what types of food can be frozen?

[radhikaprabu]

I am going to India for a month and I would like to freeze some foods for my husband. I usually make chappathis and some side dishes and freeze them. I would like to know if I can freeze any more dishes? Thank you.

[tomato]

Hi Rahdhika,
I'm not a great fan for freezing food. So I can't share any tips on this. But U can check out this link to get some ideas.

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=4870

[shreya23]

hi radhika
you can freeze cooked rice in the freezer for atleast a month!what i do is ,i cook large quantity of rice in the rice cooker & then put them in ziplock bags & freeze them & whenever iam feeling lazy to cook i just take out the needed quantity , put it in a microwave bowl, sprinkle little water , cover with lid & heat it up .the rice comes out af it has been freshly cooked. since i also use kabuli channa a lot ,so i soak, pressurecook & freeze them beforehand & use them when required for cooking.i also freeze my own coriander, curry leaves& mint chopped. i also freeze the supermarket sandwich bread for nearly two months ,so that you dont have to run the bakery just to buy bread :D !you can also freeze sambar, rasam & tomato chutney & use it when required!
shreya

[shreya23]

hi radhika
its me again what i wanted to add is for rasam, sambar & tomato chutney i freeze them in ice trays & when frozen put them in ziplock bags & use the number of cubes as required.the only precaution is to freeze the food as soon as they are cooked (to retain their taste)and not do it in the evening after they have been lying outside the whole day!btw i tried freezing biriyani , it was okay for a week but after 3 weeks ,the mutton had turned to a dark brown colour & it looked so unappetising that i threw away the whole pack!hope this helps :D
shreya

[VK Narayanan]

I too do not prefer frozen cooked foods as it loses most of the essential nutrients. So happy to read about your love and care for your husband, but frankly I think if your husband needs to eat and enjoy good and healthy foods, he should start learning how to cook. Remember the old adage,
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life" - Chinese proverb - . Learning how to cook has become quite easy these days with the power of internet's interconnectivity. What do you think? :)

[RedPepper]

I agree with vkn. This is the best chance for your husband to try his hands at cooking while you are away. Instead of cooking and freezing foods, I suggest that you type and print out some of your easy recipes with clear directions and keep it in your kitchen. Label the masala powders and other ingredients and keep them handy where your husband can find it easily. Encourage him to give it a try. Who knows your husband would have developed a wonderful new skill by the time you return. Good luck. :)

[RedPepper]

Learning how to cook has become quite easy these days with the power of internet's interconnectivity. What do you think? :)
Not just that. With people like you who kindly share traditional recipes and new tried and true recipes, it is easy for the rest of us to be a 'star' by following those recipes.

[kritica]

Hi shreya,
Well i am quite intrigued by the way u freeze sambhar and rasam.... its amazing.. i am going to try that and let u know...
cheers
Kritica

[shreya23]

hi kritica
even thick pureed veggie soups can be stored the same way.
shreya

[riceandbeans]

I have to disagree with the concept that food looses its nutrients if frozen. If the correct techniques for freezing are used, the food will keep its nutritional value for sure. Of course proper freezing involves more than placing food in a container and into the freezer it goes. There are specific steps to be followed so that it keeps its nutritional integrity. I understand that in the ancient times in India refrigeration and mainly electricity wasn't widely spread, also mothers and grandmothers had all day to devote to the art of cooking so meals were cooked fresh and daily but with the evolution of times and mass migration overseas, people are adopting modern ways to manage time and make life less stressfull and easier. So since we we would still be living in caves, breaking stuff up with stones hadn't we broadened our horizons, my view is try it out and see how it fits you, always use the freshest ingredients available, organic if possible, and freeze whenever needed.

