[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by bblost

Can anyone share a recipe for a Cheese Cake?

I can share the recipe of a regular no-bake cheese cake later this evening. Need to get it from my wife
Meanwhile I have PM’ed you a blog entry.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

Has anyone used this electric tandoor? Enough of fried or coal roasted non veg stuff ...

Tauba tauba. Don't go anywhere near this one, Doc. This one is a scaled-down version of a commercial Pizza oven used by local fast food joints. The electrical coil is too close to, and not radiant enough to be called a 'tandoor' - you will be forced to use small flat pieces. A conventional OTG with Rotisserie is slightly better, BUT doesn't give results anywhere close to coal or wood roasted tandoor - you will soon get bored of it.

The essential difference is the enclosure temperature. Whereas a Tandoor can be as hot as 400-500C, the electrical contraptions seldom go higher than 250-300 at the highest setting. The result is slower grilling which a. doesn't seal the surface to keep the juices in, and b. takes a longer time to cook resulting in drier results

Originally Posted by bblost

Can anyone share a recipe for a Cheese Cake?

Originally Posted by vb-san

... recipe of a regular no-bake cheese cake ...

Correct - start with a no-bake recipe first. The baked cheesecakes are very sensitive to quality of ingredients (and you will have no control over it), and tend to collapse embarrassingly.

The cold recipes use gelatin / agar-agar, which sets at a low temperature. Plenty of recipes on-line.

[rsjaurr]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Tauba tauba. Don't go anywhere near this one, Doc. This one is a scaled-down version of a commercial Pizza oven used by local fast food joints. The electrical coil is too close to, and not radiant enough to be called a 'tandoor' - you will be forced to use small flat pieces. A conventional OTG with Rotisserie is slightly better, BUT doesn't give results anywhere close to coal or wood roasted tandoor - you will soon get bored of it.

The essential difference is the enclosure temperature. Whereas a Tandoor can be as hot as 400-500C, the electrical contraptions seldom go higher than 250-300 at the highest setting. The result is slower grilling which a. doesn't seal the surface to keep the juices in, and b. takes a longer time to cook resulting in drier results

So then what would would you recommend? I have a very crude looking custom made coal barbecue which does the job very well for roasting fish pieces but sometime I find it very inconvenient and of course cant do it outside winter days.

BTW I do have clay tandoor but never used it.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

... BTW I do have clay tandoor but never used it.

But of course, a regular clay tandoor is not suitable if you are only cooking for a small family, unless if you are using it for the whole meal (baingan da bharta, tandoori chicken / fish / phoolgobhi, dal and roti). Standing around the radiant tandoor is a welcome activity in winter though, especially with the appetizing cooking aroma.

Get an OTG - Philips or Morphy Richards. You will need to adapt the recipes so that you can reduce liquids in the marinade, the simplest being using hung curds instead of regular curd for tandoori chicken, for example.

If you are grilling pieces, oil the wire tray and keep the pieces on that - as close to the top element without touching the element with the item being grilled, yet close enough for the surface to seal as fast as possible. Line the regular tray with alu foil and keep it a notch lower. This will reflect the heat upwards from below for uniform cooking, and also collect the liquids and bits that fall. Periodically baste the grilling pieces with ghee or oil with a brush.

[rsjaurr]

I guess my custom made barbecue will have to continue to serve us till I find suitable alternative.
I have tasted chicken wings cooked in a very small OTG and taste was good in fact very good.
Since then I was looking to replace my coal based barbecue but as you said it also gives you and your family the required warmth in those chilly evenings of winters.My kid loves it and sometime forces me to start cooking fish so that we a family of three can sit outside around it.

[mallumowgli]

There was one DIY barbecue grill thread

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...-rs-500-a.html

rsjaurr - you can also show us how you made it in the above thread Edit : Just saw your comment in the other thread too

[bblost]

Originally Posted by vb-san

I can share the recipe of a regular no-bake cheese cake later this evening. Need to get it from my wife
Meanwhile I have PM’ed you a blog entry.

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Correct - start with a no-bake recipe first. The baked cheesecakes are very sensitive to quality of ingredients (and you will have no control over it), and tend to collapse embarrassingly.

The cold recipes use gelatin / agar-agar, which sets at a low temperature. Plenty of recipes on-line.

I messed up.

The creamy cheese custard that I have tastes nice but it is no cake.

Is it ok, if I take it out of the fridge, get it to room temperature, whisk it a little and add some more gelatin water?

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by bblost

I messed up.

The creamy cheese custard that I have tastes nice but it is no cake.

