Let's Start

Cooking is done since time immemorial and will always be there in human society. The methods, utensils, devices of cooking undergone change time to time. Modernization of kitchen was inevitable in modern urban life. This has reduced drudgery in cooking to a great extent. I am here presenting some tips regarding use of small devices to make cooking easy.

Water Spray

Water is part and parcel of cooking. Many times we need it in very small quantity and water may be dropped in excess by pouring it. We usually sprinkle water be hand when little water is needed. Use of spray gives us better control over release of water and also helps to spread water evenly.

Few Examples;

• While making Dosa, we can spray water on tawa in between two dosas. Spraying avoid burns which one may get while doing by hand with wet cloth.
• While making Bhakari, it is easy to spray water on its surface rather applying water by hand.
• While making dough of Chapatti, flour can be well put together at the end by spraying water. Pouring may result into excess of water; which may affect texture of dough.
• Spray is very important in microwave cooking. Spraying water helps to cook Khichadi, Upama, Shira perfectly in oven.
• Rice, Pulav, Biryani can be cooked well in oven on microwave mode. In case it is cooked little less even after standing time, a little water is needed. We can spray the needed water and cook it in oven for 1 to 2 minutes.
• We cook some of the green vegetables by applying besan; spray helps to cook such vegetables by adding exact quantity of water.

Oil Container with Pourer

We are now health conscious and want to use less oil. 500 gm of oil per person/month is normally recommended. (Various options of edible oils such as Sunflower, Groundnut, Sesame, Karadi, coconut are available; its good to explore)

Oil container with pourer enables us to release optimum quantity of oil and also to spread it evenly.

Brush for greasing

Use of brush for greasing gives best results compared to applying it by fingers.

Various types of such devices are available in market in different sizes. We can buy as per our requirement but while buying please ensure that it is made of food grade plastic.

Here is one recipe on the occasion of Christmas;

On festivals or birthdays, we get sweets especially Mithai in large quantities. One may find it difficult to finish it. Such Mithai especially what we call 'Barfi' in Marathi, can be used to make stuff Poli (पोळी) or even cakes. Here is one such recipe of Mango Maawa cake.

Ingredients

• Two cubes of Mango Barfi (चितळे बंधुंची असेल तर उत्तम)
• Two eggs
• Vanilla Essence - 1 Table spoon
• Baking Powder - 1 Table spoon
• Sugar - 100 gms (we can use sugar replacement)
• Butter - 100 gms
• Milk - half bowl
• Maida - 80 gms

Defrost mango Barfi in oven for 1 to 1.5 minutes. Mix the eggs and essence well in one bowl. After biting it for a while, add baking powder and bit it well. Add sugar and bit again. Add sugar and bit again till you get texture of ribbon fall of the batter. Add mango mawa and bit again for one minute. If you use electric bitter, stop using it at this point. Add sieved maida and mix it well. Silicon spoon is best in mixing the batter. Preheat the oven on 180 degrees. Pour the batter in the mold of your choice and bake it for 26 to 28 minutes on convection mode. Yummy cake will be ready.