My Kitchen Journey | Indian Kitchen Ideas | Bangalir Rannaghor/Hneshel

For a long long time (read 27 years of my life), I knew how to cook only three things – Maggi (Instant Noodles), Boiled Egg/Omllete and Jhaal Muri (A popular snack in any Bengali household where puffed rice is mixed with an assortment of condiments, cucumber, onion, boiled potatoes). Then one day, out of the blue, I learnt how to make pau bhaji (That too deserves a special mention – One day I had some disagreements with maa over something that was too trivial, and we stopped talking to each other. I was hungry and sneaked into the kitchen where I discovered a pau bhaji masala packet with instructions written overleaf. That was how I followed it and made me some pau bhaji). Now when I look back at what I can cook, I realise that the transformation in my culinary skills was huge! I learnt how to cook basanti pulao, chicken curry, tawa paneer and even ice cream overnight (thanks to Maa and YouTube) while I had invited a few friends at my place, when I moved in with Mr. Pal. All this was possible, mostly because my taste buds were unapologetic, and I was inclined to explore what I could cook. Mr. Pal was very supportive, as usual, with his inputs and comments on how I could fare better with each dish. And thus, the chef in me was born!

Now coming to my kitchen decor, I had started from scratch. I had no idea of what would be the decor like, or what colours would we play with! The kitchen slab was a little too high for my height (this was one mistake I wish I could undo). Also we did not pay enough attention to storage spaces and had to create and carve them out later (again another blunder!). But I learnt a lot in this process. And always remember, every problem comes with a solution to it. For the slab height issue, I got a wooden piri (stool) made for me, and I use it when I cook in heavy deep vessels. Otherwise the height of the slab is just fine for me. However, we couldn’t opt for a modular kitchen since we already had the slab made by the time we were exploring for kitchen ideas. Honestly, I was a little disheartened in the beginning since I had dreams for a modular kitchen for a long time, but soon cheered myself up thinking that it is the culinary skill that matters and not the decor of the kitchen. Now when I look back, I think it was a blessing in disguise. Closed spaces are known to attract pests (specially cockroaches) and I have had friends coming out to me with their modular kitchen woes. Also we saved a lot on the budget. If a modular kitchen would have set us back by a Lakh or so then, our carpenter gave us a budget of Rs.10,000/- approximately and carved out beautiful shelves and showcases for our kitchen. Hence, a win win situation 🙂

We started off by installing a kitchen chimney for our kitchen. This was long overdue, since Indian food is cooked in a lot of oil and spices, a chimney is a must have. Also the fact that we have an open kitchen contributed to the decision of a hooded kitchen chimney. We zeroed down on a lot of options and went ahead with THIS

Next we went ahead with a water purifier. Thankfully the area we live in has proper drinking water, hence RO filtration was not required. We went ahead with one that runs of electricity and has an in built storage of 6 litres, so that in case electricity back up is not available, we have 6 litres of drinking water in store. We went ahead with THIS

A double door fridge from Whirlpool also replaced our single door fridge that by in-laws were using for the past 25 years. We already had a microwave oven (convention mode by LG) and a two burner gas stove, so we did not buy another one. While plumbing our house, we got a geyser point for our kitchen as well (I know since we do not have a maid and wash our own dishes, we might need some warm water during winters. Also greasy dishes are easier to clean when soaked in hot water). We also went ahead with 6 to 7 electrical points for various gadgets in the kitchen (Chimney, Water Purifier, Mixer Grinder, Refrigerator, Microwave, and so on!). So get enough electrical points in case you are modelling your kitchen, because remember, our life is dependent on electricity. Remember to keep the points close to the kitchen top but away from the gas stove, sink and water for obvious reasons!

Next we went ahead with kitchen containers. Since I did not want to introduce any more plastic in my kitchen, we went ahead and got glass jars from HOMECENTRE. They come in 3 sizes and look extremely elegant since my kitchen showcase has glass panels. I use them to store cereals, pulses and a variety of other kitchen pantry items. I have a cane basket for storing potatoes and onions (bought from a local handicrafts fair). My spices are neatly stored in glass coffee jars that are being reused. I am trying to recycle as much as possible and avoiding introduction of plastic items in my household. These days I am slowly shifting to stainless steel utensils and doing away with non-stick. But I still have a long way to go.