Is it ok, if I take it out of the fridge, get it to room temperature, whisk it a little and add some more gelatin water?

It happens
Not quite sure if adding more gelatin will help. Which brand of cream cheese you used?

Edit: Keep it overnight in the fridge and see if it sets well.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by bblost

Is it ok, if I take it out of the fridge, get it to room temperature, whisk it a little and add some more gelatin water?

Your Gelatin water was too dilute, so don't add that. Dissolve 3 tsp gelatin by adding warm water drop by drop till you get a viscous paste. Put the custard in mixie and whizz it slowly while adding new gelatin paste bit by bit. When done, pour out into cake tin and refrigerate again.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by vb-san

It happens
Not quite sure if adding more gelatin will help. Which brand of cream cheese you used?

Edit: Keep it overnight in the fridge and see if it sets well.

Britannia Cream Cheese.
This was the only brand available.

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Your Gelatin water was too dilute, so don't add that. Dissolve 3 tsp gelatin by adding warm water drop by drop till you get a viscous paste. Put the custard in mixie and whizz it slowly while adding new gelatin paste bit by bit. When done, pour out into cake tin and refrigerate again.

I will try this tomorrow. Thanks.

The first time I was using Gelatin.
Although I have made Jelly before. But that is easy as nothing extra is added in.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by bblost

Britannia Cream Cheese.

I will try this tomorrow. Thanks.

Here is another recipe which worked out very well for us. We use Philadelphia cream cheese, but not sure if its available in India. I think the Britannia one is slightly salted.

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe...cake-L476.html

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

Has anyone used this electric tandoor? Enough of fried or coal roasted non veg stuff and now I want to turn to electric tandoor and also it will be lot easier to operate as compared to other.

I am thinking of buy either this tandoor or good quality OTG with rotisserie function which one will be better? Mainly it will used for non veg stuff almost twice a week and rarely for some function like biscuits,pizza or veg stuff.

The best option is either a Gas or Electric oven with rotisserie. I prefer Gas as it do not want to be left with a half baked cake if the power goes, but for general roasting that does not matter.

I have a large Gas cooking range and we make
. Chicken roast
. Mutton whole leg roast
. Bread
. Cake

A small OTG is not powerful enough for good roasts, and the large ones are as expensive as ovens.

Another option is to learn to use the Microwave Oven for roasting and browning. I have done Fish and chicken successfully. Cook them in an enclosed dish (it will actually cook in the steam generated). Once soft, place the meat in an open dish and cook some more. It will give a dry surface. My MW has a grill so I can also brown using the grill also.

[rsjaurr]

Originally Posted by Aroy

Another option is to learn to use the Microwave Oven for roasting and browning. I have done Fish and chicken successfully. Cook them in an enclosed dish (it will actually cook in the steam generated). Once soft, place the meat in an open dish and cook some more. It will give a dry surface. My MW has a grill so I can also brown using the grill also.

Almost 5-6yrs ago I tried MW with grill for fish and chicken but results very very disappointing. tried to roast fish again couple of years ago but still results were same, it turned into rubber. I'm a lazy person and may be I do not have the skills required as well.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by bblost

The first time I was using Gelatin.
Although I have made Jelly before. But that is easy as nothing extra is added in.

It WORKED.

Thanks a lot.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by rsjaurr

Almost 5-6yrs ago I tried MW with grill for fish and chicken but results very very disappointing. tried to roast fish again couple of years ago but still results were same, it turned into rubber. I'm a lazy person and may be I do not have the skills required as well.

To cook meat & fish perfectly, you need to marinate it. That will not only get the spices inside but tenderize the meat. I normally use the following
. Curd, the more sour the better
. Garlic paste
. Ginger paste
. Spices to taste - Nutmeg, salt black pepper etc.

The trick is to steam the fish/meat in the MW. Use a dish with a good cover, I use a Corning baking casserole some thing like this
http://www.classickitchensandmore.co...pc-p-5193.html
http://www.shopworldkitchen.com/corn...-set-a-423c-jw
The steps are
For Cooking
. Marinate fish/chicken for at least 3 hours. Overnight is the best.
. To get the marinade inside, Score the fish, score/prick the chicken.
. Cook with a tea spoon of water
. While you are learning, cook initially for 3-4 minutes, and then incrementally for 30s at a time. Check the progress. When the fish has changed colour from translucent to white, it is done. Similarly for chicken.

For Browning
. Take the fish/chicken out and put it on a MW safe dish.
. Cook each side for 30s at a time till the surface browns a bit. The time will depend both on the size or the meat and on your taste.