Pomegranate (Punica granatum) - Anar Fruit

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) - Anar

Pomegranate Fruit (Punica granatum) - Anar

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) - Anar Fruit

Galgal (Citrus pseudolimon) - Hill Lemon - Kumaon Lemon

Galgal (Citrus pseudolimon) - Lemon

Galgal belongs to the lemon family.

It is also known as Khate Lemon, Big Lemon, Kumaon Lemon and Hill Lemon.

Galgal (Hill lemon) It is a large citrus fruit with a thick rind.

Galgal (Citrus pseudolimon) is very hardy fruit crop.

Galgal is highly acidic, used in making pickle.

The pickle made from Galgal is very tasty.

Galgal is used in Asian cuisine.

#Galgal #Fruit #Citrus #Lemon #HillLemon #KumaonLemon 

#Citruspseudolimon

Grapes Vines - Vitis Vinifera

Grapes - Vitis Vinifera

Grapes - Vitis Vinifera

Grape vines produce sweet fruits. 

Grape vines can add an element of drama to your garden.

They are high climbing vines and can be trained up over arches and walls.

Grape is a small fruit, botanically a berry that grows on a vine.

Angoor is the common Hindi name for all varieties for grapes.

Grapes are one of the most popular and delicious fruits in the world.

They come in different colors - green, black, red, blue, and purple.

They grow in cluster of 15 to 300. 

They are easily available throughout the year. 

Grapes are used in a wide range of popular foods.

They have been cultivated for thousands of years. 

#Grapes #Grapevines #vines 

Yellow Kachnar Flower - Bauhinia Tomentosa

Yellow Kachnar Flower - Bauhinia Tomentosa - Yellow Orchid Tree

Yellow Kachnar Flower - Bauhinia Tomentosa - Yellow Orchid Tree

Yellow Kachnar Flowers are delicate and pretty.

Yellow Color Flowers with a heart shaped dark brown spot on the inside. 

It is commonly known as "Peeli Kachnar" in India.

Native to India, Sri Lanka and China

It is a beautiful flowering shrubby tree.

A small and nice ornamental tree for small gardens.

Yellow Bell Bauhinia

#flower #flowers #Indianflowers #yellow #kachnar #bauhinia

#bauhiniatomentosa #yellowbauhinia #peelikachnar

Amaltaj Flower (Cassia fistula) Golden Shower Tree

Amaltaj Flower (Cassia fistula) Golden Shower Tree

Amaltaj Flower (Cassia fistula) Golden Shower Tree

Amaltaj is native of India.

It is one of the most beautiful tree.

It burst into a mass of yellow gold flowers.

The colorful and fragrant flowers of Amaltaj attract bees and butterflies.

Amaltaj is the national tree of Thailand.

Its flower is the national flower of Thailand.

Torai Flowers (Ridge Gourd)

Flowers of Torai or Turiya

Tori Flowers

Torai Flowers - Ridge Gourd

Torai (Ridge gourd) is popular as a vegetable.

Turai is a ridged and dark green color vegetable on the exterior side.

It is spongy from inside with white pulp as well as white seeds.

The yellow flowers develop into slightly curved pods.

Lemon on tree

Lemon on tree

Lemon on Tree

The lemon (Citrus Limon)

The cheerful yellow color fruit is used in culinary and other purposes.

Lemon juice has both culinary and cleaning uses.

Lemon juice is sour in taste.

The pulp and rind (yellow part of the peel) of lemon are also used in cooking and baking.

Lemons are used to flavor many sweet and savory dishes.

Green Lemon on Tree

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Nothing as sunny as a sunflower

Yellow petals and a brown center

Sunflower attract bees and birds

February to March is the best time to grow

It is called Surajmukhi in Hindi

White Karonda Flower (Carissa Carandas)

White Karonda Flower - Carissa Carandas

White Karonda Flower - Carissa Carandas

Tip for saving LPG gas

Saving LPG is as important as saving electricity because now you are getting a fixed number of cylinders per connection. Procuring additional cylinders always cost more therefore you should be careful in using your gas cylinder. With the few changes in your cooking habits you can save a lot of gas every month and your gas cylinder last longer. Here are few tip to save the wastage of fuel in your kitchen.

1. Keep all ingredients ready

Keep all the required vegetables/ingredients ready for cooking before you light your gas stove. Always put off an idle flame at once. Avoid keeping an empty pan on the gas stove while you are collecting ingredients/chopping vegetables. This type of planning will save a lot of gas by the end of the month.

2. Use pressure cooker

Always use pressure cooker for cooking wherever possible. Cooking in pressure cooker means faster and fuel economical cooking. By using pressure cooker you can save a significant amount of fuel consumption every month.

3. Do not use too much water

Use right quantity of water in cooking various dishes. Excess water means more time required to boil it hence more fuel will be consumed. If you have a control on using water while cooking, you will definitely control the wastage of fuel.

