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How to Use a Dishwasher for Best Washing of Utensils

Kitchen Solutions

How to Use a Dishwasher for Best Washing of Utensils

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Planning to buy a dishwasher or already have an IFB Dishwasher? Since we’re accustomed to washing utensils like kadhais and pans by hand, we might not be familiar with how to get the cleanest results from a dishwasher. Here are some steps and tips to get perfectly clean, sparkling utensils.

Scrape Leftovers before Putting Utensils in the Dishwasher

Much like you would remove the food remaining on your plate before putting it in the kitchen sink to avoid clogging, just scrape the food leftovers from the dishes into a dustbin before loading them in the dishwasher.

Loading the Dishwasher

Loadthe utensils from the inside of the dishwasher to its outer side. The ideal way is to load all dishes at once instead of just putting one or two utensils every time they get dirty. This helps in proper arrangement of the dishes in their placeholders. However, an IFB Dishwasher also allows you the flexibility to load the utensils on the go.

Placing Larger Utensils in the Dishwasher

Load larger utensils on the lower basket, with the kadhais and pans upside down and plates in the plate holders.

Placing Smaller Utensils in the Dishwasher

Load the upper basket too by placing the smaller dishes in the plate racks.

Placing Stainless Steel Plates in the Dishwasher

Place Indian stainless steel plates with bigger ends on the right side of the dishwasher and on alternate racks to allow water flow between them.

Avoid Overlapping of Utensils in the Dishwasher

Do not overlap utensils when loading the dishwasher. This will hamper optimal cleaning since water may not trickle down to the unexposed, hidden areas of overlapping dishes.

Avoid Loose Utensils in the Dishwasher

All dishes should be stacked in their respective placeholders, especially forks and spoons, to avoid them from floating around and scratching or damaging other utensils.

Never block dishwasher water spray arms

Ensure that the water spray arms are not blocked by a utensil. When the dishwasher is running, these arms move around spraying water on the utensils and rendering them clean. If a dish is barring the movement of these arms, there are chances of damage to the machine.

Use IFB essentials dish care range

IFB essentials range of dish care products perfectly matches the requirements of an IFB Dishwasher.

Buying a dishwasher?

Explore IFB’s range of dishwashers or visit an IFB Point, our exclusive store. Click here to access our Store Locator to find the IFB Point closest to you.

Chocolate, Mud, Crayon: How to Remove These 10 Stains From Kids’ Clothes

Laundry Solutions

Chocolate, Mud, Crayon: How to Remove These 10 Stains From Kids’ Clothes

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From stains of your child getting messy with chocolate to crayon drawings on clothes to mud blotches on white uniforms, doing kids laundry is a daunting task. Here’s how you can make an easy job of it.

Mud Stain

There is something about puddles that kids find tempting: They simply can’t resist the urge of splashing in mud. The sight of children playing in wet fields and mud patches on their white or coloured school uniforms is far too familiar in the monsoons. The good news is, these stains can be made to disappear quite easily. Here’s how you can get back the brightness of clothes.

  • Brush off dry mud.
  • Rinse in cold water.
  • If mud marks persist, rub in a little detergent and wash normally.

Milk/Cream Stain

Although you may think that milk and cream stains easily go away (since they’re pale and whitish), they’re a tough nut to crack once dry. Milk comprises protein and fat that can stick deep into the fabric and leave a long-lasting mark. Following the below steps can help you make your clothes blemish-free again.

  • Flush the stain with cold water.
  • Blot with a clean cloth.
  • If stain is still apparent, sponge with a white spirit.

Chocolate Stain

You can’t let the little ones NOT have chocolate! It’s an indulgence that is unavoidable and so are the messy chocolate stains on their clothes. However, these are not-to-be-missed playful moments of your kid. So let them thoroughly enjoy and easily remove the most stubborn stains with these simple steps.

  • Scrape off the excess chocolate.
  • Sponge with cold water and soak in an enzyme pre-wash.
  • If stain persists, rub a little detergent and rinse in cold water.

Ice cream Stain

Hot summers and ice cream dripping on your little one’s clothes are a common sight! What’s worrisome is that the protein-based ice cream stain is difficult to completely remove and can linger long if not treated properly. Here’s what you can do.

  • Rinse in cold water.
  • Blot with a clean cloth.
  • If stain remains, sponge with a white spirit.

