In my previous post, I've given the details on how to use cups and spoons for measurement. Here I'm giving the measurements of ingredients in cups and spoons with their weight in grams as the measurement of each ingredient varies.
 
Cups Measurement

• Cup Measurement (1 cup) - Weight in Grams
• All-purpose flour/Maida -130
• Gram flour/Besan - 140
• Rice flour - 120
• Semolina/Suji - 170
• Sugar - 220
• Moong Daal - 200
• Chana Daal - 180
• Tur Daal - 200
• Urad Daal - 210
• Rice - 210
• Butter - 200

Spoon Measurement

• 1 teaspoon (tsp) -5 gms
• 2 teaspoon (tsp) - 10 gms
• 3 teaspoon (tsp) - 15
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 tsp = 15 gms

Measuring Jars

• Liquid ingredients are measured using measuring jars upto the mark mentioned thereon

Hope you find this post useful.

Usually the recipes we look around give us oven temperatures to be set in Fahrenheit whereas our oven are usually set in Celsius mode. So, here I'm giving a chart of converting common oven temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius.

I generally don't like my small appliances like mixers, blenders, toasters etc lying on the counter tops permanently. They take lots of space and makes the kitchen look messy. It also gets dusty lying on the top. I usually store them behind close doors. I take them out only when needed and immediately place it back in its place after use. It hardly takes few seconds to do so. Here are the points that I take into account while storing them:

• Discard or giveaway the appliances which you don't use or have been damaged

• Choose a specific cabinet in your kitchen in which you will be storing all your small appliances

• Tie the long cords of appliances with rubber band or cord clips

• Store them in the lower cabinets as they are more suitable for weight holding 

• Arrange the appliances according to the frequency they are used, most useable ones in the front and the remaining in the back

Most of the kitchen cabinets are plain woods with some having glass panels. Here are the steps that I follow for cleaning them:

• Empty the kitchen cabinet starting off with the top

• Clean all the stuff removed, by wiping it out

• Wipe the interiors of the cabinet with a soft dry cloth

• Wipe the exteriors of the cabinets with dry cloth, incase of lightly soiled surfaces wipe it with damp cloth and if the cabinets are heavily greased, then wipe it with a solution of dish washing liquid mixed with water using a sponge and then dry it off with a cloth

• Wipe out all the knobs and hinges

• For cleaning glass panels, spray glass cleaner on them and then wipe it off with paper towels till no streaks are visible

•  Place all the stuff removed back into the cabinets

Make your kitchen look neat and tidy all the time by following these simple kitchen organizing tips:

• Keep your counter empty - Try to put as little objects as possible permanently on the counter shelf. Give them a place inside the cabinets. The more space on the counter the better it looks

• Get rid of the unwanted items - Any items you might have purchased but never used it and there is likely no use of it even in the future, just discard it away. You may give to friends or relatives or put it up for sale

• Store frequently used items and ingredients in easily accessible locations - All the pots and pans, and  the ingredients that are used in everyday cooking should be placed in the front cabinet. Equipments that are used only once or twice in a year can be kept on top shelves. All baking items can be stored at one place

• Wipe as you go - After every cooking just wipe out the stove top and the granite counter

• Divide the kitchen into activity zones - All cooking utensils in one place, baking items in a separate area, every day dishes on an open shelf near the sink area as they are frequently used and washed, all spoons and knives in a cutlery holder on the counter top near the stove, etc.

• Store the spices in Spice Box  -  Buy 2 or 3 spice boxes and store all your spices in them. It takes less space and looks neat without cluttering the cabinet

Hope you found it useful, look out for more tips and tricks :)

After my recipe of Kaala Jamuns got published in the Times of India - Whitefield Edition, I decided to treat myself by making these yummy gulab jamuns!!!

Well, this is my mom's recipe which she used to make during Ramadan, we as kids used to finish it off immediately, sometimes fighting over for who had more :). She used to make it plain, with cream cheese or even chocolate filling, all of them tastes yummy!!! After years of staying away from mom, and now being a mom myself, I thought to give it a try and make it for my kid, so here it is....

Kala Jamun is a weakness of our family and we love eating it especially my 2 year old son, Amaan. We call it the cousin of our dear Gulab Jamuns. Here is a simple and easy recipe to make it.