4. Lower the flame

When water or any other liquid reach boiling point, put the flame on low mode as low flame is enough to keep it boiling. In the same way, turn off the flame when food is almost cooked, the heat inside the food will be sufficient enough to finish the cooking. This reduction in flame will decrease the overall consumption of fuel.

5. Never overcook food

Never neglect cooking of vegetables and food, otherwise they will be overcooked. Overcooking not only results in loss of important nutrients and taste of the food but also waste a sizeable amount of fuel.
 
6. Soak cereals before cooking

Always soak cereals (rice and dals) before cooking to save fuel. Soaking will speed up their cooking time and reduce your fuel consumption. Different cereals need to soak for various intervals of time before cooking to ensure they will take less time for cooking.

7. Use wider bottom pan

Use wider bottom pans while cooking as a wider pan completely cover the burner and not allowing the flame to gives out heat to the sides. When you use a small bottom pan, it will make the flame go waste on the sides and increase fuel consumption.

8. Put the lid when cooking

Avoid cooking on open vessel/pan as open vessel/pan loses heat and takes more time for cooking. A lid on vessel/pan while cooking ensure that the heat is used more efficiently and thereby you save on fuel.

9. Use small burner

The small burner of a cooking gas stove consumes less gas than big burner. At low flame, energy used is less but you will get almost the same amount of heat to cook. Use small burner or lower the flame while cooking to save fuel.

10. Keep the burners clean

Keep the burners clean to save fuel. Spilling of any cooking item will block the pores of the burner. Clean gas burners at regular intervals to keep them free from choking as choked burners will increase fuel consumption. A uniform and blue flame means efficient burning.

11. Check for leaks.

Regularly check regulator, pipe and burners for gas leaks. With small leaks a lot of gas will goes up in the air every month. Always switch of gas regulator after cooking to reduce the chances of gas leakage.

12. Use Wiped/dry cookware

Wipe dry cookware before placing them on the burner to save gas every time you cook. Using cookware immediately after washing will waste some fuel to evaporate the water inside and out. Also keep your cookware scrubbed clean. That will save you a substantial amount of gas every month.

13. Cold/Frozen food

Avoid putting cold/frozen food (cold milk or frozen food stuff) from the refrigerator straight to the cooking pot. Allow the them to cool down to room temperature before you start cooking. This will help in reducing your fuel consumption as cold/frozen foods consumes a larger amount of fuel.

14. Meal timings

Heating the food again and again uses lot of gas. Try to eat together if possible. This will reduce your work and you do not have to reheat the food frequently before serving. If this is not possible then store hot food in insulated containers for serving later.

15. Monitor your gas consumption

Monitor your gas cylinder replacement cycle to understand the usage of LPG every month in your kitchen. This will encourage you to save more fuel every month. 

Tips for saving money

Saving electricity at home has become necessity because of massive electricity bills and rising power cuts. Saving electricity is not a rocket science rather it is easy. With little care and effort in using various home appliances, electronic devices and instruments can help you in keeping your electricity bills down. 

Tips for saving electricity while using air conditioner.
Tips for saving electricity while using refrigerator.

Saving LPG is as important as saving electricity because now you are getting a fixed number of cylinders per connection. Procuring additional cylinders always cost more therefore you should be careful in using your gas cylinder. With the few changes in your cooking habits you can save a lot of gas every month and your gas cylinder last longer. Here are few tip to save the wastage of fuel in your kitchen.

Tips for saving LPG at home

Tips for saving electricity while using air conditioner

Air conditioner uses more electricity than any other home appliance. It is the biggest contributor to the electricity bill in any home. But with a little care and effort you can surely decrease consumption of electricity to a significant amount. Here are few tips to stay cool and keep your electricity bill slightly low.

1. Change your old air conditioner

If you are using an air conditioner which is more than 10 years old then replace it with a new one. New models of air conditioners are more energy efficient and consume less electricity as compared to old air conditioners.

2. Buy appropriate tonnage air conditioner

It is always better to choose an appropriate tonnage capacity air conditioner based on the size of your room and number of people occupying it. Buying a bigger room air conditioning unit will work less efficiently an consume more electricity.

3. Location of air conditioner

Place your window AC unit or outdoor section of split AC in an area where there is a shade and adequate ventilation. Direct sunlight and inadequate ventilation will decrease the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner.

4. Keep air filter clean

Check and clean the air conditioner filter every month to keep the air conditioning unit in good working condition. Dirty filters makes your AC work harder and use more electricity. Keeping air filter clean can cut a significant amount of energy consumption.

5. Clean the condenser unit annually

Get the condenser unit cleaned at the beginning of each summer season. There are high chances of dirt and leaves accumulation inside the condenser unit as it is generally located outside. For this you can also take the help of a technician.

6. Keep the doors and windows closed

Make sure the doors and windows are closed when air conditioner is switched on. Even a small opening will allow the cool air to leak out and to maintain that cooling the air conditioner has to work harder. If the door will remain open for too long it will cause a loss of electricity.

