[dragonfire]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

We have dish from dry powder also. It is idiyappam made from dry rice powder mixed with hot water. This does not need fermentation as I understand. We also prepare appam sometimes with slurry rice powder. But not idly or dosa for which wet grinder is used for the fluffy output.

I think it is the fermentation and not the grinding process that makes it fluffy but I'd not going to bet my money on that.

Originally Posted by mvadg

You are right! I always assumed it was yeast. Learn something new everyday.

Adding bread yeast to the mix makes the batter fluffy and odd tasting. (tried it once)

My mom adds a bit of baking soda to the idly mix. It releases air bubbles making the mix airy.

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by dragonfire

I understand there is something complex happening there, but can't picture what two pieces of stone can do to the mix other than than grinding it.

This particular subject has been discussed extensively in this very same thread with so many learned comments that it was moved to the recepie thread. The general consensus being that stones grind better than blades. Don't ask me why I've never set foot in the kitchen.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by dragonfire

I am trying to reduce the burden of the Indian women (at least the one at my home ). As some foreigner commented, Indians spend half a day preparing the day's lunch and then eat it in 10 mins. While they spend 10 minutes preparing a meal (maybe sandwich) and spends half an hour eating it.

I think we waste countless hours and energy just to make food that is like 10% tastier. Like what they show in the movie Great Indian Kitchen - idly batter ground in grinders, curry made in earthenware (as opposed to pressure cookers), chutney made using stone grinders etc. I wonder whether they are really worth the hassle.

Have you ever seen a foreigner subsist on sandwiches only? I have not. Sandwich is a snack food, same as samosa or vada. It is not a meal. Every cuisine has its mix of "fast food", normal food and "slow cooked" food.

Dough ground on stone grinders, meat or dal cooked on a low heat in an earthenware pot, dum biryani are styles that enhance the taste. You are free to use pressure cooker but you will never get the creamy texture of slow cooked dal or mutton curry. The reason is that gelatin (in meat) or membrane (plants) which gives you that creamy texture takes time (4h+) to emulsify in water.

Similarly in west you have slow cooked meat, oven roasts that take hours and complex souses.

Chinese have also a variety of stir fried (fast food), normal boiled/braised dishes as well as food cooked for hours.

It all depends on what you want to achieve.

Traditionally India being a hot country where food spoils easily, we have been cooking at least twice a day. So our cuisine and cooking is geared to preparing fresh food every meal. If that is chore for modern women, they are free to cook once in bulk, freeze it and have it ove one week.

Originally Posted by dragonfire

A typical rice-meal in my state consists of rice, one or two vegetables dishes, a fish/chicken/beef curry, a fried fish and dal/sambar/rasam. Most of these dishes requires sautéing of onion, tomato and spices which requires time and effort.

I understand there is something complex happening there, but can't picture what two pieces of stone can do to the mix other than than grinding it.

I might be wrong here, but my understanding was that idly batter is not fermented using yeast but by bacteria. Bacteria fermentation produces acid which gives it the sour taste. Bacteria is already present in urad dal and that is why we don't have to "add" it unlike the yeast we add to bread dough or wine. Remember what happens when bacteria takes over the wine (due to contamination) - It turns into vinegar.

Stone grinding gives the batter a unique texture as well as emulsifying the solids in liquid. I have seen the rice batter slowly thicken as the grinding progresses till you have to add more water. That means that the particles reduse monotonically and the mix absorbs more and more water. Never seen this behaviour while using a mixer.

Originally Posted by dragonfire

I think it is the fermentation and not the grinding process that makes it fluffy but I'd not going to bet my money on that.

My mom adds a bit of baking soda to the idly mix. It releases air bubbles making the mix airy.

Adding soda is a shortcut used by many to circumvent the tedium of properly fermented dough. Be it Idly or Dhokla (even industrial bread) you either go the traditional way, or use soda as a shortcut. The problem with soda is the after taste and uneven texture, as well as the fact that the dough may collapse while cooking. Further the solids and water are not integrated (solids have not emulsified in liquid), hence the cooking will take longer and the food rubbery.

For any one who has tried frying Dosa, observe the time taken to fry perfectly. Well fermented dough fries very fast as all the water in the batter is absorbed by the solids. In contrast dough that is fermented less will take a longer time as the excess water has to evaporate before the dosa fries properly.

[mohan41]

I have decided to buy Dishwasher from Bosch and also finalized the model. I see they have given option to book the product online. Can anyone who purchased online share their experience? Or is it better to buy from a dealer, considering installation and future service requirements?

[carboy]

Originally Posted by mohan41

Can anyone who purchased online share their experience? Or is it better to buy from a dealer, considering installation and future service requirements?

Both installation & future service is done by the Company for all appliances. So it shouldn't matter where you buy it from. I don't think I have ever contacted the shop after purchasing the appliance from them.

However, I have usually seen that things are usually cheaper in regular shops if you bargain hard with them.

