My Kitchen Tour, Rakskitchen tour

My kitchen tour, let’s take a sneak peak at my kitchen, where I take your through my kitchen.

Right, kitchen tour was in the plans for more than a year now. When I renovated my kitchen early last year, I was so tempted to do a kitchen tour. But it took a lot of time for me to settle. Not a great organizer myself, so took help from Vj, especially for the storages. Since I am in Singapore, got most of the things in Ikea and online shopping.

We don’t carry much from India, so tried to get as much as possible locally. I had plans to buy few more stuffs from India but this year since we could not travel, I thought I will just go ahead and post this. I love my steel dabbas I used to have earlier. But since we wanted the storage look uniform atleast to an extent, got glass bottles.

We first made an inventory and determined how many jars we should buy, about the volume, took note of how many it will accommodate as well. So that it would look also good when we arrange. Few are ant proof too as at times I have ant nuisance in my kitchen.

I was first skeptical to use glass storage as I may drop it. But so far it’s been good. We wanted to avoid plastic as much as possible for storage. If you notice, the ingredients I use often are light weighing glass with wooden lid. So there have been no problem with it. The Ikea jar with screw lid and clip on jars are bit heavy, so I have kept ingredients that I will not take everyday, as well as those which I will use in leisure.

I am not the person who do hurry burry cooking, so that too helps for justifying having glass storages. Was specific about few things in my Kitchen.

• Backsplash – we installed a glass black splash (area behind stove) which most of the re modelling contractors will suggest in Singapore. This prevents the ugly grout that gets accumulated over period of time in the tiles. So, easy maintenance.
• Walls fixed with tiles: All HDB flats by default have this. Only that I chose broader ones to lessen the tile gaps. So the tiles are all the way up until the ceiling.
• Soft closing system: Before renovation, the old cabinet was not having this, so preferred this. The contractor’s carpenter do this and is different from the high end soft closing system. So there is a slight tightness when you try to open. If you are trying to take note of this, use handles for easy usage
• Lighting: I have decent natural lighting in my kitchen. But thought of having something different from the single light we used to have. So the contractor suggested these rail lighting system. These can be adjusted too to various angles.

However, I thought these lights would help me with shooting videos. But they cast a lot of shadows, which was a little disappointment in that point of view. I also have LED strips installed below the cabinet in the counter top area around stove as well as above sink area cabinet. These have separate switch controls.

My cabinets have glossy finish. While explaining, they explained it has both advantage and disadvantage. Advantage is it’s easy to clean. If there’s stain, just quickly wipe and it’s gone. Doesn’t go deep and be there permanently. Disadvantage is it will be acting just like any glossy surface, which means it attracts finger prints and even if you do not wring your wet cloth well while wiping, it will leave those water droplet marks.

But I don’t see the finger print as an issue here. Also I wipe with a dry cloth to avoid the water streak marks. It’s not even 2 full years, so until now, I find it really good. I wanted pull out drawer kind for storing everyday vessels and for small kitchen appliances too.

So now let me start with my kitchen tour:

Left hand side above the stove cabinet, I have arranged the everyday using ingredients in the front row. I use these quite often, so it should be easily reachable also should be clubbed together. So we chose this cabinet. Also if I am taking pulses, it’s easy for me to keep it there over the empty counter top.

Back row also more frequent used items like pasta and upma items and also jaggery and fryums.

Second shelf higher than that has much lesser used items like legumes. I use only once or twice. So all those are placed in the front with nuts on either sides. Back row in that shelf has less frequently used items like quinoa, millets and other random groceries I will use still.

Top shelf, we put away my pasta machine, as I don’t take that often. Also I keep the triphala and trikatukam that amma passes to me in a wooden box (which we tried to use for rice but it smelt wierd) So I take and refill from it in smaller bottles for everyday consumption. My puttu maker also went up there as I am not that much fan of puttu.

