அஞ்சறை பெட்டி

ஒவ்வொரு சமையல் அறையிலும் முக்கியமாக இடம் பெரும் ஒரு பாத்திரம் அஞ்சறை பெட்டி. வட்டமாகவோ, சதுரமாகவோ இருக்கும் இதன் பெயர் தான் அஞ்சறை பெட்டி அனால் இதில் 6 அல்லது 7 சிறிய கிண்ணங்கள் இருக்கும். அந்த கிண்ணங்களின் அளவிற்கு அழகாக, அளவாக ஒரு சின்ன ஸ்பூன் உண்டு. 

இதில் கடுகு, உடைத்த உளுத்தம் பருப்பு, கடலை பருப்பு, மிளகு, ஜீரகம், கட்டி பெருங்காயம், மஞ்சள் பொடி, தனியா, போன்றவற்றை போட்டு வைக்கலாம். இதற்கு ஒரு மேல் மூடி உண்டு அதில் மிளகாய் வற்றல் வைத்து கொள்ளலாம்.

While making savouries

While making savouries, the salt should not be added directly to the flour. It have to be dissolved in water and only the water should be added. The salt that gets settled at the bottom should not be added. If done so, then it will make the savouries burst and oil spill once it is added to the oil.

For cooking Pulavs

For every cup of Basmati rice not more than 1 1/2 cup of water is to be used.

Also to enhance the taste, it is better to use country tomatoes(Naatu Thakkali) rather than the hybrid one(Banglore Thakkali)

How to prepare almond flakes for cookies and kheers

Almond flakes add a special flavour and decoration to any cookie or kheer or summer cooler drink that calls for nuts. It can be easily prepared at home.

Take Badam (Almond) one by one and using a fine sharp knife slice them into very thin pieces (care should be taken so as to avoid cutting the fingers.

To soften dried up pickle

Heat 1/2 cup of gingely oil and let it cool and add it to the dried up pickle jar to make it soft and edible.

How to get more juice from lemon

Roll the lemon with one hand on a counter top to release more juice. 
While buying lemon or limes choose the bigger ones as they will be much more sweeter. The skin should be thin so that it will be much much more juicier.
To get more juice from Lemons/Limes microwave it in high for 30 seconds and then cut and squeeze

Calorie content in Chappati and one bread

One slice of bread have the same amount of calorie that is there in one chappati. But it is always better to eat one chappati than to eat one bread.

Jaggery (Panela) a natural sweetner for recipes

Jaggery or Gur or Gud or Gol, is one of the sweetner used in many Kheers and Payasams in south India. It is also known as Panela in Mexico and South Africa.

It is supposed to be rich in Iron that when taken regularly increases hemoglobin count and prevents Anemia.

Jaggery is prepared from sugar cane without separating molases. Jaggery vary from dark brown in colour to golden brown in Colour. Jaggery is also used to make syrups in some sweets. Jaggery is a natural sweetner.

Intaking of Jaggery regularly, helps in keeping the lungs and wind pipe clean. People working in highly polluted areas can take this regularly.Taking in a glass of water and a piece of Jaggery after coming in home from hot sun helps in retaining water content in one's body.

In South India, every house hold add Jaggery to their monthly Grocery list. If there is Jaggery at home, then making a paysam or kheer becomes very easy.

How Jaggery is used in cooking in India:
Though in Tamilnadu, Jaggery is used mainly in Payasams and Sarkarai Pongal, it is used in the rest of India in many of their day to day cooking. One of the famous dishes that is made out of Jaggery in Tamilnadu is Paanakam which is offerred as an offerring to God.


In Maharashtra : Most of the vegetables and dals are added with a little of Jaggery. Jaggery is used as a sweetner in many of the dishes.


In Karnataka: The dishes like Sambar, Rasam and almost every thing is added with Jaggery to give a slightly sweet taste.

In Gujarat: To give an enhanced taste when added to lentil soups to balance the spicyness.

How to store Jaggery:
Store Jaggery in an airtight container in room temperature.

How to clean a tea strainer

Many of us use plastic or metal tea strainer to strain tea. To clean metal tea strainer, heat it on the stove in low flame and bang it on a stainless steel plate upside down, till all the tea dust from the strainer falls down. Run over hot water and dry it.

While making soups.....

While making soups, instead of adding corn flour to thicken it, grind 2 tbsp of oats to a fine powder and use it to thicken the soup. This makes the soup thicker and also healthier.

Benefit of Garlic

Boil 1 or 2 pods of garlic in water. Mash it well and mix it along with a cup of hot milk. This can be had by any one (including pregnant women and lactating mothers). Add sugar if needed. Best results can be obtained if drunk without sugar.

Health Benefits:
1. This drink will help in removing excess fat.
2. Help in reducing high Blood Pressure
3. Help in reducing Cholestrol level.

Kitchen tips in Tamil (சமையல் குறிப்புகள்)

உப்பை குறைக்க: குழம்பு மற்றும் ரசத்தில் உப்பு அதிகமானால், அதில் உருளை கிழங்கை வேக விட்டு துண்டு செய்து போட்டால் அதிகப்படி உப்பை கிழங்கு எழுத்து கொள்ளும்.