[VK Narayanan]

I have to disagree with the concept that food looses its nutrients if frozen. If the correct techniques for freezing are used, the food will keep its nutritional value for sure. Of course proper freezing involves more than placing food in a container and into the freezer it goes. There are specific steps to be followed so that it keeps its nutritional integrity. I understand that in the ancient times in India refrigeration and mainly electricity wasn't widely spread, also mothers and grandmothers had all day to devote to the art of cooking so meals were cooked fresh and daily but with the evolution of times and mass migration overseas, people are adopting modern ways to manage time and make life less stressfull and easier. So since we we would still be living in caves, breaking stuff up with stones hadn't we broadened our horizons, my view is try it out and see how it fits you, always use the freshest ingredients available, organic if possible, and freeze whenever needed.Partially agree with you on this R&B, thought this link would help to understand two methods used in freezing - quick freezing and ordinary freezing. How many of us follow the techniques mentioned here - http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/divers/freezing/index.htm. Most of us go by the ordinary freezing methods and lose all those vitamins and nutrients. It says,

Preserve your vitamins
A few tips for preserving the maximum nutritional value of quick-frozen foods:

don't break the cold chain and never let foods defrost before being cooked
don't refreeze a product that is partly or fully thawed
follow the cooking times indicated on the packaging
avoid repeated reheating: prepare only as much as you need
don't drown vegetables in too much cooking water. Steam them instead or use one of the "hints and tips" below.
if you prefer the traditional boiling method, use only a small quantity of water (half the volume of water to vegetables) and avoid overcooking.
if you're using frozen vegetables in a soup or stew, add them at the last minute rather than letting them "soak" for hours. Hope this helps to those who prefer to eat frozen foods.[/url]

[RedPepper]

[tscii:4fda82f122]Nutrients preserved or not, I just cannot eat the reheated frozen pre-cooked food unless there is no other choice. Tried it a few times because I wanted to keep on with the modern society, but just cannot tolerate. Most American dishes freeze well. But when it comes to Indian food, (especially curry type sauces with gravy), it completely loses its dignity when frozen and reheated. That’s what I think. I agree that proper freezing is a safe and widely accepted method of food preservation. But at present, I have one to two hours daily devoted for cooking. If I have leftovers I refrigerate them and use next day. Even when I don’t have time to cook, I have a few recipes that I can whip up in less than 30 minutes which I would prefer rather than the reheated frozen stuff.[/tscii:4fda82f122]

[rain]

same here.i feel for some reason indian food taste best piping fresh maybe becoz of veggies or spices i wud'nt know. infact reheating the frozen food takes over half hour.instead a dal and salad can be teamed up for little over that.rice is no hassle but wish there was some way to store rolled out raw chapati then it wud be easy to cook that too in short time !

regards,
rain

[dev]

If U don't mind wasting lots of cling wrap, U can try rolling out chapathis & placing them between cling wraps & stack 8-10 of it & place it in a zip lock,keep refridgerated... Just an idea that struck me now... Never tried it & am not sure how it'll turn out when cooked... I keep leftover chapathis in a ziplock bag & refridegerate...use it within 2-3 days...When reheated in the MW for 15 secs, it comes out as good as fresh ones...

[rain]

surely worth trying, dev. and by refridgeration u don't mean the freezer,right?

i have tried keeping cooked chapati in polythene bag in the fridge(not freezer)and it always turns out hard while reheating :( but i have used tava and not MW.

regards,
rain

[dev]

I meant the refridgerator... I too am not a fan of frozen food...

For refridgerating chapathis, I guess the outcome depends more on the quality of the dough... The dough I used to prepare never gave good chapathis after refridgeration & reheating... But once when S prepared the dough & there was leftovers, I refridgerated it... used it after 2 days,guess & it came out as good as new... He uses hot water & salt...Knead it until the dough is real soft & smooth...for almost 15 mins or so... add a tsp of oil while kneading(mid-way thru)... I don't use oil for cooking the chapathis... keep the chapathis in an open container & once it's cool, put it in ziplock bags & refridgerate... If U use the tawa to reheat, try stacking a few chapathis so that only the one at the bottom will turn hard & the rest will be soft... or U can also try keeping the chapathis in a container & steaming for a few mins(not too long or the chapathis will become wet & mushy)... One of my friend says it works great for her...

