All Tips
- Add a pinch of salt to the oil while frying "pakodas" or "koftas" and you will use up less oil.
- To save time, boil extra channa drain, freeze in freezable polybags, thaw to room temperature before using. Proceed as for freshly boiled channa. Add a bayleaf or two while boiling lentils, gives a better flavour.
- To give a novel taste to tea, add a piece of lemon peel to the water for tea decoction.
- Store leftover fried papads in a polythene bag. They will remain crisp.
- Always store aamras and other such mango dishes in non-metal containers before serving. The ras may discolour in other metal containers.
- A tsp. of ghee add to the dal before pressure cooking, will keep it from overflowing out of the container into the cooker.
- Rub cut onion on insides of a new kadai or saucepan, and heat a little. Then pour oil and proceed. The pan will not burn contents easily. You need not do this for used pans.
- Make a lovely potpourri by drying your favourite flowers, herbs and leaves between layers of paper napkins. Make sure not do burn them. This may not last as long as the ones made by the long traditional process.
- Leather Sole - Avoid Slipping
Rub the soles of new footwear (leather soled) with some sandpaper to keep from slipping on polished floors. - Grind thick masala pastes on a stone grinder if possible. Since you would be using lesser water. The taste and texture would also be much better.
- If fried snacks or titbits are served with the drinks, preceding dinner, arrange small paper napkins along with the tray. Messy fingers are embarrasing for both the guests and the hostess.
- Using earthen or stone ware for setting curds will result in firmer and better quality curd. Since they are porous they absorb the excess moisture.
- Dishes
Never scrape burnt leftovers from casseroles. Soak in a weak solution of vinegar, salt and soapy warm water for an hour or so. The stuck particles will come off very easily, without scratching the dish. - Use a large semiboiled potato to make a quick flower arrangement if a flower holder is not available. Push sturdy stalks of flowers into the potato at the required angles. Do not keep for more than 2 days. Immerse in water to which an aspirin is added.
- Old Toothbrushes
Save old toothbrushes for quick cleaning of those corner and grooves which are difficult to clean with larger brushes. eg. combs,bottles, bathroom corners, tile joints, engraving on metals, etc. - A pinch of salt added to ginger-garlic paste will help increase its shelf life though it should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Never take your cookbook to the kistchen. Always make a rough note of your
- If leaving white sauce to stand for an hour or two, rub the surface of the sauce with a lump of butter so that it melts to form a thin coating.
- Clothing
Place empty wrappers of fragrant toilet soaps in wardrobe corners to spread a cool aromatic feeling in the closet and the clothes. - A little lime juice added to beetroot will make them a brilliant red colour.
- If frying almonds, cashews, etc. at the same time, first fry the cashews, then almonds, as the Almonds will discolour the frying medium.
- Microwave - Containers
Round or oval containers will spread heat more evenly in a microwave oven than square, rectangular or odd shaped ones. - Dandruff
To get rid of dandruff, add one part water to one part vinegar and apply to scalp. Wash after half an hour. Repeat this weekly for good results. - Stitch oval muslin bags with a loop to hang curds, paneer, etc. easily. Do not use them for other purposes to keep them clean and odourless.
- The egg shell is covered with a protective coating that aids in maintaining the freshness of the egg by covering the many small holes in the shell, if this mucin layer is removed by washing or buffing, the holes are exposed for bacterial penetration and dehydration, thus hastening deterioration of quality. So donβt wash the eggs for storing.
- While making dosas or chapattis pour oil 1 inch inside the outer border of the dosa or chapatti so that the oil does not flow out and spoil the non stick coating. - Deepa.
- Hang khus mats over windows, spray water from a spray bottle and keep moist, so that the breeze that comes in is automatically cooled. This is a natural, non-electricity dependent way of cooling room spaces, and cheap too!.
- Add cardamom peels to the tea canister, instead of discarding. It will lend a very subtle flavour Of cardamom to every cup of tea you brew!.
- Always crush icecubes well before putting under an electrical hand mixer for Blending. Using whole cubes, can result in the mixer head breaking and flying To pieces.
- Always wipe dry steel bathroom taps after using to keep the shine intact. Water left to dry on metal taps leave stains which over a period become difficult to remove.
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