Fruits

While fruits are perfect for your child’s health, their stains aren’t for clothes’ health. Children enjoy making a mess out of juicy fruits such as mangoes, strawberries, blueberries and oranges, which can leave nasty marks on fabrics if you don’t wash them off quickly. Take a look at how to remove fruit stains.

  • Brush off any excess from the garment.
  • Rinse under cold, running water.
  • Rub a little detergent on the stain.
  • Wash the garment as you normally would.

Grass Stain

You can’t restrain kids from getting messed up playing in grounds and lawns, but you can get rid of the grass blots that are a common sight on knee, back and elbow areas of clothes. Grass stains are sturdy, acting like dye because of complex proteins and natural pigmentation. Here’s what you can do to make them fade away.

  • Remove any excess grass from the fabric.
  • Rub in an enzyme pre-wash.
  • Wash normally.

Cuffs and Collar Stain

Dirty collars and cuffs are perhaps the most common feature in children’s laundry. Whether it’s a school shirt or a white sports sweater, regular contact of collar with neck and cuff sleeves rubbing over surfaces make them the most soiled parts of the garment. Unless scrubbed, they simply don’t go away. Try this method to get rid of such stains.

  • Pre-treat with pre-wash stain remover such as IFB essentials Fabo or rub with bar soap.
  • Wash the garment as you normally would.

Crayon Stain

Did your little one smudge an entire garment with crayon, imagining it to be a colouring board? Or did a crayon slip in with a trouser and into the laundry load, only to dye other clothes? Crayon stains can be extremely tough to remove due to the combination of waxy oil and dye. Here’s what you should do.

  • Scrape off surface wax.
  • Place stain face down between paper towel and press.
  • Treat remaining stain with pre-wash stain remover or non-flammable dry cleaning fluid.
  • Hand-wash the fabric to remove solvent.
  • Wash using fabric-safe bleach.

Ink Stain

Ink stains seem to have a knack of targeting light-shade garments. Writing with ink pens and drawing with sketch pens lead to blots on children’s uniforms, or the pen might just leak in the pocket sometimes. Although some inks may be impossible to remove and washing may even set it in the fabric, try the following steps to make them vanish.

  • Pre-treat the stain using pre-wash stain remover, denatured alcohol or non-flammable dry cleaning fluid.
  • Wash the garment normally.

Blood Stain

Unfortunate as it may sound, your child may end up bruising his knee while playing football or fielding during a cricket game. Did the injury leave blood stains on his clothes? Here’s how you can wash them off. The sooner; the better!

  • Rinse immediately in cold water.
  • Scrub it gently.
  • If stain remains, soak in cold water with an enzyme pre-wash.
  • Wash normally.

Stain Removal with IFB essentials’ Fabric Care Range

You can also make these stains on your kids’ clothes vanish easily by using the IFB essentials Fabric Care range. The IFB Essentials range is available online or at an IFB Point, our exclusive store. Access IFB Store Locator and find the IFB Point closest to you.

IFB Recipes

Organic September: Multigrain Naan

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

Organic, healthy, wholesome! Easily make Multigrain Naan in your microwave with this recipe.

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 22 min

Servings: 4 portions 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup multigrain flour
  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion
  • 3 tbsp minced and chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp black sesame seeds
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup ghee
  • Salt to taste 
  • 4 tbsp multigrain cereals for garnish

Preparation:

1. Activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm milk with sugar, let it rest till frothy.

2. In a glass bowl, add the flours, fermented yeast and knead the flour into a soft dough with milk.

3. Now add salt and ghee; continue kneading till the dough doesn’t stick on the bowl. Allow it to rest for 30 min covered with a damp cloth.

4. Preheat the microwave oven with a metal tawa at 200°C on grill mode for 10 min.

5. Portion the dough into 40 gm spheres. On an oiled surface, press the naan portion and flatten the sides till its 15 cm in diameter; pull the naan from one end gently.

6. Press some chopped onions, garlic, multigrain cereals and sesame seeds on the naan and place it on the hot tawa; cook for 12 min (turn after 9 min).

7.Apply melted ghee and serve hot.

Zero Waste Week: Jeera Aloo

IFB Recipes

Zero Waste Week: Jeera Aloo

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

Simple yet simply delicious, Jeera Aloo is a dish that never fails to please the taste buds!