[riceandbeans]

VK Narayanan" Partially agree with you on this R&B, thought this link would help to understand two methods used in freezing - quick freezing and ordinary freezing. How many of us follow the techniques mentioned here - http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/divers/freezing/index.htm. Most of us go by the ordinary freezing methods and lose all those vitamins and nutrients. Hope this helps to those who prefer to eat frozen foods.[/url] [/quote]

I checked out the link you suggested but unfortunately it isn't working. It says the page isn't available. Like I had said in my previous post "there is more to freezing than simply placing the food in the freezer". Like everything in life, one should not make use of something they are unfamiliar and have no proper knowledge about without proper guidance and orientation. That could lead to bad results. Using adequate techniques to doing anything is a matter of commom sense and wisdom. If you don't know how to drive a vehicle you won't venture out driving one but that doesn't mean you have to walk everywhere forever. For instance, like freezing, pressure cooking can be a real wonderful time management tool if properly used, and yet many do not like to use pressure cookers because in their view the quick cooking takes away the flavor of the food which doesn't in anyway discredits the usefulness and advantages of the quick cooking method widely used by other many nowadays, out of preference and need to improve, save and modernize. It is indeed a matter of personal choice.

[kavikuil]

Am not a fan of frozen food, but it's still better than eating outside everyday and/or feeling homesick because family is away. Here are some tips from me.

You''ll need wax paper (available in any grocery store, in the aisle where you find foil paper, used in baking) and several 1 Qt size ziplocs.

Always remember to freeze in single serving sizes, so it can be used easily. Remember no thawing the food and refreezing it. So, freeze in single servings only.

1. Make parathas/stuffed parathas etc. Cook them 3/4rth. Apply very thin layer of ghee/oil on it. Let it cool down. Stack 3,4 parathas one on top on another and wax paper in between. Insert this stack in the ziploc back and ziploc it. When you close the ziplloc, take care to press the air from the ziploc bag out. Whenever needed, take this out and warm it on the tawa.
There are frozen parathas available in Indian grocery stores. you can buy those and freeze too.

2. Rasams freeze well. When I defroze the paruppu rasam, it took some time to defroze but it was tastier than the first time I had it, before freezing.

3. Fried rices dont freeze well for long time. So does polaos,, biryanis etc.

4. You can make tomato thokku (Thick tomato pickle, which can be eaten with rice or idli, dosas etc) and puli kachal (The pulp for pulihodara rice) and store in bottle in your refrigerator (not freezer). Coriander pickle also refrigerates well and can be stored for a long time. this can be eaten with rice or with idli/dosas.

5. You can also make some podis - like paruppu podi, idli podi, hemantji's gun powder etc. which can be mixed with hot rice and ghee.

6. Boil potatoes and slightly mash them and freeze them. This can be used to make instant side dishes with potatoes.

7. Chutneys dont freeze well.

8. If you eat meat, then buy meat and cut them into bite sized pieces and marinate them with masala powders, salt and curd. Freeze this. He can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and roast it in the oven at 375 F (15 mins, turn over, 15 mins again).

9. Buy minced meat and cook it with regular masalas, salt and some green peas. Take three slices of bread and apply butter on all sides. boil potatoes and mash them while they are very hot. Add some chilli powder and salt in this mash and mix well.
Keep a bread slice and load it with kheema, then the other bread slice, more kheema and then the third bread slice. Press this stack slightly from the top. Now cover this sandwich on all four sides with the potato mash. the bread slices shouldnt be seen at all. Then press this over breadcrumbs on all four sides. Wrap with a Al foil and cover with a ziploc bag and freeze. When needed, take it out and bake it the oven (on baking tray lined with greased Al foil) til golden on all sides. This taste yummy! got this recipe from some magazine. Children love this and its a quick meal when needed. Am giving this recipe here, because it freezes very well.

Leave note on the refrigerator door- what you have left for him and how he can use them.

Dont freeze a lot of his food. Only food, enough to help him get through the days when he doesnt feel like cooking. When you reach India, Mail him a few website names (only a few, so it's not daunting) where he can get the recipes from and let him enjoy his cooking time.

[Alan]

Hi Rahdhika,
I'm not a great fan for freezing food. So I can't share any tips on this. But U can check out this link to get some ideas.

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=4870

neither am I!