Kitchen Tips

to keep the vegetables fresh for a longer time in the fridge place a newpaper neatly folded in the vegetable tray and store veg on it , the excess moisture in the vegetables is absorbed by the newspaper so the vegetables dont turn soggy fast. i use newspaper to cover curry and coriander leaves too, this is better than covering them in tissue paper. Ginger can be effectively stored by the following method: wash the ginger and store in a container having water , but change the water every 2nd day . While storing green chillies wash them dry them , remove the stalk and similarly cover the container in which u are going to store the chillies with newspaper and store.

Kitchen tips

Stubborn stains can be removed from non-stick cookware by boiling, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1 cup of water for ten minutes. Before using the pan again, season it with salad oil. Burnt food can be removed from a glass baking dish by spraying it with oven cleaner and letting it soak for 30 minutes. The burnt-on residue will be easier to wipe off.

Whenever you empty a jar of dill pickles,use the left-over juice to clean the copper bottoms of your pans. Just pour the juice in a large bowl, set the pan in the juice for about 15 minutes. Comes out looking like new.

To restore color and shine to an aluminum pan, boil some apple peels in it for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.

Instead of using expensive silver cleaners, put a dab of toothpaste on a clean rag and rub it on your precious possession. After you've rubbed it in, just clean it with another clean rag. Your silver will look like new.

To clean copper bottoms on pots and pans, simply open a can of tomato
soup paste, rub it on and scrub then rinse. If you do this weekly, your pots and pans stay shiny clean. This is a very inexpensive way to clean copper and brass items!

Stains and sediment in cut glass or hobnob bowls or vases respond to olive oil. Pour some in and let stand until the stains or sediment disappear.

Clean eyeglasses; Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.

When preparing lunches for your children (or anyone), try "drinkable" ice packs: Fill a 12-ounce plastic bottle about halfway with drinking water and freeze it overnight, tilting the bottle so the water will freeze at an angle (if you freeze it straight up, the expanded water will make the bottle bulge). Next morning pack the lunch, add more drinking water to the bottle, and stick it in the lunch box to keep the food cool and be melted enough to drink by lunchtime.

* To slice meat into thin strips, as for Chinese dishes - partially freeze and it will slice easily.

* A roast with the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast -the bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast quicker.

* For a juicer hamburger add cold water to the beef before grilling (1/2 cup to 1 pound of meat).

* To keep cauliflower white while cooking - add a little milk to the water.

* Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes.

* Buy mushrooms before they "open." When stems and caps are attached
snugly, mushrooms are truly fresh.

* Lettuce keeps better if you store in refrigerator without washing first so that the leaves are dry. Wash the day you are going to use.

* Do not use metal bowls when mixing salads. Use wooden, glass or china.

* A Perfect Pastry Crust? In your favorite recipe, substitute a 4:1 ratio of lard:butter.

* To make your own corn meal mix: combine 1 cup corn meal, 1 cupall-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 teaspoons baking powder. You can store it in a tightly covered container for up to 6 months.

* It's important to let a roast -- beef, pork, lamb or poultry -- sit a little while before carving. That allows the juices to retreat back into the meat. If you carve a roast too soon, much of its goodness will spill out onto the carving board.

* Microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and double the juice you get before squeezing.

* Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off.

* When slicing a hard boiled egg, try wetting the knife just before cutting. If that doesn't do the trick, try applying a bit of cooking spray to the edge.

* Rescue stale or soggy chips and crackers: Preheat the oven to 300F. Spread the chips or crackers in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool, then seal in a plastic bag or container.

* The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks.

* Store freshly cut basil on your kitchen counter in a glass with the water level covering only the stems. Change the water occasionally. It will keep for weeks this way, even develop roots! Basil hates to be cold, so NEVER put it in the refrigerator. Also, regular cutting encourages new growth and healthier plants.

* A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of corn will remove every strand of corn silk.

* Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.

* No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water before frying.

* When working with dough, don't flour your hands; coat them with olive oil to prevent sticking.

* Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Overhandling will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press or flatten with spatula during cooking.

* Never heat pesto sauce - the basil will turn black and taste bitter.

* Butter pie pastry scraps: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and
bake like cookies.

* A jar lid or a couple of marbles in the bottom half of a double-boiler will rattle when the water gets low and warn you to add more before the pan scorches or burns.

* When mincing garlic, sprinkle on a little salt so the pieces won't stick to your knife or cutting board.

* If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven, then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep them from settling to the bottom of the pan.

* Noodles, spaghetti and other starches won't boil over if you rub the inside of the pot with vegetable oil.

* Brown gravy in a hurry with a bit of instant coffee straight from the jar... no bitter taste, either.

* To hasten the cooking of foods in a double boiler, add salt to the water in the outer boiler.

* Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.

* To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the
potatoes.

* Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

* Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

* If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a on-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

* Add a little lemon and lime to tuna to add zest and flavor to tuna sandwiches. Use cucumbers soaked in vinegar and pepper in sandwich
instead of tomatoes. Use mustard instead of mayo to cut the fat and add a tang.

* Instead of the water your recipe calls for, try juices, bouillon, or water you've cooked vegetables in. Instead of milk, try buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. It can add a whole new flavor and improve nutrition.

* Steak Sauce With A Kick: Deglaze your frying pan (after searing your
New York steaks) with brandy. Add two tablespoons of butter, a little white wine and a splash of Grand Marnier. Serve over steaks - you'll never use steak sauce again.

* When browning ground meat, brown several pounds and drain. Divide evenly in freezer containers and freeze. Unthaw in microwave for quick fixing next time.

* Ground spices really should be replaced every 6 months or so! Unless you know you will use them up fairly quickly, buy a bottle in partnership with a friend and split the contents. You'll each benefit from fresh spices.

* Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer.

Place green fruits in a perforated plastic bag. The holes will allow air to circulate while retaining the ethylene gas that fruits produce during ripening.

* Marshmallows won't dry out when frozen.

* Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them.
The burgers will cook faster and the holes will disappear when done.

* For fluffier, whiter rice, add one teaspoon of lemon juice per quart of water. To add extra flavor and nutrition to rice, cook it in liquid
reserved from cooking vegetables.

* Cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing.

* Sausage patties rolled in flour before frying won't crack open during cooking.

* Two drops of yellow food coloring added to boiling noodles will make them look homemade.

* When separating eggs, break them into a funnel. The whites will go through leaving the yolk intact in the funnel.

* Fresh fish freeze well in a milk carton filled with water.

* Make your own celery flakes. Just cut and wash the leaves from the celery stalks; place them in the oven on low heat or in the hot sun until thoroughly dry. Crumble and store in an air-tight container.

* When picking a melon, smell it for freshness and ripeness. Check to see that the fruit is heavy in weight and that the spot on the end where it has been plucked from the vine is soft.

* When tossing a salad with a basic vinaigrette, always make the vinaigrette at least 1/2 hour ahead of time and let the mixture sit to allow the flavors to marry. Pour the vinaigrette down the side of the bowl, not directly on the greens, for a more evenly dressed salad.

* For the perfect boiled egg, cover eggs with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a full boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover. Let the eggs sit for 8-9 minutes. Drain the water and place the eggs in ice water to cool to stop the cooking process.

* When braising meat, cook it at a low temperature for a long time to keep the meat tender and have it retain all the juices.

* When cooking any kind of strawberry dessert, add a splash of aged Balsamic vinegar to the recipe to enhance the flavor of the strawberries.

* For fresh flavor in orange juice add the juice of one lemon.

* Tenderize pot roast or stewing meat by using two cups of hot tea as a cooking liquid.

* When making roux for a recipe, make extra and keep in the refrigerator for future use.

* Chefs pound meat not to tenderize the meat, but to help even the meat so it cooks evenly.

* To remove egg shells from a batter, use the remaining shell to attract the piece.

* If a recipe calls for 1 cup sour cream, you may substitute 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/3 cup buttermilk.

* When using fresh herbs such as dill, chives, parsley, etc., hold them together in small bunches and snip with kitchen scissors. It is a lot faster this way, and you'll find the herbs will be light and fluffy, not bruised and wet as they often get when chopped.

* When going on a picnic, keep sandwiches from becoming soggy by packing lettuce and condiments in separate containers. Add them to sandwiches just before serving.

* Maple-flavored syrup, commonly found on the shelves in the store and in restaurants, is actually corn syrup flavored with a bit of pure maple syrup to keep the cost down.

* Thaw fish in milk for fresher flavor

Tips For Leftovers:

1. Any leftovers can imaginatively be converted to a disguised next meal. Only keep in mind that the texture and taste should not remain the same, to keep your secret intact.
2. Wherever I have used leftover rice, you can even use leftover poha (beaten rice).
3. Leftover chapaties can be dried in an oven and crumbs can be made to use instead of bread.

Kitchen Tips

Never beat idli batter too much because the air which has already incorporated during fermentation is lost.

Cooking sour food (tamarind/lemon based) in non-stick ware reduces its durability and the coating is likely to peel off sooner.

Deodorize cutting board by rubbing it with a paste of baking soda and water.

Spread a little hot oil in your new utensils and rub with a half cut onion thoroughly. The utensils will not burn easily.

Try grating a raw potato after the cheese. The potato clears the gummy cheese out of the holes.
Fish smell tends to linger on the pots and pans long after the cooking. Brew some tea (for ten to fifteen minutes) in the pot/pan in which fish has been cooked. Discard tealeaves and water. Fish smell will disappear.

Used milk glasses should be rinsed with cold water instead of hot water before washing, as hot water cooks the milk and makes them harder to clean.

