r/IndianCookingTips

Serious question because I’ve seen families fall apart over this.

Option A:

Boil water + tea + spices first, add milk later

Option B:

Put milk from the start and let everything boil together

Both sides swear theirs is the only authentic way.

One says better flavor extraction, the other says richer, kadak taste.

So… which one is actually right?

How can I get curry flavors in my cooking? I've used a lot from the store bought curry and can hardly taste it. What can I do?

Please give me some easy go to hostel recipes.. I have an electric kettle and induction.

My child is less than a year old and is now on track to eat from the family pot. As I'm a working mom, most of the cooking is done by my cook and I do not have much time to oversee the cooking and cleaning process.

My cook has been using non stick pans for making eggs and parathas etc. but they're completely ruined. I feel the surface has burnt off and reacted with the leftover oil. She tends to keep the flame high in spite of asking to use medium low flame.

I wish to get rid of non-stick cookware. Is aluminium cookware harmful for babies? Where do you all cook tomato gravies? I'm not sure i can do that in an iron kadai. Where to cook omelette? I wish to buy cast iron and stainless steel but i am afraid the learning curve may be steep for the cook.

TLDR: Any suggestions for cookware that is non toxic for a baby, at the same time sturdy for the cook's high flame cooking and cleaning by the maid?

Hey everyone!

r/IndianCookingTips is currently unmoderated, and I'm looking for community members to step in and help run the space 😊

Here's what's needed:

• Mods to help shape the community and make it a genuinely useful place for home cooks at every level
• Keeping spam and low-effort content under control so the good tips don't get buried
• Managing comments and users to keep things friendly and welcoming, and no gatekeeping about "authentic" methods
• Sharing and celebrating all things Indian cooking, from regional recipes and ingredient hacks to kitchen shortcuts and troubleshooting

We're more than happy to welcome mods with no prior experience, if you cook regularly and know your way around a kitchen, that counts for a lot here.

If you're interested, drop a comment below or message me directly (please include the sub name in your message). If it's a good fit, I'll send over an invite in the next couple of days!

Saw this question come up a few times, figured I'd explain since I've gone deep into this.

Most supermarket ghee is what's called cream/malai ghee — cream separated straight from milk via centrifuge, then boiled down. Few hours, done. Bilona ghee starts from curd (fermented milk first), then hand-churned and slow-cooked — the whole batch takes 36-48 hours.

That fermentation step is the actual difference, not just "old is gold" tradition talk. It's why bilona ghee tastes a bit tangy and deeper compared to the flatter, milder taste you get from cream ghee. Ayurveda's been saying fermented stuff digests better for ages — I won't pretend I've got a clinical study to wave at you for that specific point, just old practice + it lining up loosely with what's known about fermentation in general.

One thing worth doing — actually check the label next time. A lot of "pure ghee" on shelves is cream ghee that never saw fermentation. Both get to call themselves ghee legally, they're just not the same thing.

Saw a few posts here worrying about fake/adulterated ghee — figured I’d share what I’ve learned.
Simple checks: melt a spoon in a pan — pure ghee melts fast and turns golden with a nutty smell; adulterated versions often take longer, smell flat, or leave a waxy residue. Rubbing a small amount between palms — pure ghee absorbs and doesn’t leave a greasy film for long. Iodine test (few drops on melted ghee) — turns bluish if starch/vanaspati is mixed in.
None of these are lab-grade, but they catch the obvious fakes. If you want certainty, check if the brand publishes actual lab reports (NABL-accredited) rather than just claiming “pure” on the label.