[aadya]

Originally Posted by dragonfire

I am trying to reduce the burden of the Indian women (at least the one at my home ). As some foreigner commented, Indians spend half a day preparing the day's lunch and then eat it in 10 mins. While they spend 10 minutes preparing a meal (maybe sandwich) and spends half an hour eating it.

Did he include the time taken for baking the bread, making the sauce and grating the vegetables? We can also buy batter and cook dosa and idly much faster than the sandwiches. I am also against the idea of women spending hours together in the kitchen, alone.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by aadya

Did he include the time taken for baking the bread, making the sauce and grating the vegetables? We can also buy batter and cook dosa and idly much faster than the sandwiches. I am also against the idea of women spending hours together in the kitchen, alone.

There are some who love cooking and there are some who hate it. Most are some where in between.

Cooking at home is a compromise between cost of cooking and benefit of eating out or getting ready to eat items. Those who are financially challenged cook each and every meal. Those who prefer get take away or ready to eat or eat out, depending on circumstances. I know of a lady who has never cooked and all her meals including tea are bought out - nothing to do in the kitchen.

Regarding time spent cooking, one can always plan ahead and reduce the tedium a lot. Cooking serially may take 3-4 hours, while a planned operation with proper time management may get it done in an hour - all depends on how you approach the matter.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Some people just like their own cooking.

[siddhant]

Originally Posted by siddhant

We have IFB Neptune SX1 and it has been working well for the last ~3 years. Only repair we needed was an inlet valve that took about 2 weeks to source.

The water inlet valve just gave in again, and that too in just one year. The local IFB point has ordered a new one that will arrive in 3-4 days. Last year, when we replaced it, the spare part cost Rs 2430 and this year, the price has increased to about Rs 2700 (as mentioned by the technician). IFB doesn't even provide any warranty on these spare parts. This is very irritating.

I'd not recommend these IFB dishwashers anymore even though their cleaning performance is satisfactory. Better to go for LG products where such failures are much less heard of.

[attinder]

Can anyone share their experience with a "dehumidifier".
What to look for in a "Dehumidifier" ?
Do they work better than an AC on "dry mode" ?

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by attinder

Can anyone share their experience with a "dehumidifier".
What to look for in a "Dehumidifier" ?
Do they work better than an AC on "dry mode" ?

It all depends on why you need a "dehumidifier". If it is just for comfort an AC may be sufficient. If it is for industrial use or laboratory then Chilling followed by desiccating agent may be necessary.

There are two type of dehumidifiers :

1. Absorption type where the moisture is absorbed by a desiccant. Depending on the desiccant it can be dried to recharged or replaced with new one.

2. Refrigeration based. Here the air is chilled so that the dew point is lowered and the moisture precipitates from the air. The air is then heated to required temperature.

The first method can theoretically achieve very low humidity (approaching 0), but requires a lot of chemicals and recycling.

The second method is quite power intensive and the humidity reduction is limited to the relative humidity at the low temperature.

AC dehumidify to a certain extent, but at the same time they cool the room.

[carboy]

My fridge used to keep the compartments between 4 to 6 degrees. Now it cuts out at 4 but only restarts once the temp goes all the way upto 17 degrees. I think thermostat isn't functioning like it should. Anyone knows how expensive a repair this will be. The fridge isn't under warranty.

I am wondering if I should buy a new fridge. The current one is a Godrej fridge & it has given a lot of problems for the last 3-4 years.

[speed79]

Originally Posted by attinder

Can anyone share their experience with a "dehumidifier".
What to look for in a "Dehumidifier" ?
Do they work better than an AC on "dry mode" ?

A dehumidifier is more efficient in removing excess moisture as compared to an AC.

I have a Sharp dehumidifier which we use during rainy season when humidity is too high. Apart from dehumidifier, it has Mold control function and laundry drying function.

https://www.amazon.in/Dehumidifier-P...=1&ext_vrnc=hi

There are hardly any other reasonable dehumidifiers available.

[steadfast]

I have a question on my Microwave's functioning and seeking answers here from forum members.

I have LG 28 L microwave almost 7 years old. Since day 1, only the contents of utensils would warm on operation but body, plate, utensils themselves would remain cold but now I am seeing for last couple of months microwave body, plate and utensils have started becoming hot and sometime very hot to even pick out from microwave.

Can someone please tell me what's happening? Is there some life risk ? Should I replace the microwave?

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by steadfast

I have a question on my Microwave's functioning and seeking answers here from forum members.

I have LG 28 L microwave almost 7 years old. Since day 1, only the contents of utensils would warm on operation but body, plate, utensils themselves would remain cold but now I am seeing for last couple of months microwave body, plate and utensils have started becoming hot and sometime very hot to even pick out from microwave.

Can someone please tell me what's happening? Is there some life risk ? Should I replace the microwave?

I speak from what i have at home. We never use any metal "Utensils" to warm stuff inside a microwave. There is a hard glass or a plastic (yellow color) bowl which we use to heat stuff up.