How to choose stand mixer?

Stand mixers are good for churning yogurt to make butter and butter-milk, whipping cream, creaming butter and sugar to make cookie dough

Uses

- My best application is to churn yogurt to make Makhan (butter) and Chach (Skimmed Buttermilk)

If you just made the yogurt, it should be aged in the refrigerator for several hours or even overnight for best results. The refrigerated yogurt is about 40º F. The yogurt temperature should not be over 60º F. Pour the yogurt in the bowl. Use paddle type beater. Churn for 15 minutes at medium speed. The butter-fat in the yogurt will finally 'break', separating butter-grains and butter-milk. Continued churning will adhere the butter-grains together forming lumps. You have just made Makhan (Cultured Butter), and Chaach (skim cultured Buttermilk)

- Cream sugar and butter then add ingredients to make cookie dough for Butter Biscuits and Nankhatai

- Use hook to make dough for Naan

Features

- Stand mixer come with a special bowl that locks into place when the mixer is is being used. The bowl capacity varies from 4.5 quarts to 7 quarts (5.1 to 8 Liters). 5 quarts is quite acceptable capacity

- There are three standard attachments: Wire whip to whip creams or egg whites, Flat beater to mix batters or churning yogurt, and a dough hook for kneading dough to make Naan or Pizza

Additional attachments may include: juicer, ice cream maker, food grinder, pouring shield, and an extra bowl for mixing.

- The speeds range from five to sixteen. Three settings are sufficient, Low, Medium, and High. The slowest speed should be very slow. Slow speed is important to prevent spattering

- The power of the units range from 200 to 700, or even 1,000 watts. The power requirement depends on the density of the food being mixed. 200 watts may be sufficient to whip cream, 500 watts may be needed to make dough for Naan. Higher power units are designed to carry extra load without burning out. I would suggest a minimum of 500 watts unit.

- The heavy weight of the unit keeps it stable on the counter. Choose heavy weight unit near 15 pounds

- Many stand-mixers have heads that tilt-up. It is a nice feature to add ingredients, scraping the wall of the bowl

- Some stand mixers have stationary beaters, and the bowl revolves on a turn table. These mixers are designed to do light-duty jobs. I do not recommend these units

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