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March 9, 2016

Kitchen Utensils & Tools List For Home With PDF

Kitchen utensils list

In my previous post, I have shared the list of essential kitchen appliances needed for a home. In this post, you can find the list of Kitchen utensils required for setting up a new Indian kitchen. In this post, I have discussed the uses of utensils & kitchen tools and shared the list of all possible kitchen utensils & tools. I have segmented them under different categories namely Cookware, Storages, Serve ware, Bakeware and tools. But I have not recommended any brands. As I promised in my previous post, I have also shared a PDF of Kitchen appliances & utensils list. Please click on the link and download it, Its free. Do the changes as per your need. 

All the utensils I have given here are not purchased in one day. You don’t need everything at the beginning of cooking too. It could be accumulated in months, years based on your requirement & usage. I referred this & this post for making the list. I hope this list would help beginners to arrange their new kitchen. Wishing you all the very best. Happy cooking !!

Click HERE to view & download the PDF.

I have given affiliate links for all the utensils from Amazon with links and pictures.
Here is my routine dialogue : Friends, take this list as a guidance and buy the utensils which is of use to you. Even I don’t have many of the tools & utensils listed here. Its just the collection of all possible kitchen utensils & tools. If you feel anything important is missed here, please share it in comments section. I will update it. Thanks for visiting this page.Leave your feedback about this list. It would make me even more happy.

Click HERE to view & download the PDF.

Click HERE to view Kitchen appliances list with brand recommendations.



USES OF UTENSILS
  • A kadai/Skillet is used for stir frying, sauting, cooking and boiling. You can use stainless steel or Non-stick or ceramic kadai. But an iron kadai is recommended for deep frying. So better buy a small sized or medium sized iron kadai too.Also try to buy the ones with sturdy handles and a transparent lid.
  • Tadka pan/ Mini kadai is used for seasoning Indian dishes.
  • Stock Pots, Saucepans and Stainless steel cooking pots can be used for boiling gravies, soups,stews,Cooking vegetables and greens. It would be better if its with transparent lid.
  • Thick bottomed milk pan  or Milk cooker – I prefer stainless steel ones.
  • Pressure cooker – For cooking rice,steaming vegetables. To me its the heart of utensils. I can cook any number of dishes if I have two cookers in hand.
  • Stackable stainless steel cooking pots in various sizes – Its mainly used for serving gravies,chutney & curries.
  • Cassorle/ Hot pack – To keep roti, idli, rice & gravies warm for hours.
  • Idli pot & Dosa pan for making idli & dosa
  • Appam pan/Paniyaram pan/ uthappam pan – For making appam, Paniyaram, Utappam
  • Glass bowls – If you have microwave, you can use it for reheating and cooking.
  • Big Stainless steel bowls or plastic bowls for making chapathi/bread dough, for rinsing vegetables.
  • Plates – For serving & covering the food
  • Ladles & spoon – For cooking & serving gravies,curries etc
  • Cups/Coffee cups/Water glass/Tumblers – For serving liquids
  • Tea pot / Flask – To keep coffee or tea
  • Measurement cups & spoons – Mainly needed for baking & sweets making.
  • Rice server and idli scooper – To serve rice & to remove idli.
  • Rolling pin & board - For making roti,Poori etc
  • Knives & scissors – To chop & cut ( Invest in good quality ones)
  • Peeler & grater – To peel the skin of vegetables , grater for grating cheese,vegetables
  • Scrapper – mainly used for coconut scrapping
  • Perforated frying spoon/skimmer/strainer for deep frying  [Hindi: jhaara/zara]
  • Tongs/Idukki in Tamil – Its mainly used for removing roti & papad from hot oil.
  • Locking tongs – For holding hot vessels
  • Whisk & churner – For mixing batter without lumps, whip curd and for mixing cake batter.
  • Big sized Storage containers for storing groceries & Dosa batter
  • Medium & Small sized containers for storing pickles, spice powders etc
  • Spice box/Anjarai petti – For storing whole spices
  • Masher – For mashing boiled potato, kichadi and other dishes.
  • Wire mesh – It is used to puff up roti, roast papad, brinjals etc


Click HERE to view Kitchen appliances list with brand recommendations.

COOKWARE
q 


SERVEWARE
serveware
 
STORAGES
Storage containers

BAKEWARE
 
KITCHEN TOOLS
 
MISCELLANEOUS
FLOOR CARE & CLEANING ITEMS


Click HERE to view & download the PDF.
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March 8, 2016

Kitchen Appliances List For Home

Kitchen appliances list

Last year I shared an Indian monthly grocery list for 2 persons. Many of my readers got benefitted by that list and sent me so many appreciation mails & comments. I am very happy that my list is useful to all. Readers who used my grocery list have requested me to share the list of most needed Kitchen appliances & utensils ( If possible with brand names, recommendations, price & pictures) for setting up a new house kitchen or while replacing the essentials. I got those requests especially from guys & girls who are about to be married. Usually our elders in home would guide on all these things.