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: 17 min

Servings: 4 nos

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 medium size boiled potatoes
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Water as required

Other Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2.5 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 green chillies, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • Salt as required
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
  • 3-4 tsp lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Rinse potatoes a couple of times in water and clean well. Dice without peeling and keep aside.

2. Add the diced potatoes in a microwaveable glass bowl with 4 tbsp water and salt. Heat this at 100% micropower level for 8 min.

3. In another glass bowl, put olive oil, add all ingredients for tempering and heat for 3 min at 100% micropower level.

4. Add the cooked potatoes in the tempering; stir well and cook for 6 min at 100% micropower level.

5. Season well. Serve hot jeera aloo with rice, phulkas, etc.

Zero Waste Week: Paneer Paratha

IFB Recipes

Zero Waste Week: Paneer Paratha

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

Perfectly cooked Paneer Paratha is always pleasing to the palate. Here’s an easy microwave oven recipe to try.

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 18 min

Servings: 4 nos

Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

  • 2 cups homemade paneer
  • ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • ¼ tsp garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • Fistful of coriander leaves, finely chopped

For dough:

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour/atta
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil or ghee
  • Water as required for kneading
  • ¼ cup wheat flour for dusting
  • Ghee for brushing

Preparation:

1. With fine sieve, strain the curdled milk in a muslin cloth. Press to drain the whey. In a microwaveable glass bowl, add 1 tsp ghee, crumbled paneer and remaining ingredients. Heat this mixture at 100% micropower level for 3 min. Adjust the seasoning and let rest.

Paratha dough and stuffing:

1. In a large mixing bowl, take wheat flour; add salt.

2. Add whey and knead the dough for 5 min.

3. Grease the dough with a tsp of ghee and rest for at least 20 min.

4. Pinch a medium-sized ball dough, roll about 5 inches in diameter.

5. Place the stuffing in the center.

6. Take the edge and start pleating, bringing to center.

7. Press the pleats from center.

8. Sprinkle some flour and roll to a phulka size.

Roasting and paratha:

1. Select the grill mode and preheat the magic tawa for 4 min.

2. Place the paratha on the hot magic tawa and cook for 8 min or until tiny golden dots appear on the surface; flip over and cook the other side for 3 min. Once done, lightly brush both sides with ghee.

3. Use a folded kitchen towel and place the paratha below it to keep it soft.

4. Transfer the cooked paratha to a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Zero Waste Week: Dal Khichdi

IFB Recipes

Zero Waste Week: Dal Khichdi

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

Light at the stomach, Dal Khichdi is an extremely healthy dish and a great blend of protein and carbohydrates.

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 36 min

Servings: 4 nos

Ingredients:

  • 30 gm leftover veggies or any sukhi sabji
  • ½ cup moong dal (split and husked moong lentils)
  • ½ cup rice – you can add any rice, regular short or medium grained rice or even basmati
  • 1 small to medium sized onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium sized tomato, chopped
  • ½ inch ginger, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 small green chilli, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 small green mirch, chopped
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 3.5 cups water, for a more thin consistency
  • 1.5 tbsp oil or ghee
  • Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Rinse and wash moong lentils and rice together.

2. Soak both for 30 min in water.

Making Khichidi:

1. Put 2 tbsp ghee or oil in a microwaveable bowl, add cumin and heat for 2 min at 100% micropower level. When cumin splutters, add onions; heat for 2 min at 100% micropower level.

2. Once onions are translucent, add tomatoes, green chilli and ginger; heat for 2 min at 100% micropower level.

3. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida; heat for 2 min at 100% micropower level. Saute till the tomatoes soften.

4. Add the subji or leftover veggies and heat for 2 min at 100% micropower level.

5. Drain the rice and moong lentils; add them to the above mixture.

6. Stir for a minute. Pour with water and season with salt. Heat this mixture for 26 min at 100% micropower level.

7. Once cooked, top it with ghee while serving.

8. Serve Dal Khichdi hot with curd and accompanying salad.

Zero Waste Week: Chapati

IFB Recipes

Zero Waste Week: Chapati

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

If you thought that a Chapati couldn’t be made in a microwave, try this easy recipe.

Preparation time: 15 min                           

Cooking time: 11 min

Servings: 10 nos.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour or drum-wheat atta
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp wheat flour, for rolling and dusting
  • Leftover dal and rice

Preparation:

1. Sieve the flour, add salt to it and mix well. Place it in a large bowl and add leftover rice and dal along with 1/4 cup water. Stir gently with fingers in a circular motion until the flour starts to gather. Add 1-2 tbsp flour if the dough looks too sticky. Add more water if it looks too dry and firm.

