How to make Khoya (or Mawa) at home

I am one of those stubbornly self sufficient people when it comes to cooking. I love making everything from scratch. So, when I needed mawa to make Mawa Cake, instead of saving 2 hours of my life and buying it from the shop, I decided to make it on my own. Making it is so damn easy and involves almost zero labor!

Visit www.foodomania.com for the recipe & step by step pictures.
Link to this recipe - http://foodomania.com/khoya-home-homemade-mawa/

Essential Equipments for Baking

I keep getting a lot of questions from beginner bakers regarding cups, spoons, pans, how to get started, substitutes etc. I  thought, why not write a post on the knowledge I've gathered in these past few months? :D

Today, I'm going to be talking about equipments that are absolutely necessary for every baker. This is the perfect shopping list.Of course, you can go ahead and buy fancier equipments if you have the money and space to store them. :)

Types of Baking Pans

There are many different types of bake-ware available for baking a variety of baked goods. Some types are essential in producing the desired end product and some bake-ware can be used for several purposes. Bake-ware can be found made of many types of material, such as tinned steel, stainless steel, glass, silicone and stone. The type of material the pan is made from can have an effect on the cooking times or temperatures, requiring that they be adjusted.

Below is a list of different types of baking pans available. It is not an exhaustive list, so if I have left out anything, please let me know.

Self Rising Flour

It is flour that has a leavening agent – baking powder – and salt added to it during packaging. Since the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the flour, you will get the same nice lift to your baked goods every time you use it.. Here's how to make self-rising flour if you don't have any on hand

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons baking powder

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients; store in tightly covered can or jar.
Use in any recipe calling for self-rising flour.

Tip: It is a good idea to sift the mixture 2-3 times before storing.

Types of Ovens

Whether you’re looking to buy a gas or electric, microwave, convection or an OTG oven, before you hit the stores, you have to make sure the oven you buy is right for you. So, here are the different options you have. Each of them differ in their cooking method, price, space-occupied etc.
(I'm only including the practical ovens in this list. There are a few like earth oven, ceramic oven, masonry oven which cannot be kept at home. If you are interested, you can read here.. :D)