Being a successful housewife for the past ten years, I thought of sharing my knowledge about the basic kitchen electronic & electrical appliances necessary for a new kitchen. I have also suggested the brand names for each equipment based on my usage & my friends opinion. A very special thanks to my friends in School group “ SSV Buds” and "School moms" group in WhatsApp and my dear friend Shalini for sharing all the details promptly & patiently. Based on all their feedbacks, I have given suggestions for brand names. I have also given brand recommendations for people in USA. 

Friends, please take this as an advice, do a complete research on  product reviews from genuine review sites before buying any product.

Experienced people, do share your feedback on the appliance you use and tips for their maintenance. It would be a great help for all of us.

I have segmented the appliances under various categories like major appliances, counter top appliances and accessories. I have  also made a separate post on Kitchen utensils. I will share the entire list in a downloadable PDF format in that post. I hope this list would be useful for girls & guys who wants to know what kitchen appliances you need to set up your own kitchen. This list can also come in very handy when looking for wedding, anniversary gift suggestions. For a bachelor, all these equipments may not be needed. Pressure cooker, Mixie and some utensils would do for a minimal cooking.

Friends, I have given all these ideas as per my personal experience and friends recommendations. Feel free to tailor it based on your requirements and budget. 

Click HERE to view & download the PDF.

Click HERE to view Kitchen utensils list with links.

Affiliate link disclosure

In this post, I have used Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through one of these links, Chitra’s food book would receive a small percentage of the sale price. Thanks for your support!

Please check my Indian grocery list for a month if interested.

Kitchen Appliances


Click on the appliances to view various brands & their prices. Click HERE to know the best sellers of Kitchen appliances.

For US amazon, click THIS LINK

Click HERE to view & download the PDF of Kitchen appliances & utensils list. 

Check out my Kitche utensils post to know the essential kitchen utensils.

Major Appliances
Countertop Appliances & Accessories

Click HERE to view & download the PDF of Kitchen appliances & utensils list.

Apart from this list, there are many useful kitchen tools and accessories available in the market. Buy them based on your need. What I have covered here is just the essential ones. 


Stove or cooking Range

I am using Faber 4 burner glass top stove with chimney for the past 2 years and its working well without any complaints.Most of my friends also use the same for more than 5 years in a good working condition.Earlier I used Prestige 2 burner gas stove with stainless steel top. I have given my Faber model from Amazon. Some of my friends use Prestige glass top stove with good feedback. So decide it based on your likings and budget. You may also check some of the highly recommended kitchen chimney in India here.


     


Table top Grinder

I am using a local brand grinder named Bagyalakshmi which I bought in Salem. It is working fine for 10 years without any major problems. Major supplier is in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. But you can buy in agencies in other parts of Tamilnadu and Bangalore. Please Google to see the sellers. But most of my friends suggested and opted Ultra & butterfly table top grinders. I have given the link below. Click on the images.

People in US can buy Ultra & Premier brands 110v grinders. 

India


USA




Mixie – Stand Mixer
I am using Preethi Spice with 3 jars for two years. Its working good but I don’t recommend my model. When I asked my friends, everybody recommended Preethi Mixie but different models like Chef pro plus, Blue leaf. But all of them have complained about the jar & blades. Actually the lifetime of Mixie & its jar depends purely on our maintenance. I came to know this from a Mixie Service guy. He told to grind in batches (in small quantity depending on the size of jar) and it should not be operated continuously. 

Also buy a 750W mixie (minimum) if you want to grind dosa batter. 650W is not recommended for heavy work. Do not over load the mixie. Do not put hot ingredients for grinding. The contents may splash. Make sure the jar or the body of mixie is not heated while grinding. Clean the jar & body of mixie regularly. Keep these points in mind while using mixie. If you follow this, you can use any mixie for years. 

Overall, Preethi is the most recommended brand by most of my friends. Next to Preethi, I would recommend National Panasonic & Maharaja Whiteline. My MIL is using National Panasonic for more than 15 years. Still its looking new to me. I am trying to follow her.

My Friends in US are using Preethi mixie & Magic bullet mixer. For short term use, Magic bullet mixer is a good purchase. But grinding idli batter would a tough job. For long term use, you can consider buying Preethi Mixer or Indian grinder.

