All Tips
- Store banana leaves like a roll, wrapped in a moist muslin cloth, then placed n a polythene bag. They will stay fresh for a week, if refrigerated this way.
- To keep chappatis warm longer, cover the pile with two piece of clean cloth above and below in a tight steel container. Leave on a griddle that has been warmed first.
- Prepare chillies for a garnish on spicy veggies as follows: Slit firm green long chillies. Squeeze some lemon juice over them. Dust a bit of salt too. Rub them a bit to coat properly. Before adding anything to hot oil in the kadai, fry these for a few seconds, holding them down the back of a spoon or spatula. To clean you hands of the sting chillies give, rub them with the skin of squeezed lemon and salt. Wash normally.
- Make small quantities of many types of butters, so that with very little extra effort, you can provide yourself or family with a wide choice and variety to cater to many tastes.
- Line the bottoms of your kitchen cabinet shelves with old newspapers. Instead of tedious cleaning, just dicard and replace with fresh ones. Cheap and quick.
- Dry roast any extra crumbs that are got while scraping buns. These can be used to thick gravies, etc. They can also be added to bhajia batters for making crisper bhajias.
- This may sound funny, but when cutting lots of onions, to avoid burning of the eyes, if you have swimming goggles then wear them and cut. This will prevent the eyes from watering.
- Grease Stains
To remove grease stains from fabrics. Soak stain in pure petrol. Allow to dry. Wash with soap and water as usual. Do not soak in soap. - To get crystal clear ice cubes boil the water before pouring in icecubes. Those made with plain water are usually foggy or opaque.
- Shell very fresh tender green gram, fill into freezer bags, remove trapped air, freeze. The gram will be fresh for 2-3 weeks. Thaw to room temperature before using.
- Day old bread, blended in a dry mixie, to make fine crumbs, acts as an excellent thickener in gravies, batters, soups, etc.
- Adding a spoonful of curd to ladyfingers while cooking will ensure that they do not stick to the vessel or turn black.
- Do not discard strained tea leaves. Add them to the soil of rose plants, to act as an excellent Manure. If you have many plants, feed one a day, in rotation.
- Cockroaches #1
Do not throw away cucumber peels. Place in drawers and strategic corners to keep cockroaches away. - To make samosas crisper add some cornflour to the maida for dough.
- Keep rolled puries in the fridge,for 10 minutes. It will consume less oil,and puries will crisper.Before frying onions soak them in milk for 10 minutes.The onions will fry fast and have a uniform colour and will be more crisper. Store chapathi dough after applying some milk ,it will not turn black.
- For a quick chaat, fry leftover pieces of bread in ghee till crisp. Arrange the pieces in a plate. Pour curds, salt, red chilli and cumin powders, coriander leaves and green chillies on them. Top with tamarind and jaggery chutney.
- Sprinkle a couple of pinches of cocoa powder over the frothy top of a cup of Coffee for that extra flavour and garnish.
- Always use a standard set of measuring instruments for your cooking. This Will save a lot of time on approximations, and additions-deletions. Also it will avoid searching for measuring gadgets at the last moment.
- While cutting tomatoes into slices, use a bread sknife instead of an ordinary knife. The skin remains intact - also the task is executed faster.
- Colour code similar keys around the house (set of cabinets, etc) by using 2 sets of of plain multicoloured bindis. Stick one on the key head and the other of the same colour on the door of the corresponding closet. Use for fevicol or glue for lasting effect.
- Butter is best kept in the refrigerator, but as it easily absorbs other flavours, it should be well wrapped and kept away from strong.
- Use unpeeled potatoes wherever possible, the skin carries a lot of nutrition. Use peeled skins to Rub mirrors, and then wipe with soft moist cloth for a shine. Or place over face for a few minutes Like a pack, remove, wash with tap water for a fresh clean feel.
- Roast cumin seeds on a warm griddle before dry grinding. They will give a better flavour and grind faster.
- Fresh coconut milk turns rancid fairly quickly, to prevent this, add a pinch of salt to the coconut milk to help preserve for a few hours.
- Almond Peels
Do not throw away almond peels. Sun dry and drygrind fine. Mix with gramflour, curd and use as a face wash. - Always use a clean pair of kitchen scissors to trim edges of bread. Much neater and less messy edges as compared to those trimmed with a knife.
- Keep a large black cardamom in the mouth, for relief from persistent cough.When it eventually softens, chew and swallow.
- When you are cooking brinjal add a spoon of milk so that the brinjal retain its colour without becoming black. You can add same while cooking banana or any other vegetable to retain the colour and taste will remain good.
- Grind cardamom along with skins to make powder. Pass through sieve. While getting more quantity and becoming economical the flavour is also enhanced. Mix the residue in tea leave or tea masala for beautifully aromatic tea.
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