Keep a square of sandpaper in your kitchen, it will give you a better grip on those hard to open jars.

When making green banana wafers use a potato peeler to produce the thinnest slices.

Soak walnuts in salted water overnight before cracking them in order to get the whole kernels.

If only a drop of lemon juice is required, pierce the lemon with a knitting needle and squeeze. The lemon can be kept indefinitely as the hole closes again. To clean copper pots, sprinkle a little salt, rub with the cut side of a halved lemon and rinse with water.

Vinegar brought to a boil in a new frying pan will prevent foods from sticking.
If the vegetables are not fresh, soak them in cold water to which a little lemon juice has been added. They will become fresh again.

To prevent the burning sensation after grinding chillies dip the hands in cold milk.

While cutting hard-boiled eggs, the egg yolk often tends to break. To avoid this dip the knife in cold water for a few seconds and then cut smoothly.

Use kitchen scissors to chop fresh mint, chillies and coriander finely and without any mess.

For cleaning vessels add a handful of common salt to the washing powder for better results.

The microwave oven should not be used without any food in it as this could cause damage.

If mushrooms are very large, the stalks are likely to be tough; therefore they should be discarded. Always tear rather than cut oyster mushrooms.

Soak burnt pans in a solution of ammonia and water, for an hour. Clean with used lemon and then with soap and water. They will sparkle again.

In order that there is a free circulation of air in the freezer ensure that it is not packed tightly.

Muffins will slide right out of tin pans if the hot pan is first placed on a wet towel.

Cooking Tips


To reduce fat in the chicken by about 10 grams per serving, remove the skin before marinating it.

If you have forgotten to soak pulses like chana overnight, just put the chana in a flask full of boiling water for an hour. They are ready for cooking.

To make a soft fluffy omelet heat a non-stick pan and add a little more butter than usual. Now beat the egg and stir briskly (even while frying) with a fork. This way more air goes in your omelet, making it light and fluffy. Cook till done and serve hot.

Coconut milk when kept overnight in the fridge forms a white layer on top. This layer can be used as fat instead of oil for frying mutton or chicken.

Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in ten minutes flat.

Adding a cupful of grated carrot or beetroot to the coconut while making coconut burfi will give you natural colouring and nutritional benefits.

To refresh stale bread, sprinkle it with water, wrap it in a foil and heat it in the oven on 200 ºC for about five to ten minutes.

Adding a spoonful of curd to ladyfingers while cooking will ensure that they do not stick to the vessel or turn black.

Sprinkle a bit of salt in the frying pan before adding chicken. It will cut down on the amount of grease splattering.

Peel and cut potatoes and boil them in water to which a little vinegar is added. They will be done in no time and will retain the texture as well.

While grinding the batter for idlis replace 1/5 quantity of rice with pressed rice (poha). This will make the idlis fluffier.

Place rolled puris in the fridge for ten minutes before frying them, they will consume less oil and will be crisper.

To make dosas more crisp, add a little fenugreek seeds to the lentil and rice mixture while soaking.

Rather than using food colors, use a mixture of limewater and turmeric to get (almost) tandoori color.

Always add salt to the water while boiling vegetables. This enhances their natural flavour and diminishes the need to add salt at the table.

Tips For Pickles & Jams:

1. Always use glass, porcelain or china jars for pickles. Make sure the lids can be secured tightly.
2. Shaking pickle jar should be done in the following manner.
3. Place jar on a folded napkin. Hold neck with both hands. Shake in Pendulum motion using base as pivote.
4. Never use wet spoons, ladles etc to remove or handle pickle. Moistures paves way for rotting.
5. Always press remaining pickle with a rubber spatula or spoon back making sure under the pickle is fully submerged the oil layer.

Tips For Naans & Rotis:

1. A good thing about most rotis is that you can half roast and pile them and do the final roast just before serving.
2. Many variations can be done from the basic roti recipes by using your own imagination.
Eg. layered roti can be made with a filling or dry masalas mixed, or kasoori methi or paneer or thick spicy chutney. This must be spread before folding the roti and after applying the ghee. All triangles may be prepared first but sprinkle dry flour over each before piling. Roll and shallow-fry as required.
3. Puri may be rolled and placed between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead. Fry them freshly before serving.

In this world, we must not waste anything. So here are some ways, tips, to protect or maupulate leftovers food items.


Cooked Rice Chappati

1 Cup Cooked Rice (Old)
2 Cups Wheat Flour
Hand full of Coriander Leaves
4 Green Chilies
4 Garlic Pieces
1 Inch Ginger Piece
1/2 spoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 spoon Garam Masala Powder
1/2 Cumin Seeds
1 spoon Aamchur viz. Dried Mango Powder (optional)
Salt to Taste

1. Except wheat flour, mix all the other items in mixer-grinder.
2. Remove it in a bowl.
3. Add wheat flour and mix well.
4. Prepare Chapattis and serve hot.