    

For US residents



Food Proccessor
Many people wish to buy food processor as it has multiple functionality. Depending on the placement and type of attachment or blade, these functions normally consist of:
  • Slicing/chopping vegetables
  • Grinding items such as nuts, seeds (e.g. spices), meat, or dried fruit
  • Shredding or grating cheese or vegetables
  • Pureeing
  • Coconut scrapping
  • Mixing and kneading doughs
So its basically your choice of buying either a food processor or a mixie. My friend Shalini is using Philips food processor for 7 years. Please find the model below.



Fridge

I am using Samsung double door fridge with separate refrigerator & freezor compartments. Its age is nearly 11 years. Its an awesome purchase and worth for money. I am very happy with my fridge till today. So I would blindly recommend this brand to anyone. Other than this, you can consider LG. Check for its power saving & other specifications before you buy. Its better to buy a voltage stabilizer along with it, hope you know the power fluctuations in India very well ;)



Microwave Oven or Convection Oven Or OTG

My advise is to buy a convection oven instead of buying a microwave. Microwave oven can be used only for cooking & reheating. But baking cakes & cookies cannot be done. Of course microwave cakes can be made. But you will have limitations whereas a convection oven does the job of microwave and OTG as well. So I always suggest buying a convection oven. I have been using Samsung Convection oven for the past 5 years without any complaints. I am using it for reheating, baking cakes & cookies. Even though it has microwave, Convection, grill modes, I have used Grill option very rarely. Any oven works fine when you understand the equipment thoroughly by reading the manual.

 If you follow the instruction manual, you will get good results in baking. I learnt this through my experience. So the first thing you should do after buying an oven is to read the manual completely. If you prefer to have a small sized oven based on the size of your kitchen countertop, then OTG is the best choice. You cannot reheat anything using OTG like microwave but cakes & cookies can be very well done like in bakeries. I heard Morphy richards OTG is good through my friends. But its bit costlier. For medium budget, you can consider Prestige or bajaj OTG.

Check out my Kitche utensils post to know the essential baking utensils.

  

Water Purifier

In India, most of the people use Aquaguard water purifier.Many of my friends use the same. My parents are using Pureit. Choose any based on your requirement. I heard Kent is also widely used nowadays. But before buying, check for warranty, service and maintanence.

 

 Electric Rice Cooker

Electric Rice cooker is not mandatory to buy if you have a pressure cooker at home. But Rice cooker has its own benefits like it keep the food warm for hours. It would be more useful for bachelors and working women. I got Panasonic Rice cooker as my marriage gift from my Uncle. I used it for the past ten years. Recently I changed it as I broke the lid. I would suggest Panasonic & Prestige rice cookers if you are in India.




Toaster & Grill Sandwich Maker

I have a NOVA toaster & NOVA Grill sandwich maker. I wanted to buy some low priced brands as its usage in my home is less. So depending on the usage, you can decide the brand. Some of my friends are using Philips, Prestige. But most of my friends suggested Morphy richards. But remember its costlier when compared with other brands.




Induction Stove

I don’t have an Induction stove. But my mom used it for more than 2 years when she was in Hyderabad. She used Pigeon induction stove. Some of my friends are using Prestige & Butterfly. 

 Update : Recently I bought Prestige Induction stove and its really good. 




Air fryer

Nowadays Air fryer is becoming very popular and mostly diet conscious people go for buying it. If you wish to make deep fried stuffs with less oil,you can go for it. An air fryer works similar to a convection oven. I won Bajaj airfryer as a prize for cooking contest. I have tried making cutlet, spring rolls and samosa with it. It comes out well and crispy but definitely you cannot match its taste with the deep fried ones. But we have the satisfaction of eating junks atleast with less oil :)



OTHER ACCESSORIES

Coffe maker, Electric kettle, Roti maker, Juicer, Hand blender and Vegetable Chopper are not the much needed appliances for a kitchen. But you can buy them based on your requirements. If you have elderly people and babies at home, you can purchase Electric kettle, coffee maker and juicer. More than our personal use, I feel all these accessories are perfect for gifting.

I do have a Philips juicer, Philips hand blender + Chopper and Philips Hand mixer. I got all these as gifts from my relatives for my marriage & house warming :)




Friends, I have given all these ideas as per my personal experience and friends recommendations. Feel free to tailor it based on your requirements and budget. 

Click HERE to view & download the PDF of Kitchen appliances & utensils list.

Click HERE to view Kitchen utensils list with links.

