Q & A on Kitchen on Its Last Legs

Q.

Hello Peggy

I saw your invitation to ask questions on the web so here goes.

We have done things backwards when it comes to kitchen renovating. Our 1989 2500 sq. ft. home had sheet vinyl we replaced in 2002, and in 2004 we upgraded the white formica with dark green silestone and new knobs and pulls to the builder grade oak recessed panel cabinets I spruced up with sand paper and polyurethane. We also had a two toned green and beige tile backsplash installed with stainless appliances. I now hate the cabinets and they are showing their age. My husband is handy and has made a few pull out storage drawers in some cabinets to keep me happy.

We are locked in by the floor plan since the new wood floors butt up against the cabinets, as well as the Silestone.

Our compromise is to paint the frames of the cabinets and purchase new doors in a off white/beige glazed finish.

We are also locked in to the floor plan as we do not want added square footage and we have an antique oak table and hutch in the adjoining eat in part of the kitchen. There is an adjoining family I hope to tie in with the same paint color.

Any suggestions on how to best handle this remodel, particularly the paint on the cabinet frames? I know I need to use a filler for the pores in the oak if I want it to be smooth. The slider, computer armoire are also staying. Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I want under cabinet lighting, a few pendants over the peninsula and one over the sink. A few cabinets in their entirety can be replaced like the upper ones to the right of the sink and maybe by the fridge.

Francine

A.

Well Francine, this is a tall order. The images you sent show a really cheap set of kitchen cabinets. Your instincts are right: to paint them. But your layout is really outdated for living in the 21st Century.

We discovered long ago that a compact U-shaped kitchen was great for a single cook with no helpers - Very efficient in its day, but it doesn't work at all for the way we live and cook today.

My advice to you is this: Because your layout is outdated, you will not long be content with painting your cabinets to save your countertops and flooring investments.

Your hardwood floors can easily be patched and nobody will ever know the difference between old and new. You can even reuse your Silestone countertops if the color is still available. If not, at least part of your countertops could be redone with the old Silestone. It can be seamed together in a new configuration by any good solid surface fabricator.

I suggest you reconfigure your new kitchen in an L shape with an island. Choose a new counter surface for the island that complements your existing Silestone and you're all set. With a little hardwood patching, some good countertop fabrication, nice new quality made cabinets in your choice of finish, and your new lighting; I'm very sure that you will have a kitchen that will last you as long as you're in your home and give you years of joy.

Heck. You already have your knobs and pulls. And those old cabinets would go great in the garage or basement. And, lucky you, the craftspeople you need to do this work are just panting for it (unlike a few years ago).

If your husband is truly handy, he can even do the installation and save big bucks.

Think about it.

Peggy

Buttermilk sponge dosa and Peas Mint Wale

Buttermilk dosa is a spongy version of the verumarisi adai, for which only boiled rice is used. In this dosa, aval or beaten rice is also added and rice and aval is soaked in buttermilk. Since its soaked in buttermilk, no fermentation is required for the batter before making dosas. You get super soft dosa. This is a great hit among my relatives and friends who has tasted this at home.  Thanks to Mallika Bhadrinath for a super breakfast recipe.

 

 

 

You need

 

•  Idli rice /boiled rice - 2 cups 
• Aval/beaten rice - 1/4 cup
• Buttermilk - Around 3 cups, enough to soak the rice.
• Cooking soda - a pinch

Method

Wash and soak rice and aval together in buttermilk for 5 hours. I usually soak it overnight. The buttermilk will be almost absorbed by the rice and aval. You will not require to add extra water while grinding. Grind it to a smooth batter and add salt.The batter should be slightly thicker than the usual dosa batter. 

 

Before making dosa, add a pinch of  cooking soda and leave it for 5  minutes for it to act.  Heat the dosa tawa. Take a ladle of  batter and pour it on the tawa.  Slightly spread it and it will spread on its own.  The dosa should be slightly thick so that you get the pores well. Cover and cook for a minute. Flip and cook the other side also by covering. Enjoy hot with a spicy side.

 

 Peas mint wale

 

Peas mint wale is adapted from Nita Mehta's Mattar dhaniya wale.  The recipe calls for fresh peas. I think this should work with dried peas also. This is a one pot gravy except for grinding the paste, its a breeze. I liked this no-onion recipe. In the original, there was garlic flakes which I omitted.

 

 

 You need

 

• Fresh, shelled peas - 2 cups
• Tomato - 1 no, chopped into pieces
• Oil - 1 tbspn
• Hing - few shakes
• Cumin/Jeera-1/2 tspn
• Kalonji - 1/4 tspn

 For mint paste

•  Mint leaves - 2 cups
•  Ginger - 1" piece
•  Green chillies - 2 nos
•  Tomato - 1 tspn
•  Tamarind paste - 1 tblspn or juice of 1 lemon

 

 

 

 Method

 

Grind together the ingredients for the paste.  Heat 1 tbspn of oil in the pressure cooker. Add hing, jeera and kalonji. When jeera turns brown, add peas. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the mint paste to the peas and mix well.  Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Open the cooker when the pressure drops. Add salt and chopped tomato and cook for a minute or two.

 

Mini Sweet Puri's

I was wanting to make Puri's from a long time. But wanted a sweet taste to the Puri's. So I tried making something different and ended up with Mini-Puri's. They are small puffed breads and are coated with a sugar glaze and makes a perfect tea-time snack.

Ingredients:

All purpose Flour - 1/2 cup
Semolina - Fine Sooji - 2 Tbsp
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
Clarified Butter / Ghee - 2 Tbsp
Water- To make the dough
Oil - For Frying

For the Glaze:

Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup

Method:

• In a bowl,sift the flour, powdered sugar and mix well.

• Now add the semolina and mix all together.

• Add the Ghee / Clarified butter and mix well to form a crumbled mix.

• Add water little by little and knead it into a firm dough.

• Now make very small balls out the dough and roll out mini - puri's.
• Make as many as you want and keep it aside.
• In a pan heat some oil.Once the oil is hot, add the mini  puri's one by one.

• Fry then until the sizzle from the oil stops and they are light golden in color.

• Drain out the excess oil by placing them on a paper towel and allow them to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, add 1/4 cup of sugar to make the glaze.

• To the sugar add about 1/2 cup of water and heat it.

• Heat this mixture till the solution thickens to form a string like consistency and take off the flame and allow it to cool.

• Once the puri's and the glaze liquid have cooled, take a pastry brush and glaze the sugar solution on the Puri's.

• You can add roasted and chopped dry nuts or dry fruits on these puri's to give it a rich taste.
• Enjoy the Mini Sweet Puri's.

Notes:

• You can also use a cookie cutter and make different shapes if you want to. It will be a favorite homemade snack for all the kids.