Meal Preparation

Saturdays are usually a busy day for me as I spend most of my time to prepare for my weekday Meals.

 

 

I will chop my veggies, prepare My base gravy, soak and Make sprouts, Peel Garlic, Make my Ginger Garlic paste etc. So today I am going to share some prep that I did in my kitchen for the weekday.

 

I usually wash and dry all my veggies before chopping them. So that's the 1st thing I do as soon as I get up so the veggies are dried off. Even a drop of water on the veggies would spoil the whole pack, so be super careful. I also pat them dry between 2 kitchen towels before chopping them.

 

We consume loads of vegetables so I prepare loads of them, you can prepare them based on your consumption.

 

• Wash and pat dry all your veggies for chopping.
•  Prepare the Base Gravy and allow it to cool. Click here  for details on how to prepare this.

 

 

Take your French beans, Broad Beans etc and remove the strings and chop them as per the required size.

 

 

Peel the carrot skin and chop them, I needed them as Sticks so I have chopped them accordingly. .

 

 

Shred the cabbage and store.

 

 

Peel the Garlic Skin and keep it for later use like for making Tadka, Sauce etc.

 

 

 

I also got some Parwal , so I have cut them into Juliennes.

 

 

And some Bitter gourd sliced (This is not regular BG, I think its called as Kolkotta BG)

 

 

I also made some Schezuan Sauce , Click here for recipe

 

Also make Sprouts you require for the week and store them. Click here on How to make Sprouts.

 

 

 

Some Tips:

 

Invest in some Tupperware and Zip Lock bags. They help a long way in storing the prepared Veggies and Gravy.

 

I don't chop Watery veggies as in my experience , they spoil faster if they are chopped.

 

I also prepare Ginger Garlic paste and store them.

 

While packing, separate the portion you would cook and store them. Once you take them our of the refrigerator don't try to Freeze them again.

 

I also buy loads of Peas when they are in season and peel them and store them in smaller portions.

 

 

 

 

Lavender Cake 

I am part of a Bake along group, and as a part of the bake along thus recipe was shared. Subhashini who leads this Bake along group was not only sweet the recipe but also shared the Lavender Seeds with all of us so we can also bake and enjoy this exotic ingredient.

This is how the Lavender seeds looks like.

 I believe it is not available in India. However, if you gets your hand on this try this recipe. Even if you don't get Lavender Seeds, you can ignore that and make this recipe, believe me its a Keeper.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter – 115 gms
Granulated white sugar – 1 cup, divided
Eggs – 2
Almond meal/Slivered almonds – 1/4 cup
Dry lavender seeds – 1 teaspoon
Dairy fresh cream – 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
All-purpose flour – 1  1/4 cup
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon

Method

• Add 1/2 cup sugar, almond meal and lavender seeds into your food processor.
• Process on medium for few seconds until all 3 have powdered well. Do not process for long.
•  Pre-heat oven to 170 degree C.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside.
•  Add vinegar to freshcream in a bowl and keep aside.
•  Add butter into the bowl of your electric beater.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until butter becomes soft and fluffy.
• Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar to the butter.
• Beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture has become creamy, pale and fluffy
• Add the almond lavender mixture and beat just until combined on medium speed for about a minute.
• Add the eggs one at a time beating for about a minute after the addition of each egg.
• Add vanilla extract and beat for a minute until everything is combined together.
•  Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until it is combined. 
• Do not over beat.Add the cream mixture and again beat on low speed just until the cream has combined. 
• Add the remaining portion of flour and beat just until combined. Do not over beat. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and tap to release any air bubbles.
• Bake in pre-heated oven at 170 degree C for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is risen, soft to the touch and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.