There's no beating a plate of hot, freshly prepared parathas or puris to start the day or have as a hot meal. They are tasty, reassuring, and a favourite among many. There is, however, one issue that always accompanies preparing these Indian breads: excessive smoke in the kitchen.
Even when the exhaust fan is blaring full-blast, all that heavy, frustrating smoke can easily result in coughing, tearful eyes, and an otherwise miserable cooking experience. Worry not! Great food doesn't have to come at the expense of fresh air. We've discovered six easy, effective ways to keep your kitchen smoke-free and enable you to cook with impunity.
A Pinch of Salt for Perfect Oil Temperature
While pan-frying puris or parathas, the oil would get heated very much, creating a lot of smoke. To prevent that, simply sprinkle a small amount of salt into the boiling oil. Salt stabilises the temperature of the oil and stops it from further heating up and reaching its smoke point. And don't forget to always pan-fry over a medium heat. High heat burns the oil too fast, creating that horrible black, annoying smoke.
Vinegar: Your Kitchen's Smoke Absorber
Do you realise that plain vinegar is an effective smoke control measure? If you hate smoke while frying, set a half-full glass of vinegar close to your cooking unit. The vinegar readily absorbs the smoke, strongly preventing its flow around your home. It's a very easy, passive way to clean up the air.
Semolina: Not Just for Halwa Anymore!
You must have used semolina while making halwa or upma, but that is a secret trick against smoke, too! Sprinkle a pinch of semolina on the pan before frying puris or making parathas. This trick keeps the oil warm, and you have zero smoke.
Lemon and Clove: A Fresh Scent Solution
Lemon is another readily available material that performs magic. Squeeze lemon juice into water and set it aside in a bowl, and simply keep it near your cooking range. For an extra kick, you can even include some cloves in the water. This homemade remedy deodorises smoke and keeps the air in your kitchen fresh and fragrant.
The Wet Towel Trick: Smoke Containment
Before you even start frying, try this easy but effective trick: hang a damp bag or a wet towel on your kitchen door. This is a smoke screen that prevents smoke from wafting to other areas of the house and keeps the kitchen area comparatively cool. It's a good way to minimise indoor air pollution from your cooking.
Use the Right Cookware
Light steel or aluminium pans are the ones used by everybody for frying, which get hot quickly and give a lot of smoke. Use cast iron kadhais or tawas instead. Cast iron and tawas take time to heat, but do it evenly and maintain even oil temperature with much less smoke. If there is no cast iron, non-stick pans can also be a good choice in keeping back smoke.
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