Sunday, December 9, 2018

Never buy a cheap geyser

              Never buy a cheap geyser! I am saying this from my experience. Way back in the year 2010, when we shifted into our new home, the geysers were on our shopping list. But my budget for geysers was limited. In the market, I saw a geyser of the Khetan company. Its name was Zolta. Khetan was a household name and has been making fans for a long time. I had faith in this brand, so I purchased two 25-liter Zolta geysers for bathrooms and one 3-liter geyser from another company for the kitchen. Then Zolta geysers had a price tag of about Rs 4500/-. I thought that there was no complicated mechanism in a geyser, so there is no need for much research on which geysers to buy. One winter passed, and there was not much trouble. The only problem was that sometimes we forgot to switch it off after use. The red indicator for full hot was not striking enough to catch our attention. The result was a wastage of energy, and hot water remained inside the geyser. There was no easy knob to reduce the maximum temperature. The maximum temperature could be reduced with the help of a screwdriver after opening the lower panel. The hot water started to erode the steel tank and the heating element. This resulted in troubling us in the next season. The water heating was not effective. One year's warranty was over. The most difficult was the lack of availability of a good mechanic. If there was one, he had no time in the winter season. For days, we had to heat water on the gas for bathing purposes. It was not like an appliance that you can carry to a mechanic shop because taking it down from the wall itself needs a mechanic. Year by year, it troubled us more in the winters. The last trouble beyond the limit was in December 2016. Fortunately, I got a good mechanic who took down both Zoltas and took them to his shop for inspection. He could repair only one, and the other one was returned by him without repair because its tank was not in good condition. That was the time of Demonetization, and the mechanic wanted his payment only in Rs 100 denomination or below. And that was not easily available at that time. I could pay him only after three months, when the flow of notes in the market increased. So I had to purchase at least one geyser in the next winter, but I was so fed up with this brand that I decided to replace both geysers in November 2017.
             This time, I researched and asked some friends about it and decided to buy Havells Adonia 5-star geysers. The cost was about Rs 12000 each. Its inner tank was feroglass technology. The maximum temperature can be changed with a knob on the front. When power is on, a blue LED full-body rectangular light is visible. When the maximum temperature is reached, this light changes to orange. If by chance it is fully hot and you forgot, you will never miss it if you enter the bathroom. Lower the maximum temperature if you want to keep water warm throughout the day. Also, it has an elegant look.
          They give a 7-year warranty on their inner container, a 4-year warranty on the heating element, and a year's comprehensive warranty.
          After so many years of geyser troubles, finally, the year 2017 was trouble-free, and till now it is. Though it cost more, it was worth it. Hope it will remain the same. 
         It is available online on Amazon. Click here for different geysers. Geysers are also available on Flipkart at this link. Havells Adonia is also available here.
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Saturday, September 1, 2018

Washing Machine - Fully Automatic or Semi Automatic

       When we need a washing machine, we have to decide between a Semi-automatic and a fully-automatic. Semi-automatics are priced about half of the fully-automatic ones. On the basis of price, Semi-automatic is a natural choice. But there are other points also which are to be taken into consideration at the time of the purchase of a washing machine:-

1. Availability of water - In the Semi-automatic machine, you have control over the water. If you have fewer clothes, you can add water accordingly. But in a fully-automatic machine, it takes a lot of water even for fewer clothes. Thus, the concentration of the detergent decreases if you have added the detergent as per your clothes. You have no control over the water; the machine decides about it.  

2. Dirt removal at the specific area of the cloth - The areas near the collar and wrist of a shirt, and the bottom line of a pair of pants, get dirtier. In a Semi-automatic machine, you can lift the cloth, put some detergent, and rub with your hand or a brush to remove the dirt. In a fully automatic machine, the process is continuous; you shut it and forget it. If you want to remove the dirt from the collar with hand rubbing, you have to be attentive to pause the machine before it starts rising. Another way is you rub these areas with detergents before putting them into the machine.

