Indians approach kitchen design much like Americans do, but there are lots of differences, too. A primary point of departure, for example, is a general lack of interest in pro-grade ranges or any kind of range at all for that matter. One reason is based on access to fuel. It’s not easy getting gas lines into many of the buildings in India. Another reason has to do with the way Indians cook. Much of the food is rather slow cooked on a stove top, which in India is called a hobb. Very little food is cooked in an oven, so smaller countertop ovens are often used instead of built-ins or ranges.
If you plan have an apartment in India and plan to rent it to foreigners, then a range is sometimes preferred, which can affect your renovation strategy. And this is worth careful consideration in Bombay, where the rents for apartments in certain areas are about equal to those in many parts of New York City.
[…] and re-released late last year, and positioned the stove—or what’s known in India as a hobb (see my post from 2/22)—next to the window rather than directly under it so that our good fortune would not fly out the […]