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March 6, 2016

How To Celebrate Maha Shivaratri at home | Celebration Procedures and Recipes List

Maha shivaratri celebration

Image source : Up-Rising in flickr 
Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated every year in reverence of Lord Shiva. It is also known as Padmarajarathri. It is celebrated all over South India(In Tamil nadu, Karnataka) and North India. Shivaratri literally means the great night of Shiva or the night of Shiva. It is celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day of the Maagha or Phalguna month of the Hindu calendar. 

This year 2024, Shivratri falls on March 8th.  On shivaratri day, fasting involves refraining from eating any food and not sleeping through out the night.  Followers visit Shiv temples and bath the idol of Lord Shiva and follow rituals to please the lord. Devotees begin the day by worshipping the Lingam of Lord Shiva in temples.

According to Shiv Purana, the following items are a must: Shiva Linga must be bathed with water, milk and honey. Also, bilva patra must be offered to the lord as it purifies the soul. Vermilion ( a reddish orange paste) must be applied over Shiva Linga after bathing, it represents virtue. Symbolizing longevity, different kinds of fruits are offered to the Linga for the fulfillment of wishes.The worship is then concluded with Lord Shiva’s Aarti. The day is considered auspicious for women. They fast and pray to the Lord to get blessed with blissful married life, while unmarried woman would pray for an ideal husband like Shiva. People chant “Om Nama Shivaya” all through the day.
 
There are different stories based on different puranas on why we celebrate Maha Shivratri. Some of these stories are mentioned here.
  • According to a few books, Maha Shivratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava.
  • Based on a few other puranas, it is believed that Lord Shiva drank “Aalahal” or poison on this day, and was known as Neela kanda then after.
  • Some believe that Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati on this auspicious day.

Tradition of Drinking Thandai

Since Lord Shiva is regarded as an ascetic god, Maha Shivratri is very popular with ascetics. Thandai, a drink made with bhang (cannabis), almonds, and milk, is essentially drunk by the devout on the day as cannabis is said to have been very dear to Shiva.

Food and Fasting

People fast for the whole day on Maha Shivratri. They start the day by worshiping the lingam of Lord Shiva. People eat satvik food such as sabudana khichdi and thandai (bhang). Devotees also wear Rudraksh beads on this day. According to mythological stories, rudraksh beads are believed to have been originated from Lord Shiva’s tears.

It is believed that simply by worshipping the lingam after a bath helps devotees achieve the blessings of Lord Shiva and moksha. All sins are forgiven and spirituality is awakened. So, with a clear heart and soul, worship Lord Shiva on this Maha Shivratri and be blessed all your life.

Source : http://womenpla.net/celebrating-mahashivratri/ 
 http://www.mahashivratri.org/shivaratri-celebrations.html

Maha shivaratri kolam

Ingredients required For Pooja

Visit my In-laws blog “Learn Kolam” to view Kolams for Maha shivaratri.
  • Flowers for decorating Lord Shiva
  • Lamp
  • If you wish to perform abishekam, keep some milk, honey, ghee, curd and water.
  • Bilva ( Bael) patra leaves/ Vilvam in Tamil
  • Coconut, Betel leaves, Nuts & fruits
  • Incense stick
  • Camphor

How do we celebrate Maha Shivratri

In my family, On Shivratri day, we take bath in early morning, draw Rangoli in the entrance & in front of Pooja room ( I usually draw Chariot kolam). We decorate the Lord with flowers especially Bilva Patra/Vilvam and perform pooja by chanting “ Om Nama Shivaya” for 1008 times. We fast from morning to evening. In the evening around 4pm , we take bath again and make neivedyam for Lord shiva. Around 6 pm, we offer Sweet puttu/ Rice Jaggery puttu / Arisi vella puttu in Tamil, Boiled Sweet potato and field beans ( based on their availability in market) for Lord Shiva, do the pooja and finish with Mangala Aarti. 

Along with this, we make a no onion no garlic rice upma, Sambar  without onion, garlic and buttermilk. We have the same for dinner around 7 pm. We don’t have the practice of being awake the whole night. If you wish to perform abishekam, you should not sleep through out the night. Abishekam should be performed every three hours. i.e First three hours with milk, Second three hours with curd, third with ghee and fourth with honey (Overall 12 hours). After abishekam decorate with Bilva leaves. Lord Shiva will be more happy when decorated with Bilva leaves more than jewels. The next day morning, we cook & eat a No onion No garlic meal and finish our fasting. We are not supposed to have tiffin items as the Vrat won’t be fulfilled without having this menu.

In North India, People offer varieties of recipes like Thandai , Sabudana Kichdi , Sabudana vada, Lauki halwa, Kuttu ki poori, Sabudana Kheer, Motichoor ladoo and Kachori.

