From the Degchi kitchen

pressure cooker whistleshow many whistles

Pressure Cooker Whistles: How Many for Each Dish?

Three whistles is advice that works in one kitchen and fails in the next. Here is what a whistle count really measures, and a minutes-based chart for daal, chickpeas, rajma and rice.

Usama Alam · 12 November 2026 · 5 min read

iftar for tworamadan meal plan

Iftar for Two: A Small-Batch Plan With No Leftover Pile

Most iftar recipes feed ten. Here is a week of iftar for two: what to cook fresh, what to prep in the afternoon and how to avoid a fridge full of fried leftovers.

Usama Alam · 12 November 2026 · 4 min read

weekly dinner menu familyfamily of five

Weekly Dinner Menu for a Family of Five, One Long-Cook Night

Five people, seven dinners, one evening for slow cooking. A weekly menu that puts the long recipes on Sunday and keeps Monday to Thursday under 45 minutes.

Usama Alam · 12 November 2026 · 4 min read

student meal planshared kitchen

Shared Student Kitchen Meal Plan: One Shelf, Four Dinners

Two hob rings, one shelf, five housemates. A student meal plan built around what fits in your space and which dishes need only one pan.

Usama Alam · 12 November 2026 · 4 min read

kitchen tools desi cookingkitchen equipment

10 Kitchen Tools a Desi Kitchen Actually Uses

A new kitchen, a small budget, a lot of gadgets on sale. Ten tools that pay for themselves in desi cooking, and five that mostly gather dust.

Usama Alam · 12 November 2026 · 4 min read

instant pot vs pressure cookerelectric pressure cooker

Instant Pot vs Stovetop Pressure Cooker for Desi Food

An electric pressure cooker and a stovetop whistle cooker both soften rajma. They differ on bhuna, timing and how much you can walk away. A plain comparison.

Usama Alam · 12 November 2026 · 5 min read

induction vs gas desi cookinginduction hob

Induction vs Gas Hob for Desi Cooking: Roti, Karahi, Dum

Induction hob in a rental flat, gas at your mother's house. Here is what actually changes for roti, karahi, bhuna and dum, and which habits to adjust.

Usama Alam · 11 November 2026 · 5 min read

daal foamlentils boil over

Why Does Daal Foam and Boil Over? How to Stop It

You turned your back for 30 seconds and the daal climbed out of the pot. Here is why lentils foam, and how to stop it with a rinse, a spoon and the right pot.

Usama Alam · 11 November 2026 · 5 min read

rancid oilcooking oil storage

How to Tell if Cooking Oil Has Gone Rancid

That bottle at the back of the shelf, the tadka that tastes faintly of paint. Here is how to check oil in 30 seconds and store it so it stays fresh.

Usama Alam · 11 November 2026 · 5 min read

store corianderstore mint

How to Store Fresh Coriander, Mint and Green Chillies

Coriander turns to slime by Thursday and mint goes black in the crisper. Here is how to wash, dry and store each herb so it lasts into next week.

Usama Alam · 11 November 2026 · 4 min read