3. Space - The Semi-automatic machine has two drums, a washing drum and the other rinsing drum, while the fully-automatic machine has only one drum. So the semi-automatic machine takes more space than the fully automatic machine.

4. Maintenance - The maintenance of a semi-automatic machine is easy and cheap because it has no sophisticated parts like a fully-automatic machine. I had a semi-automatic machine, and once it was lightly damaged by rats when we were out of the station. I opened its back cover and could repair it myself. In the fully automatic machine, you have to call the service center person and show it to the experts because it has some chips and complicated arrangements.

Eight long years and still running,
Excellent

   So if you have space, maidservants, and want to use optimum water, then go for the semi-automatic washing machine. Otherwise, if no tension of water and you want a "fill it, shut it, forget it" type machine, then go for the fully-automatic machine. 

         Now, if you choose a fully-automatic machine, there will again be a dilemma whether to buy a front-load machine or a top-load machine. I, too, had to make a decision. After using the semi-automatic machine for more than a decade, I decided to buy a fully-automatic machine because we were moving to a new place where the space for the machine was smaller. So, what to choose? semi or fully?

       One of my relatives had purchased a fully automatic machine a year ago. He is an intelligent person. He said that after a research, he finalized a top-load machine because in a front-load machine, you have to bend your body more often, and it is better to use a top-load machine. He had bought a Samsung top-load fully automatic machine, and I just copied him. I was not wrong in copying him because it has been running for more than eight years, and it is running flawlessly. Though it had cost me about 17000/- Rupees then from the local market, its price is now only Rs. 13400/- on Amazon. Not only Samsung any branded machine will be ok. 

        If you buy from Amazon, they claim to install it within 48 hours. Many other branded washing machines are available here like - IFB, Haier, LG, Whirlpool and Bosch. 
          It was my experience with the washing machines. Hope it will be helpful in the decision if going to purchase a washing machine. 
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Monday, August 13, 2018

Chicory and Coffee

        Many times we buy branded coffee from our local shop, thinking that these packets contain only coffee, maybe refined, but coffee only. But it is not true. If you see the ingredients on the packaging, there may be something else also. Generally, you will find Chicory mixed with coffee in varying percentages. But what is chicory? Coffee and chicory are different things. The first difference is that coffee is obtained from roasting and grinding the coffee beans, while chicory powder is obtained from mincing, roasting, and grinding chicory roots. The second difference is that coffee contains caffeine but not chicory.   

          The chicory powder, when brewed, tastes like coffee but has flavors something like nutty and woody. It is said that chicory became popular in the 1800s when there was a massive coffee shortage in France. The chicory was found to be a good substitute. They started mixing chicory in the coffee to reduce the cost of coffee, and it remained popular even after the coffee shortage ended. Chicory is also taken by those people who want to reduce their caffeine intake.  

          Apart from the taste, it may have some other health benefits like decreased blood sugar, reduced inflammation, and improved digestion. Some studies say that chicory improves bowel function and reduces constipation. 

          I searched Amazon for coffee and found mainly these types of coffee mixes:-

1. 100% pure coffee

 
   See the yellow ring in the picture on the left. 100% pure coffee is marked on it. You can find it on this link -  https://amzn.to/2B3uZHp   


        There is another brand also on Amazon, which is marked 100% pure coffee. See the yellow circle and the arrow on the picture at right. Its Link is-https://amzn.to/2MnPbIq   

You can find many other 100% pure coffees if you search the site.






2. Coffee mixed with chicory   

There are mixed coffees also with different percentages of chicory. Some have 40% chicory while some have 20%.           

See the picture on the left. While it is written that it has - RICH FILTER COFFEE POWDER, but see the yellow circle at the bottom where it mentions the composition as 80% coffee, 20% chicory.

Its link is-https://amzn.to/2B7n8se 

 

Here is another coffee, which is chicory mixed. They have mentioned it on the packet as 60% coffee, 40% Chicory. 
See the picture on the right.