7. Shade your windows

Direct sunlight can raise the temperature of the your room. Shade your windows with curtains or blinds to block direct sunlight during warmer periods of the day. This way you can reduce the running costs of your air conditioning.

8. Set the temperature around 25°C

Set the temperature of the air conditioner around 25°C for a comfortable cooling and lesser electricity consumption. Lower temperature setting on air conditioning thermostat will increase compressor running time and increase your electricity bill.

9. Run air conditioner less

Switch off the air conditioner when you or no one is in the room. Make it a habit to use air conditioner during the hottest days/hottest periods of the day. You can also use ceiling fan during cooler periods of the day.

10. Install a ceiling fan

Using ceiling fan along with air conditioner in your room will make you feel comfortable even with slightly higher temperature setting on the thermostat  Ceiling fan helps in providing good air circulation and comfort feeling. Even on cooler days or during cooler periods of the day, you can use only fan and save a lot on electricity bills.

11. Turn off heat producing equipment

Turn off all the heat producing equipments when not in use like lights, TV, computer, oven etc. Always try to use appliances that produce heat during cooler periods of the day.

12. Prefer window AC to split AC

If there is a proper space, always prefer window AC to split AC as split AC is more expensive than window AC. Installation and maintenance of split AC is also high as compared to window AC.

13. Use LED bulbs

Replace your conventional lights and CFL bulbs with LED bulbs. LED bulbs use less electricity and generate less heat at the same time as compared to conventional lights and CFL bulbs.

14. Paint interior with light colour

Always use light colour paint for your room interiors. Light colours help in keeping the room temperature low and decreasing the cooling cost as compared to bright or dark colours.

15. Plant trees and shrubs

If there is enough space then plant trees and shrubs in your house. Trees and shrubs provide shade and cool air thus help in reducing the indoor temperature and air conditioning needs.

Tips for saving electricity while using refrigerator

Refrigerator is always running and consuming a significant amount of electricity. It is the second biggest contributor to the electricity bill in any home after air conditioner. But with a little care and effort you can decrease the unnecessary load on your refrigerator and reduce energy consumption  Here are few steps that can save a lot on electricity bill and also enhance life of your refrigerator.

1. Change your refrigerator

If you are using a refrigerator which is more than 10-15 years old then this is the right time to replace it with a new one. New models of refrigerators are more energy efficient and consume less electricity as compared to old refrigerators.

2. Use only one refrigerator

Using two small refrigerators at home is not a good idea. One large refrigerator is more energy efficient than two small refrigerators.

3. Appropriately sized refrigerator

It is always better to buy an appropriately sized refrigerator for your family needs. If your refrigerator is too large it will consume more electricity. If your refrigerator is too small it may be always over loaded.

4. Location of refrigerator

Keep your refrigerator away from all sources of heat and ensure there is enough space around refrigerator for continuous airflow. Place your refrigerator at least 4'' from the wall, this will allow the refrigerator to work properly.

5. Never keep the refrigerator empty

A full refrigerator will perform better than a nearly empty as there is less room for warm air to occupy when you open the door. If the refrigerator is empty, store water-filled bottles.

6. Do not keep refrigerator over packed with stuffs

Do not keep your refrigerator over packed with stuffs, leave some room to circulate the cool air otherwise it will decrease the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator.

7. Minimize door openings

Do not open refrigerator door too frequently as every time it is opened, some heat enters and reduces its cooling efficiency. Always decide what you want before opening refrigerator door. If the door will remain open for too long it will cause a loss of electricity.

8. Do not put hot food

Avoid putting hot foods in the refrigerator. Allow the hot food to cool down to room temperature before keeping them in the refrigerator.

9. Keep door seals tight

Check that refrigerator's rubber door seals are clean and tight to keep the cold air inside. Broken or loose seals allow the cool air to leak out and to maintain that refrigerator has to work harder.

10. Clean condenser coils

Keep the condenser coils free from dust and cobwebs to enhance the working of the condenser. Clean these coils 3-4 times in a year or as per the frequency of dust accumulation.

11. Defrost regularly

Defrost freezer regularly for a manual defrost refrigerator to avoid accumulation of ice as it will decrease the efficiency of the condenser.

12. Set the temperature to medium cool

Keep the temperature of the refrigerator to medium cool (between 3-5°C) for best cooling result and lesser electricity consumption.

13. Never keep liquids uncovered

Do not keep any liquid uncovered in the refrigerator as moisture from the liquids can effect the working of the condenser.

14. Use glass containers

Use glass containers for storing food items in the refrigerator as glass container hold cold for longer time thus refrigerator has to work less.

15. Use LED bulb

If there is an incandescent bulb inside your refrigerator than replace it with an LED bulb. Incandescent bulb produces more heat than LED bulb even if it only switch on when the door is open.