Above stove, Middle cabinet:

Right above the stove, I have kept anjarai petti and masala box. One is for south Indian tempering (has ingredients according to my preference – for example toor dal also is there in my anjarai petti as I use it for vatha kuzhambu, puli saar kind of things)

Another one have all masala/ spice powders. Earlier I used to have all these in a fridge shelf. But now thought of having it in the spice box as I got new one for the southern ingredients. Also my new fridge can’t accommodate those. Actually I already have a rack for more masala powders I rarely use. So I cant keep these too inside. These will get over soon, so no need to keep inside I feel.

It has red chilli (spicy one, mild one) garam masala, kitchen king masala, coriander powder, turmeric and cumin seeds too. Because it is needed to all north Indian sabji or dal for easy reach. In front of it, I keep asafoetida, both solid and powder (my favorite ingredient in the whole kitchen) . Other side I keep panangalkandu (Palm sugar candy that I use for turmeric milk or sukku coffee) and cooking soda.

If you are wondering what that platform is, we did not ask for it, but it is used to conceal the wiring of the switch controls there and the led wiring system as well. That reminds me of the switches placed inside there. One for the kitchen hood (electric chimney) and another for LED light control under the cabinets.

The electric chimney is easy to dismantle and change the oil filter.

On the other side, I have ingredients that need frequent refilling. Kashmiri (mild) red chilli powder, fenugreek seeds (for idli dosa batter as well as I soak and eat at times) Cumin seeds and biryani leaf. Back row have mor milagai, whole kashmiri red chilli, black pepper and mustard.

Middle shelf, I kept my flours in one side and urad dal, red chilli & coriander seeds on other side. At times I find reaching red chilli is not that easy if in hurry, but in that case, I take a bunch and keep in my anjarai petti itself for the day’s cooking alone.

Top shelf I have the Ikea tins which I own for a long time now in which I keep vathals/ vadams. One for koozh vadam, one for sago vadam and one for onion vathal. All are empty now! Thanks C*r*na!! Other side I have the appe pan/ paniyaram pan. One for shooting use (no stains should be there you see!) and another one for my regular use (Indolium and it has the yellow oil stains, just like any of your indolium pans. I told you! we bloggers are also humans haha)

In a wire basket which I bought ages ago when I came to Singapore as a colander (It looked like if I use it may rust, so put use of it like this) , I kept idiyappam press, bamboo steamer, murukku press and it’s appropriate plates in a small plastic box.

Right hand side small door cabinet:

Lower reacheable shelf have both rice varieties I use for biryani/ pulao – Basmati & jeeraga samba (recent fav). In another wire concealing boxed area, I have kept sambar podi and paruppu podi. If I make idli podi, I will be keeping that too in front of the rice. Also have my pepper mill placed there, though I have pepper powdered in fridge. At times, we need fresh crushed, sprinkle of pepper right, so I use this at that time.

Middle shelf have 3 different type of rice. These are also our recent favorites. So we swap our sona masuri with these once in a while. Upper shelf have whole spices. Behind also I have 3 extra medium clip on jars. If I have some extra random ingredient, I will use it. These clip lid jars are also from Ikea (Man, I am free influencer of Ikea now! )

Refrigerator area:

Though I have the whole spices up there, I have smaller storage over my fridge door as fridge mangnet. These may be common at Singapore/ or for you. But folks from India just love this idea as it is new to them and buy it back to India from here. So I take it from there for using those spices – cardamom, cinnamon & clove all in one box, marathi moggu & star anise in 2 nd, Kal pasi/ stone flower in the third (This also I found only in last 2-3 years and just love the flavour in biryani and kurma – just like restaurant style aroma)

I have some fridge magnets stuck to the fridge door too. I used to have tiny fridge magnet photo frames earlier, now just only one is there. My fridge is a 450 ml 2 door fridge. I have the freezer compartment down. Because I usually store the urad dal I buy bulk from India (only item bought back from India). So store it below. Also it’s easy to have vegetable compartment up (main reason, hehe)

Above fridge is a small cabinet. To use up that space, I have kept my baking trays/ muffin trays, cake tins. Because I rarely bake. So put away there. Also keep cookie cutters, skewers and other baking accessories in a large baking tray which I don’t even know why I bought. I would never bake that much big cake anytime. So atleast for the sake of buying, I use it like that to feel less guilty.