2. Knead the flour until it becomes soft and pliable and doesn’t stick to your fingers. Add oil on your hand while kneading. Cover it with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal-sized balls. Roll a dough ball in the flour and flatten it a bit with your hands. Transfer to a clean, flat surface, roll it with a rolling pin into a 6-7 inch disc. If the dough sticks to the surface, dust the surface with more flour.

3. Select the grill mode and preheat the magic tawa for 4 min.

4. Place the chapati on the hot magic tawa and cook for 8 min or until tiny golden dots appear on the surface; flip over and cook the other side for 3 min. Once done, lightly brush both sides with ghee.

5. Use a folded kitchen towel and place the chapatis below it to keep them soft.

6. Transfer the cooked chapatis to a serving platter. Serve immediately.

IFB Recipes

Organic September: Kaddu ki Sabji

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

This month, go organic and closer to nature! Try this easy and healthy microwave oven recipe for Kaddu ki Sabji.

Preparation time: 20 min               

Cooking time: 18 min                              

Servings: 4 portions 

Ingredients:

  • 750 gm pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp ginger, sliced
  • A pinch of hing
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tbsp salt (use sendha namak/rock salt if fasting)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp amchoor powder
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 4-5 green chillies (slit)

Preparation:

1. Wash and clean the pumpkin. Dice and keep aside. In a glass bowl, add water just enough to cover the pumpkin. Add ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp turmeric to the water along with pumpkin. Heat at 100% micropower level for 10 min.

2. In another bowl, add olive oil, ginger, green chillies, fenugreek seeds and heat at 100% micropower level for 2 min. Now add hing and remaining powdered masalas; moisten the mixture with 100 ml water and heat at 100% micropower level for 2 min.

3. Add pumpkin, sugar and season well. Mix thoroughly and heat at 100% micropower level for 4 min.

4. Serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dishwashers

Kitchen Solutions

Frequently Asked Questions About Dishwashers

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Q: What is a dishwasher?

A: A dishwasher is a washing machine for cleaning utensils. Unlike manual dishwashing, which relies largely on physical scrubbing to clean, IFB Dishwasher cleans by spraying 30-70°C hot water at the utensils, helped by IFB’s own Dishwasher Detergent and dried with steam. It is just like a washing machine that you use to wash clothes.

Q: Can a dishwasher clean Indian masala stains and heavy utensils like kadhai?

A: A dishwasher can easily clean all types of masala, oil stains and greasy food residue. IFB Dishwashers have various programs that ensure that all utensils, from Western to Indian, are hygienically washed.

Q: If we have to pre-rinse the dishes before loading them, what’s the use of buying a dishwasher?

A: You don’t have to pre-rinse the dishes. All you have to do is scrape off the leftovers from the dishes and load them in the dishwasher. Your IFB Dishwasher will do the rest.

Q: Does a dishwasher have space for my kadhai, patila and other large utensils?

A: With two baskets and cutlery tray, you can easily load your kadhais, pots, pans, plates, spoons, ladle, servers and glassware in an IFB Dishwasher.

Q: Is a dishwasher suitable for stainless steel utensils used in Indian homes or aluminum and bronze dishes?

A: An IFB Dishwasher is suitable for utensils such as stainless steel, glassware, bone china, microwaveable and dishwasher-safe plastics. Utensils like plastic casseroles, wood, and metal ones made of aluminum, copper, silver, gold and bronze should not be used in a dishwasher.

Q: Do dishwashers completely fill with water when cleaning the dishes and how do they scrub the dishes?

A: In an IFB Dishwasher, 360° powerful spray arms and shower sprays 70° Celsius hot water with high pressure to remove all the stubborn masala and oil stains, giving utensils a clean, hygienic wash without the need for scrubbing. This hands-free washing doesn’t affect and dry your hands like manual dishwashing.

Q. Will it take a lot of time to wash dishes in a dishwasher?

A: Loading a dishwasher takes only 5 minutes, and you are free to do other work while the dishwasher washes the utensils for you. On the other hand, it takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour for washing utensils by hand.

Q: What is the program duration in IFB dishwashers?

