Setting Up Your Bengali Kitchen

Fan us on Facebook . You can also Subscribe to BengaliCuisine by Email

Setting up a new house and for that matter a kitchen when you are a newlywed and staying away from your hometown is a pretty tricky job. All those gifts received during the ceremony – the dinner sets, OTGs, induction cookers, crockery are either too fragile or too bulky to be carried along to the new habitat (city). So, this is my recent status – setting up a new kitchen. And, there comes the idea of a new post to help those who are in my state or is going to set up a kitchen soon. Here’s the first of the three post collection of how to set up a Bengali kitchen from scratch. You can also check Kitchenistic to find kitchen product reviews that will help you to set up your kitchen in a better way.Home appliances help keep our busy lives on schedule, so it’s important to get them fixed quickly if there’s ever a problem. Repair professionals can tackle practically any appliance issue, from a whole-house heating system problem to a basic stove repair, so that you can get back to your normal routine as soon as possible.

Appliances come in all shapes and sizes, and when they’re working right, they all serve to make our lives a little easier. When they don’t work, however, our whole domestic existence can get thrown out of whack. Instead of putting up with the problem or spending huge amounts of money on buying a new appliance, call your local repair professional. These experts can handle appliance-based heating and cooling systems and single appliance issues with equal ease. Whether you need a furnace cleaning or refrigerator maintenance, they’ll be able to offer an affordable solution that will help your household get back to its normal state as soon as possible. Click here for continue reading.

Finding out that you have a problem with your furnace, air conditioning system, or water heater can be extremely traumatic. These are elements that we use every day and generally take for granted because we don’t usually see them. We definitely do notice their presence, though, when they stop working correctly, and we have to try to get a good night’s sleep in a freezing room, or wash dishes and laundry without hot water. Luckily, appliance professionals deal with these types of issues all the time. If you have a problem, call your local appliance expert today. They’ll be able to perform the necessary air conditioning service or furnace repair in a quick, efficient, and nonintrusive manner that will let you get your home life back on track.

While having a heating or cooling system failure is noticeable throughout the house, single appliance failure is no less of a problem. We use our washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, and ovens nearly every day, and we rely on them for some of the basic necessities of life such as food and clean clothing. If you experience a problem with one of your appliances, don’t delay calling an appliance expert. Leaving the problem untreated not only negatively affects your daily life, but you can also damage an appliance further by not resolving maintenance issues as they come up. Whether you need a washer repair done in the basement or a refrigerator repair done in the kitchen, your local appliance expert will be able to take on the job and get your home up and running again.

Saying this, I have a feeling of déjà vu. Some years back when I shifted to Bangalore for my post grad, I started eating at the nearby restaurants. But, eating outside for days together in a city, where even the basic ingredients are so different from your own has its toll on your health, taste buds and of course the pocket. So, I started cooking at my PG. Now, I have an experience on setting up kitchen for bachelor as well as for a family of two.

So, here is how to set up your Kitchen so that you can .

Kitchen Utensils

The saying goes “Maach-e Bhaat-e Bangali”, (fish and rice makes a Bengali). So, to start with the first thing needed to set up a Bengali kitchen is a handi and a kadai/ karahi (wok).

Hadi and Karai:

According to the wiki page of handi, it’s a round bottom Indian cooking vessel with a smaller mouth. Handi is especially used to prepare rice and also rice preparations like payesh (rice pudding) or pulao. Though, I prefer preparing rice in a handle-less saucepan.

The karai is an indispensable item in the Bengali kitchen. Whether it’s a fish curry or dal and even fried, it is used everywhere. So, if you are planning to setup a Bengali kitchen, then better have at least one handy.

Ladles and Whisks:

Khunti or the pancake turner is a must have in a Bengali kitchen. Just like the wok it is used everywhere – from preparing curries to frying veggies. Along with this a ladle for serving gravy items and a tempering ladle will set you rolling in the kitchen.

There are different types of whisks that are available in the market. The most common being the balloon whisk. Though, I still prefer the very Bong dal-er kata (a special type of whisk with fan-like blades attached to the end of a long rod), a balloon whisk for blending lentils and preparing lassi (if you are yet to buy a blender) is good enough.

Knives and Scissors:

I have seen my mom, grand mom, aunts and next door aunty using a bonti to chop vegetables and also cut and scale fish. Bonti is a carved knife, attached to a heavy wooden base. But, it’s just next to impossible to carry a bonti from your hometown, so let’s resort to knifes. When I first started cooking I had just one knife. It was the first time I used one, and the first couple of weeks I had a hard time adjusting. There are sets of 6 or 10 knives available, so if you want you can own one, or else just start with just one. Add a peeler and a grater to your list of cutting items.

Scissor always relates to cutting papers during those craft periods in school. But, to tell you the truth it is really handy in the kitchen also. I have a pair and I use it for opening packets, chopping herbs and also cutting fish fins and tails.

Dinner sets and crockery:

If you are a bachelor or just a newly-wed like me then a couple of plates, glasses and a few spoons and serving bowls and spatula will be good enough for you to start with. But, just to be on the safer side and also if you want to entertain a few guests over the weekend go ahead and buy a nice dinner set. But before you go on about inviting guests or conducting ceremonies, it is good practice to always keep the house clean, or more so the dirtiest places, like a kitchen, immaculate. You would be surprised to now get professionals online to help you out with your cleaning. So, call Maid Easy today and get it done in an expeditious manner. 

And the rest:

The above items are pretty much to start a small kitchen. There are some more things that you may like to buy, like these sharp tools off the guide on kitchen knives. Many kitchen tools and appliances can be found at a discount online, using a Sears coupon code.

• A rolling pin and a board, if you are an expert in roti making or want to learn how to prepare a perfect roti/chapatti. Or else, just buy a roti maker.
• A griddle or tawa for preparing chapattis and even pan cakes or dosas if you want.
• A colander, if you want to save the pain of holding the handi while straining the extra starch from cooked rice. Colander also comes handy while washing vegetables and especially useful for cleaning the leafy ones.
• And, to make your work easier there are many electronic items that are readily available – food processor, rice cooker, toaster and how can I forget the oven-toaster-grill (OTG) or better still a convection microwave oven.

The photos are downloaded from web search, if anybody has any issues with the copyright of the photos please let us know, we’ll remove the photo.

 If you like this post, please consider linking to it or sharing it with others. I’ll love to hear your comments too.You can also Subscribe to BengaliCuisine by Email, or Subscribe in a reader