The table that you see here (Just beneath the microwave) was recycled from my workplace. They did not need it anymore, hence I got it home to store all my dry grocery items and tiffin boxes. The colourful one you see (picture below) is from Amazon. It really serves as a great space saving storage for keeping my ladles, mixer grinder jars and other small items. Once in six months I do a reality check and put away items that have not been used for the past 6 months (like soup spoons, toaster, serving plates, etc.). They are neatly packed in a cardboard box and kept away. Cluttering your kitchen with too many items at one go invite unnecessary dirt, grime and oil on them and attract pests. I once used to bake a lot of cakes (this was 4 years back). Now since I’ve stopped baking, my cake tins and other accessories have been neatly put away in a cardboard box. Basically anything that is not used for six months at a stretch is stored away. I bring them out only if I remember using them for some purpose.

Recently, we also got this trolley for storing our vegetables and fresh produce when they are brought from the market (picture above). We keep the vegetables and fruits neatly arranged on the trolley and do not touch them for a day or two. (Thanks to the deadly virus!). 

I’ll list down some of the common kitchen tips that might seem very basic to some of you, but have really helped me keep my kitchen clean and clutter free.

• Plan your meals in advance. I plan what I shall be cooking for breakfast tomorrow while I am about to sleep. That way you will never have to think over it the next day. Saves your time.
• Keep your kitchen counter top/table as clean as possible. Keep minimum items on it. I have my cooking oil jars, mortar pestle, cutlery, drinking water bottles and may be a thing or two on it. Whenever you finish cooking, clean the kitchen top and wipe the gas stove. A clean kitchen top will always give you positive vibes.
• Wash your dishes/jars as soon as they land in the sink. Or better still, keep washing the utensils along with cooking. When people ask me how do I manage without a maid, this is one of my best ideas. Dishes are washed as soon as they land in the sink and are never piled. A clean sink is what I wake up to everyday (meaning thereby the dishes are done at night). Dirty dishes will always attract pests at night when you are not around.
• Keep a clock in the kitchen. I might not have a clock in the bedroom, but I will always have a clock in the kitchen. I keep a track of the time taken for cooking. This helps me cook efficiently within time.
• Indulge in some kitchen gardening. Keep a basic curry leaves plant, that requires minimal maintenance. Then try growing other items like mint, coriander. Fresh kitchen produce is always the best!
• Use utensils that are easy to clean and maintain. We have switched to Corelle plates and bowls long ago, because they are super light, microwave proof and take a few seconds to clean.
• Depend on kitchen gadgets. I would be totally lost without my mixer grinder. They make our lives a lot of easier and save time.
• Invest in good knives. I cannot stress on this, but a good knife will always save your time and energy. I have a great chopping board too from one of the fairs/melaa in Kolkata. Always take good care of your chopping board. Wipe them clean and once in a while rub lemon on it.
• Wipe your spice, sugar, salt bottles (or anything you touch during cooking) as soon as you are done with your cooking. That way you will not have to invest in a lot of effort to clean them later on!
• Keep a clean, dry towel in the kitchen to wipe your hand with. Replace it with another one as soon as the present one this is being washed.
• Invest in a cotton apron. Wear it while you cook or wash dishes. Helps keep your clothes stain free!
• Have a designated space for collecting garbage (leftover vegetable peels, packets). Use covered bins for garbage and always line it with a plastic bag. Hygiene always comes first!
• Buy drawer liners/fridge mats and line all your shelves, drawers, fridge with them. This makes cleaning so easy. I just take out the liners once in a while, wash them with soap and water, dry them and arrange them place in their place. This has specially helped me keep my fridge clean.
• Set up a time for filling empty water bottles. I always do it every morning while the milk is being boiled on the stove. That way I keep an eye on it as well as the boring chore is done.
• Set up a time for arranging dishes back into their space. I always do it before I hit the bed.
• Peel garlic, ginger whenever you find time and store them in airtight containers. That way, you can prepare a meal in no time.
• Use dish drying mats when you wash the dishes and keep them in the basket. The mat will absorb all the water that drips from the utensils and your kitchen will remain clean. Remember to wash the mats periodically.
• Scrub your sink once a day. It collects a lot of dirt, so the sink too needs to be washed.
• Keep a hand lotion near your sink. Your hands will thank you!
• Lastly, deep clean your kitchen once a month. Get rid of items you rarely use in the kitchen. I admit, Mr. Pal is the main person behind my kitchen’s deep cleaning. However, I too help him in small ways by removing the utensils and gadgets before cleaning and rearranging them thereafter. A little help goes a long way. And in case you are pressed for time, you can also hire people to do so for you.

I can think of a dozen of more ideas, but I’ll keep it short this time. I am no interior designer or planner! I have learnt in the journey of designing my own space. Some were hits, some misses. But one thing is for sure that is, it is a place that is “mine” 🙂 I love and enjoy cooking as much as I love keeping the kitchen area neat and clean.

I loved giving you all an insight into my kitchen. I hope my readers find these tips and tricks useful. Until next time, stay good.

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