A: IFB Dishwashers have a minimum time of 18 minutes in Jet Wash, 30 minutes for Quick Wash and a maximum of 183 minutes for Auto Intensive program.

Q: Where do I place the dishwasher? It won’t fit in my kitchen!

A: The dishwasher fits into any Indian kitchen, requiring only 60 cm wide space. You can also install it in your balcony. Dishwasher can be placed next to the kitchen platform, under the kitchen slab, utility area or balcony.

Q: Will my electricity bill go up?

A: A dishwasher is highly energy-efficient and uses only 1 unit of energy for each wash (power consumption depends on program selected, load and inlet water temp.

Q: Will my water bill go up?

A: An IFB Dishwasher is highly water-efficient and uses just 9 litres for a wash in Eco program.

Q: Is it hygienic to wash baby bottles in it?

A: Its 70°C temperature wash kills up to 99.9% germs and is suitable for hygienically cleaning baby bottles as well.

Q: Can I use my normal detergent/liquid soap/handwash detergents in the dishwasher?

A: Normal detergents are not meant be used in dishwasher as they can’t give desired results. Normal detergents cause very high foam and may lead to dishwasher malfunction. It is recommended to use IFB Essentials Autodish Dishwashing Detergent, Autodish Rinse Aid and Dishwashing Salt or Dishwasher Tablets, which are tested for Indian cooking conditions.

Q: Where can I buy dishwasher detergent, salt and rinse aid?

A: You can place an order on https://www.ifbappliances.com/ifb-essentials/dish-care.

Q. The water hardness is more than 800 ppm. Will the dishwasher work?

A: Dishwashers are meant to work below 800 ppm. A higher level of water hardness will leave white mineral/calcium spots on the utensils. You can install an external water softener with a dishwasher to get good results.

Q: If there is a power failure, will the dishwasher need to be reloaded?

A: IFB Dishwashers are programmed with an Auto Restart feature. This means that they resume their wash cycle from where they left off upon resumption of power.

Q. Can I wash fewer utensils in the IFB Dishwasher?

A: Yes. IFB Dishwashers have a Flexi Half Load option for fewer dishes, which allows you to load utensils in lower rack, middle rack or top cutlery tray.

Q: What are the colours available in IFB Dishwasher?

A: Dark Silver, Inox Grey White, Silver-Stainless Steel Finish options are available in IFB Dishwasher range.

Q: What is the warranty on IFB Dishwasher?

A: IFB Dishwashers come with 2 years comprehensive warranty.

Q: Why doesn’t plasticware dry in dishwasher?

A: Plastic items are more difficult to dry because they have a lower thermal mass than ceramic or metal items in the dish load, causing them to cool faster than the other items during the drying cycle.

Q: What happens if I do not use Rinse Aid?

A: Utensils do not dry and develop a lot of water stains/white marks on them.

Q: Can a dishwasher clean burnt/charred milk or tea pans?

A: Burnt or charred utensils need extra effort. Just scrub off the area on the dishes before loading in the dishwasher.

Q: I am unable to load all the utensils in one go. Can I overload the dishwasher?

A: No. Please do not overload your dishwasher as it may block the movement of spray arms and restrict water flow to the utensils. This will reduce washing efficiency of the dishwasher and may cause damage to spray arms. You can run two to three wash cycles in a day depending on number of meals.

Q: Can I just put all utensils in the dishwasher randomly and start?

A: No. Load the IFB Dishwasher as per given instructions for best wash results.

Q: Do I need to clean the IFB Dishwasher or is there any maintenance involved?

A: Yes. Once a week, take out the filter and clean under tap water.

Q: How do I prevent odour in dishwasher?

A: Dishwasher is self cleaning appliance; it doesn’t need to be cleaned like a sink. However, once a week or when required, clean the filter. You can also keep the dishwasher door partially open after use for the moisture to vanish.

Q: What happens if I use normal kitchen salt in the dishwasher?

A: Kitchen salt contains other impurities that may spoil the internal water softener. This will result in white patches/film on vessels after wash.

Q: What is the purpose of the Tablet button on IFB Dishwasher?

A: When you activate Tablet button, dishwasher deactivates the Salt and Rinse Aid consumption. Even if the Salt and Rinse Aid are filled, they will not be used during the wash cycle.

Q: Can I use dishwasher for commercial purpose like hotel or restaurant?