It is believed that simply by worshipping the lingam after a bath helps devotees achieve the blessings of Lord Shiva and moksha. All sins are forgiven and spirituality is awakened. So, with a clear heart and soul, worship Lord Shiva on this Maha Shivratri and be blessed all your life.



MAHA SHIVARATRI PRASADAM RECIPES

SOUTH INDIAN SHIVARATRI PRASADAM

Arisi Vella Puttu / Sweet puttu

Rice upma

Javvarisi upma

Sambar ( Skip onions in this recipe 

Neer mor/ Spiced buttermilk

No Onion No Garlic Lunch Menu

NORTH INDIAN SHIVARATRI PRASAD

Sabudana kichdi

Thandai

Homemade thandai powder

Sabudana vada

Sabudana Kheer 

 18 Payasam varieties collection

Lauki halwaKuttu ki pooriDahi aloo



Disclaimer : I have shared the procedures based on our tradition. Please take the as a reference,consult the elders of your family and do the pooja as per your practice. Beginners can follow this if you don’t have any specific procedure at home.

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March 3, 2016

Easy Vegetarian Tacos Recipe With Baked Kidney Beans

Vegetarian tacos recipe
A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. It can be made with a variety of fillings including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables,Baked beans or cooked kidney beans and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety. A taco is generally eaten without utensils and is often accompanied by garnishes such as salsa or chili pepper,avocado or guacamole, cilantro (coriander), tomatoes, sour cream, onions and lettuce (source : Wiki)
Recently I tasted Crunchy Taco at Taco bell in Gopalan Innovation mall, Bangalore. I just loved its filling & toppings.Inspired by that, I bought some readymade Taco shells & a tin of baked beans in tomato sauce( Sil brand) from Big basket, Online ( This is not a promotional post). As I am not aware of the availability of Taco shells & baked beans in Bangalore,I ordered them online. I guess it must be available in Nilgiris, Total mall & Spar. Friends, please leave a comment of where we get these ingredients in Bangalore. It would help others. TIA !
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March 1, 2016

Instant Sambar For Idli – Pottukadalai Sambar Recipe

pottukadalai sambar for idli
Its my long time wish to make sambar recipe for idli dosa without dal. Recently my reader Suchi Vasan shared an Instant Pottukadalai sambar for idli. Its a very simple & quick sambar recipe that can be made without toor dal, moong dal or coconut. Tomato, onion, sambar powder & fried gram dal( pottukadalai in Tamil) is enough to make this side dish.

I won’t say its taste is as good as dal/paruppu sambar. It doesn't suit well for Pongal or rice but it tastes good with idli, dosa. Do try it during busy morning hours & make your job simple. Lets see how to prepare Instant Idli sambar using pottukadalai.

Check out my other Idli sambar recipes HERE and my instant idli sambar without dal

Pottukadalai sambar

Instant sambar recipe for idli dosa


Instant sambar recipe for idli dosa How to make quick & easy sambar for idli.
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Side dish
Serves: Serves 3
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Total time: 15 Minutes
INGREDIENTS

  • Ripe tomato - 2 nos ( big)
  • Big onion or small onion - 2 nos/12 nos
  • Red chillies - 4 nos
  • Fried gram dal/Pottukadalai - 2 tbsp
  • Dhania powder - 1/2 tsp to 3/4 tsp
  • Sambar powder - 1 tsp
  • Salt & water - as needed
To temper
  • Cooking oil - 1 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves - few
  • Asafetida/Hing - 2 pinches
  • Coriander leaves - to garnish
  • Ghee - 1 tsp ( to garnish)
METHOD

  • Wash & chop the tomato & onions. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai and saute red chillies, onions, tomato pieces & pottukadalai/fried gram dal. Saute until tomato turns pulpy.Let the mixture cools down. Grind to a smooth paste adding required water.
instant pottukadalai sambar recipe
  • In a kadai,heat oil.Temper mustard seeds, urad dal, hing & curry leaves. Add onion & saute until transparent if using. I din’t use onions. Add the ground tomato paste. Add 1 cup of water & mix well. Add salt, turmeric powder,sambar powder & dhania powder. Let the sambar boil well for few minutes. Add more water based on the consistency you need. Garnish with coriander leaves and a tsp of ghee. Easy, Instant Idli sambar is ready. Enjoy !
Instant pottukadalai sambar


Note
  • Add more chillies while roasting if you want spicy sambar.
  • Add ghee for more flavor at the end.
Enjoy this easy, tasty sambar with idli & dosa !
Instant tiffin sambar

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