cream etc. You cannot go wrong.
* You can top with any sauce of your choice, if you like while serving or accompany it and let the guests pour to their liking. Ideal sauces may be chocolate, custard, orange, grape, caramel or just basic coloured sauce.
* Cadbury's nutties & gems, gluced cherries, whipped cream, crumbled biscuits, dry fruits used inside, coloured sugar etc. make excellent decorations for party puddings.
* Day old bread slices can be substituted for cake if cake is not available at hand.

* A good thing about most rotis is that you can half roast and pile them and do the final roast just before serving
* Many variations can be got from the basic roti receipes by using your own imagination
* Eg. layered roti can be made with a filling or dry masalas mixeds, or kasoori methi or paneer or thick spicy chutney. This must be spread before folding the roti and after applying the ghee. All triangles may be prepared first but sprinkle dry flour over each before piling. Roll and shallow-fry as required.
* Puri may be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead. Fry before serving.

# Simple sandwiches can be turned to attractive eats by decorating with simple things like shredded cabbage, tomato slices, carrot juliennes, thinly chopped salad leaves etc.
# If bread is too dry to make good sandwiches, just hold the bread in the steam over a pan of boiling water for a few seconds.
# Spicy green chutneys, salsa dips, yoghurt dips, etc make very tasty inbetweens for sandwiches. A change from the same old bread and jam.