I have kept my hand blender also in that place, so the whole shelf is for baking items. Above shelf also have one glass bakeware. I dont use much so went up. A nonstick kadai sits over that tray. I am making in my regular kadai itself, so it’s just a keep sake now. I have couple of big ladle (for boondi) and a large batter vessel also in the top shelf.

Tall Unit:

Next to my fridge is a tall unit. The above shelf have a hot box, small idli pot (old), pickle jar, Ikea pot, glass water jug and a spice box. Most of them are gifts. Below I have couple of larger pots too. Also some plates I use when guests come. In the front, I have my recent buy – pyrex glass measuring jars. I also have a glass bottle which I use for shooting.

Below it, there is a cabinet with door which is supposed to be a place for microwave oven in a usual tall unit cabinet. I just chose to keep my mixie there. Behind I had some space, so kept 3 caddys. One have sauces, pasta sauce, honey, coconut milk & condensed milk (un opened) Next one have random ingredients in small amount, which I have stored in pasta sauce bottles, recycled.

It has sesame seeds, ajwain, kalonji seeds kind of ingredients. Next caddy have syrup, rose water, kewra water, two types of vinegars. Also have black salt, onion and garlic powder in it. Beside mixie, I have my sugar and coffee canister. I initially used to keep a set of 3 in red over my counter top itself. But I rarely drink tea. Those 3 containers also become old (infact lids were worn away). So oredered 2 canisters from Amazon. It’s slightly larger, but perfect to hold all the sugar and one all the coffee. it is really good to preserve the fresh smell in that one.

Below it, I have my built in oven. I got a local brand here. Then below is a small drawer where I kept the oven manual & bread maker manual to refer (I forget the menu and temperature/ never cared to remember) oven tong, bottle brushes, Aj’s baked pasta oven dishes. Baking sheet, aluminium foil, cling wrap, golves are also kept in this small drawer. I also have some storage bag clips in it.

Bottom drawer have the small kitchen appliances. Toaster, sandwich maker, electric chopper, mixie jars and coffee maker.

Drawers next to gas stove:

So right hand side of the stove have few drawers. First one have spoons organized in a tray. Beside I also have tongs, gas lighter, knife sharpener. All these are kept conveniently in the upper drawer for a quick grab. Behind I have kept 3 dividers to keep small random stuffs like rubber bands, few clips, funnel I use to fill my oil dispenser there. Peelers are there in the middle one and small lids in another one.

Next drawer, have all my everyday cooking ladles. Nothing other than that. I follow a thing I learnt from my mom in law. She uses specfic ladles for each and every thing and never interchanges. So I follow the same too. No confusion. Curd ladle means it’s that, for dry curry, it’s this, for batter, its the large one. For kuzhambu, its this deep ladle, for kootu, for payasam and so on.

Next drawer have wooden ladles, filters, metal straws, whisks, pastry brush, garlic press (from Ikea, again my favorite kitchen tool next to knife sharpener) more whisks, Spatula and a citrus wooden press.

Last one have rolling pin, rolling marble, dusting flour – roti/ chapati set. Then in the back i have all the graters, just put up there.

Middle cabinet below the stove:

I have rice tins (dabba) which I got from Saravana stores last year (only thing I got from India). Idli rice & sona masuri rice – it holds 5 kg conveniently. Next to it in 3 glass jars, have tamarind in front, rock salt, table salt behind. Another caddy in which I keep the remaining oils after filling my oil dispensers. Also have refined oil, homemade ghee, store bought ghee (use it for pulao/ biryani/ dosa etc).

Below shelf I have two storage boxes, one for un opened extra groceries, one for opened random grocery I buy only at times. Also store bought snacks/ biscuit’s are kept in it.

