Baking soda is *khara* or sodium bicarbonate, washing soda is *soda ash* or sodium carbonate. When you heat baking soda, it turns into washing soda, releasing steam and carbon dioxide—I saw this when my mother would dry-fry a pinch of *khara* to make it stronger for certain *mithai*. But in our kitchen, we never use washing soda; its harshness is for clothes. My ledger books taught me how one thing transforms into another with just a little heat, much like a small savings grows into a daughter's college fund.
#cooking#regional-cuisine
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