Some brands have even different types of coffee beans, like Arabica and Robusta mixed with chicory powder. One of the brands has this mix in Coffee-63%, Chicory - 37%. They have named it Tribal Coffee. Its link is - https://amzn.to/2w35Gzi. 
  


3. Chicory root powder

             There is also pure chicory root powder for sale. See the picture at left. Written on the packet is -

All Natural caffeine-free & gluten-free CHICORY ROOT POWDER. Its link is-https://amzn.to/2w6JHHA  

Those people who want to avoid caffeine can take this.   

 


Those who want to taste try different coffee-chicory mix to get a suitable mix for the best taste may buy one 100% pure coffee and another 100% Chicory powder and try tasting it in different ratios.
Happy Coffee Day!
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Sunday, August 5, 2018

Khaksa, Khaksi, Konkari- The smaller Spine gourd - Food Blog

The rare and costly vegetable - Khaksi, Konkari, Kantola
The spine Gourd
            There are two types of spine gourds available in the market, one bigger like the size of a Kiwi, and another smaller like the size of a Ber (Indian Plum). Both have soft spines over them. Generally, both are called by the same name, Khaksa or spine gourd, but they are totally different vegetables. Apart from the size, the shape of the seeds is quite different. The bigger one, also called Teasel Gourd (Kakrol) has seeds like Bitter Gourd (Karela), while the smaller one, which is also called Khaksi or Konkari, has round seeds like Parwal (Pointed Gourd). The price and availability of these two differ by a large range. While the bigger one is easily available in the market almost round the year, the smaller Khaksi is only available during the rainy season, also it does not come in the market in larger volumes. Thus, the price difference is huge. When the Khaksi first appears in the market in the rainy season, its price is four times that of a bigger spine gourd. Now, at the beginning of August '18, Khaksi's rate is Rs 150.00 - 180.00 per kg, while the Spine Gourd is available at Rs 40.00 per kg.
           We shall talk about the smaller variety- Khaksi, also called Kantola or Konkari. It has a tuber root and also propagates through the root. It can also propagate through seeds. When the fruit is ripe, the inside becomes red. Every year, the new plant grows from the roots in the ground. It grows itself every year in the Jungle in the rainy season. The village people near the Jungle collect it and send it to the market to sell at a high price. Since it is not frequently available in the market, many people may not know about it, but this is originally an Indian vegetable because there is a reference to it in traditional religious stories of the "Madhushrawani". It is also offered to Mahadev (Shiva) in this puja. {"Madhushrawani" puja is a thirteen-day puja in the Mithila region of Bihar, in which a newly married bride (Married within a year) worships Shiva and Parwati in the first fortnight of the Hindu month of Sawan (Sawan ke pahle Paksh me). Every day, she hears some stories that are told by an elderly lady. These stories are called "Madhushrawani Katha". These folk stories were traditionally transferred to the next generation through hearing only, but now these storybooks are also available in the market. Even on Amazon.}   
          Since it is mostly collected from the Jungles, it is almost organic. No fertilizers and no pesticides. It is also very good for health and for diabetic people. The Khaksi recipe is mostly prepared as fried Khaksi (Khaksi ka Bhujiya). It is very simple to prepare. 
Khaksi, Kantola fry recipe
         Wash the Khaksi and cut it into round slices. Take a Kadahi or a Frying pan. If health-conscious people take the non-stick frying pan, which is available in a large range on Amazon. Place it on the gas stove. When hot, add some mustard oil. Add some Panch-Phoran (Five whole spices mix - fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, and Ajwain seeds{Trachyspermum ammi}). When it crackles, add the slices of Khaksi. Stir and cook it on low heat. For the first five minutes, cook it with the lid and then without the lid. When it becomes soft, add salt and very little spice powder (coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, red dried chilies, fenugreek seeds). Cook it till the dryness is as per your choice. Take down from the stove and serve hot.
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