Large drawers for everyday using vessels:

Next to the stove in the left have two large drawers. Upper one is for plates, everyday using vessels. I have a stackable bowl set my mom got recently. So keep cooked items in it. In the video some are inside dishwasher after our lunch, so it will be missing. Like sambar boiling vessel will not be seen. In the bowl stack itself there will be a small bowl stack which I will be using for storing leftovers in fridge. Since I do not have microwave, I don’t use glass containers for left overs storage in fridge. My coffee filters, butter milk vessel also will be seen in the either corners.

Lower drawer have couple of big items like cooker and idli pot. Also another plate rack with lids, spare idli plates. One stack of mixing bowls (two metal and 3 glass), hot pack for idli, extra milk boiling vessel (smaller one was in dishwasher then), glass sauce pan and another small vessel with lid. These two I use for boiling/ keeping rasam/ kootu/ etc. I also have the two idli dosa batter vessel kept in the corner. I was planning to buy a container with lid for this, but still using my age old containers! I keep the chopping board also inside if it is completely dry. I otherwise keep beside the grinder (gap) or behind stove.

Counter top:

Now coming to the counter top, it is a basic black one with a glitter effect. I have a glass top 3 burner gas stove which I have for more than 10 years now.

We asked the renovation guys to retain – Gas stove, washing machine, dishwasher (yes, unless you specify, they will discard all) oven, fridge. They told they would try but no guarantee. Yet they kept stove, dishwasher (except for damaging the drain pipe), washing machine and fridge. They could not retain the oven which was understandable. We found the fridge to be too old for the new kitchen, also it smelt so bad after almost 3 month long duration (switched off). So we replaced with a new one (yay!)

Oil dispensers:

Next to stove on rightside corner is the oil dispenser in a wooden frame set we got online. It’s 500 ml one and it’s pretty good. Next to it is a jar set from ikea for Aj’s health drink and my granola. Also keep both salt next to the stove. So this is the only area where I have kept some items. I actually move the idli rice container behind the eating rice container, create space to put the oil caddy, other stuffs there while cleaning my counter top weekly.

So the dishwasher and washing machine are in the corner/ end. Its so convenient / functional for me to take out the vessels and arrange in the near by drawers beside. Since the dishes come out dry, no need to keep it for drying somewhere. Over the dishwasher I have this ikea dish drainer, just to keep spoons, water cups or some extra cups we need as the day goes. Never keep heavy items there. My knife block also is placed behind, so that i can grab knifes easily when I am working in the counter top.

Other side kitchen area:

That’s the one side of my kitchen. Other side is L shape. One side corner of the counter top, I have tall unit. Which we planned to keep dusting pan, mop, brooms. but somehow have not implemented it. I keep extra polythene covers in a box which I use as dust bin/ garbage covers. It’s a tall area, but just use it for this purpose. Above which I have two shelves, one with kitchen towel, gas cans (shooting purpose), cleaning tissues, excess clips, sponges, cleaning towels in two boxes.

Next to the tall unit, I have wet grinder, bread machine as I have two plug points there. I move the bread machine to other side while grinding batter. There is a small window opening there to pass the cooked food to dining area. We are eating in the sofa guys, so never use our dining area. In the other corner, next to sink, we have the hot and cold water dispenser which is clubbed with the water purifier.

We all three love cold water. So when I used to have it in fridge, we used to forget to refill at times, also it occupied space in the fridge. So this one saves time, space. Instant ice cold water (have to mix with regular water to drink). The hot water is such a boon. I use it all the times – fasten cooking process. Where ever we need water boiling – rava upma in 2 mins! Boiling water for brewing (yes, it is that hot!) and all the cooking I use hot water. It is also handy when we need to drink hot water.

This has become my most favorite kitchen appliances now! Above it I have my google Nest hub. I love to listen to songs, early in morning first thing. While cooking alone, this will make you less bored. Also helps you with random stuffs as a clock, timer, weather forecast (before keeping all the drying sticks outside) read out recipes, news etc.