A: Domestic dishwashers are designed for home use only. IFB also manufactures Industrial Dishwashers meant for commercial purposes where dishwashing load is higher.

Q: Why is foam on the bottom side of the dishwasher after completion of the program?

A: It is because detergent or rinse aid quality is not good, wrong rinse aid setting chosen or excessive detergent used in the dishwasher. If the supply to your dishwasher is of soft water, please reduce the detergent dosage and rinse aid settings.

Q: Why are water droplets present on dishes after using Quick Wash/Super Wash/Prewash?

A: Quick Wash/Super Wash/Prewash and other programs with less than 1 hour wash cycles do not have drying cycle.  It is normal to see water droplets after using such short programs.

Q: Is there any dishwasher that can wash dishes with normal handwashing detergent?

A: No. One has to use the special dishwasher detergent, rinse aid and salt meant for dishwashers only.

Q: Is there a dishwasher model which has space to accommodate all utensils in one go?

A: Dishwasher sizes are mostly standard across all brands. IFB Neptune VX Plus and IFB Neptune SX1 are the largest dishwashers in India with up to 15 Place settings.

Q: Why are my plastic vessels deformed after washing in a dishwasher?

A: Those are non-heat-resistant plastic vessels and not meant to be washed in dishwashers. It is best to load dishwasher-safe utensils in it.

Q: Do I need to soak tea/milk/rice bowls before loading in a dishwasher?

A: If they extra sticky, it is good to soak them in water for a while to prevent stickiness and then load in the dishwasher. If the food has hardened or dried in the utensil, you can use prewash to moisten the dried food and clean them before washing. This will give the same effect as soaking the utensils.

IFB Recipes

Chicken Kheema Lasagne

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Yes it’s possible … in an IFB Microwave Oven!

Make this Teachers’ Day extra special with this easy microwave oven recipe for Chicken Keema Lasagne.

Preparation time: 45 min                                

Cooking time: 36 min                              

Serves: 4 portions

Ingredients:

¾ cup mozzarella and cheddar cheese mix, grated

For chicken keema:

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 2 medium-size tomatoes, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder
  • 400 gm chicken mince
  • 1 tbsp garam masala powder
  • Salt to taste

For tomato sauce:

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 can tomatoes or 6 medium-size tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • Salt to taste

For lasagna sheet:

  • 100 gm wheat flour
  • 25 gm all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper powder

For white sauce:

  • 2 tbsp refined flour
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 300 ml milk
  • ½ onion studded with bay leaf and clove

For the Florentine:

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 50 gm chopped spinach
  • 10 gm chopped garlic
  • Salt to taste

Preparation:

Chicken keema:

1. In a glass bowl, add oil, onion, ginger-garlic paste and heat at 100% micropower for 4 min. Add other ingredients (straight in) with 150 ml water. Stir thoroughly and heat at 100% micropower for 6 min. Season well and set aside.

Tomato sauce:

1. In a glass bowl, add olive oil, onions, garlic and heat for 3 min at 100% micropower. Combine other ingredients and add 150 ml water. Heat for 3 min at 100% micropower, stirring every 2 min.

Lasagna sheet:

1. In a glass bowl, add all ingredients for lasagna dough. Knead well and allow the dough to rest. Heat water in a shallow glass dish with salt and a few drops olive oil at 100% micropower for 6 min.

2. Roll out the lasagna sheets approx 0.4 cm thick and gently slide them in hot water. Heat at 100% micropower for 2 min. Remove and place on a flat tray.

White sauce:

1. In a glass bowl, add all ingredients and stir well; ensure no lumps remain. Heat for 3 min at 80% micropower, stirring every 1 min till the batter thickens.

Florentine mixture:

1. In a glass bowl, add all ingredients and stir well. Heat at 100% micropower for 4 min till the spinach swells well; season and place aside.

Assembling:

1. Lightly grease a flat glass tray with olive oil; gently place the lasagna sheet on the base. Top this up with chicken keema mixture, spoon in tomato sauce, add Florentine mixture on tomato sauce, drizzle the white sauce carefully without mixing the layers. Add grated cheese and repeat this process once. Preheat the oven at 180°C on convection mode and press start.

2. For the top layer, place the 3rd lasagna sheet; spread the white sauce and grated cheese.

3. Bake the lasagna at 180°C for 8 min on a low rack till the cheese on top turns brown.

4. Serve hot.