எலுமிச்சம் பழம் சடம் கிளரும்போதோ எலுமிச்சை ரசம் செய்யும் போதோ, சூடு இருக்கும் போது சேர்க்க கூடாது. ரசத்திற்கு இறக்கியவுடனும் சாதத்திற்கு அடுப்பை அணைத்தவுடனும் சேர்க்க வேண்டும்.

எலுமிச்சை சாறு சேர்த்து செய்யும் மேல் கண்ட உணவு வகைகளுக்கு வரமிளகாய் சேர்க்காமல் பச்சை மிளகாய் சேர்த்தல் ருசி கூடுதலாக இருக்கும்.

காபி பில்டரில் டிகாக்சன் சரியாக இறங்காமல் இருக்கும்; அதற்கு காரணம் பில்டரில் இருக்கும் ஓட்டை அடைத்து கொண்டிருக்கும். அதை சரி செய்ய, வெறும் பில்டரில் சிறிதளவு வென்னீர் ஊற்றி வடிய விட்டு பின்னர் அடுப்பில் காட்டினால், ஓட்டையில் அடைத்து கொண்டிருக்கும் பொடியோ, அழுக்கோ உதிர்ந்து விடும். இதை வாரத்திற்கு ஒரு முறையாவது செய்யவேண்டும்.

காய்கறிகளை வேக விடும் பொழுது உப்பு போட்டே வேக விட வேண்டும்; இல்லாவிட்டால் காய்களில் உப்பு பிடிக்காது. கிழங்கு வகைகளை உப்பு போடாமல் தான் வேக விட வேண்டும்.

List of Groceries that needed for a month for a family

Ofcourse the elders will help in setting up the kitchen for the new weds, but nevertheless after the stock is over, it will be kind of confusing for all what to buy and the quantity that one needs to buy. I have added the list of grocery that my mom suggested me. Hope this will be helpful for all. 

This list is for the family of 2 to 4. So depending upon the usage you can adjust the quantities:
1.Rice - 12 Kg
2.Thoor Dal - 2 to 3 Kgs
3. Rice Flour - 1 Kg
4. Salt - 1Kg
5. Black Gram Dal Whole- 1 Kg
6. Boiled IdlyRice - 2 Kg
7. Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 Kg
8. Bengal gram Flour - 1 Kg
9. Broken Black Gram Dhal - 200 gms
10. Coriander Seeds - 1/2 Kg
11. Red Chillies - 1/2 Kg
12. Wheat Flour - 2 Kg
13. Sugar -2 Kg
14. Mustard - 50 gms
15. Cumin Seeds - 100 gms
16. Pepper - 100 gms
17.Refined Oil - 2 Kgs
18. Gingely Oil - 1 Kg
19. Green Gram Dal - 1/2 Kg
20. Tamarind - 1 Kg
21. Fried Bengal Gram - 1/2 Kg
22. Cashew Nuts - 200 gms
23. Turmeric Powder - 50 gms
24. Red Chillie Powder - 100 gms
25. Butter - 1 Kg
26. Jaggery - 1 Kg
27. Dry Ginger - 50 gms
28. Cardomom -5 gms
29. Vermicili , Sago - each 1/4 kg
30. other dals like Channa Dal Broken Beans, Rajma etc etc which you need to make sundal or gravies

Essentials needed for all new weds

Nine years back when I started my life as a new wed, my mom and mom in law stayed with me for a few days to help me set up my house and kitchen. But even before marriage my mom started collecting a lot of things that will be needed for me. Though this might not be the full set or an excess list for a new kitchen, still it will be helpful for all. 

Most essential articles you need to start a kitchen.

1. Shripet or Pearlpet jars for tea/coffee/sugar and salt (better go in for Tupper Ware or rubber maid products. (Edited in 2022). Now you have various other companies manufacturing food grade plastic containers. 

2. Baskets for potatoes and onions. Never keep onions and potatoes in the same basket. They need to be kept in 2 different baskets

3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons

4. Anjarai petti or small size Shripet or Pearlpet jars for spices and masalas. There are lot of different shaped masala dabbas with containers ranging from 6 partitions to 12 or more. 

5. 12 medium size plastic jars for grains & cereals. (to hold atleast 1 kg)

6. Rolling pin & board

7. Chopping board

8. 2-3 knives

9. Steel tong

10. 1 peeler

11. Lighter or Match Boxes

12. 1 grater

13. 6 tea towels

14. 2 cleaning sponges

15. Kitchen roll or paper towel rolls mainly to be used to drain oil.

16. 2 saucepans

17. Serving bowls

18. 1 tava/non-stick

19. Seive

20. Strainer 1 bug one or two small

21. Serving plate

22. 3 kadhai and one of them a deep one for frying

23. Table cuttlery

24. Pressure cooker 2 or 3 different sizes

25. Glasses

26. Dinner plates

27. Side plates

28. Bottle opener (optional)

29. Blender or food processor

30. 1 ladle1 flat spoon, serving spoons & wooden spoons

31. 2-3 thalis

32. Slotted frying spoon

33. Cooking utensils of various sizes

34. Grinder

35. Refrigerator

Have different vessels for milk and other spicy foods. It is always better to have Non-Stick cookware in large number in your kitchen