Kitchen Sink area:

My sink is a double sink, though I literally do not use it for soaking the dishes. I wash only vessels that are meant to be hand washed. So use one sink for washing, one for draining. Once excess water drains, keep it up in the dish drainer racks, just above the skin. We have installed a blum pull up door for that cabinet to keep it covered. I also keep kadai and other stuffs there to use through out the day.

Above is a cabinet where I have stored my rice cooker. I use rice cooker for cooking brown rice, red rice matta rice in the brown rice mode. I just love how rice turns out perfect each time when I use this electric rice cooker. No soaking, multiple whistles or draining etc. Perfect, fluffy, rice.

Next to it have one small cabinet (above water dispenser) where I have this colander we use for washing vegetbales. Other side top shelf have some un used water bottles, excess mixie jar kind of stuffs. Lower shelf have a small rack in which I have kept the coconut grater tray, a moram & a extra lid (of clip on pressure cooker) and the coconut grater. Also I keep Aj’s lunch box & school water bottle.

Under sink:

Below the sink, its the usual stuff. One side in a caddy, have kept all cleaners, washing detergents. Other side, extra cleaners and the micro fibre clothes for cleaning. You will also see the water purifier system behind everything.

Another cabinet:

Next to this also there is a corner cabinet. Upper one, I have lined with a metal sushi dish drainer which came with the sink (but don’t use) . So kept the iron kadai, tawa/ tadka pan I use often. Inside will be pasta plates, extra storage graters and in the corner I have a stack of vessels I use as serving dishes (stainless steel) when guests come.

Lower shelf have a separator rack over which I have 3 pressure cooker places. one for making biryani, one small cooker for one pot dishes, one clip on pressure cooker. Below the separator, I have kept a larger mixing bowl (glass) and one colander which I rarely use. Also the cooker accessory vessel, mini idli plates kept below. In front, have a sieve inside and mortar pestle I use for crushing ginger, making fresh rasam powder etc. I used to make turmeric tea often, so it has got a slight yellow tint in it.

Drawers below grinder area:

There are drawer next to this cabinet (below grinder) I have measuring cups and measuring accessories in it. Also will have some excess dish clothes/ kitchen clothes. Below it I have the draw separated into 3. One have small bowls for taking ingredients for my video shoot. Next one have kitchen tools like can opener, slicer, turner, herb scissors, ice cream scoop. Another separator have my wet grinder accessories, a dough divider/ scrapper and a chocolate shaver.

Lower drawer have the new Le Creuset pot and pan that I got recently.

Kitchen Trolley:

Next to the entrance of kitchen, in front of fridge, I used to have a cabinet. When remodeling, we removed it and now keeping a kitchen island trolley over there. I always wished for an Island work area in my kitchen, but since for the layout we have, it is not possible, we thought of having this trolley atleast. I use it for shooting, sometimes as a counter top too for my kitchen works. Below is a small space, where I have arranged all the onion, tomato, potatoes in baskets. I also have ginger garlic over there. It also have a storage cabinet, where I keep all the pans, kadais I have.

Pans are kept in a organizer, kadai are stacked. In the sides, I have stuck few sticker hooks, in which I have hanged metal strainers kind of things. Sides have one area where I can perfectly fit the oil dispenser caddy. Below is a rod in which we can put the kitchen towel / roll. Other side have hooks hanging. I have measuring spoons and woolen pot holders my co sis made for me hanging in it.

That’s my kitchen as it is where I create dishes/ posts and share with you all. Now that you saw my whole kitchen, you may be able to relate to all the places when you see it in other recipes/ videos. Thank you for patiently reading the whole post!

All are bought from Singapore online shopping :
Top rack: (ant proof jars): https://ift.tt/3cVwg2y
Lower rack pulses jar : https://ift.tt/3l8W2mM
Oil dispenser set (Choose from variations) – https://ift.tt/30ut1dd
Kitchen trolley: https://ift.tt/2GijmiY
Other jars are from IKEA

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