Tips & Tricks

Health Remedies
Suffering from bad breath? Chewing on "saunf" makes your breath fresh and removes strong odours.
Indigestion? 1 tsp. of mint juice mixed with an equal amount of honey and lemon juice is a good cure for
indigestion.
Stomachache due to dehydration ? Chew betel leaves with a few rock salt crystals. It gives immediate relief.
Cure for constipation in babies Give them ½ tsp. to one teaspoon of homemade ghee with a few granules of
sugar and juice of black currents(draksh) soaked overnight in water can be given to the baby in the morning. Both,
the ghee-sugar mixture and currant juice, can be given once a day.
Painful gums and bleeding teeth ? Apply a powdered mixture of 500g. of green guava peel with 10g. each of
phitkari (alum), kali mirch (black salt) and sendha namak (black salt) on your teeth twice a day and this will provide
relief in less than a week.
Slim fast By eating a tomato everyday before your breakfast for two months and it will help you slim down.
Cure for diarrhoea Grind a lemon along with seeds and rind to a paste. Add a little salt. This makes an effective
cure for diarrhoea.
Bite a clove to ease a toothache Biting on a clove or rubbing clove oil on the tooth cavity itself will relieve the
pain.
To make the taste of medicine palatable for children Make them suck an ice cube before taking the medicine as
the cold chills the taste buds and the child will take the medicine without any difficulty.
Have honey for an itchy throat? Having honey will relieve the itchiness as it moisturizes the throat passage and
has curative properties.
Constipated? Have an apple to cure constipation.
Suffering from acidity? Chewing on a few tulsi leaves will relieve burning, nausea and gas. For those with a
sensitive stomach - add tulsi in any recipe using tomatoes.
For clearing sinuses and blocked nasal passages Boil Eucalyptus leaves and steam with the same water.
Alternately, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to hot water and steam.
To remove stains from teeth Add a drop of clove oil to the toothpaste before brushing your teeth. For painful
body joints or muscles Use frozen peas in polythene bags as they act like small iceballs and help in giving a good
massage.
Sore throat? Drinking a glass of milk in which 1 tsp. "haldi" has been added and boiled will relieve and cure a sore
throat.
Wound If you ever have a cut/ wound use the inner peel (membrane) from an onion. Tt stops the bleeding instantly.

To cure cough & cold in small children take a few pieces of Dalchini, few cloves, little ginger, pepper and boil it in
water. When the water reduces to half the amount just store it. When required take a 1/2 tsp and mix it in honey and
give it to the child three times a day. The cold and cough reduces immediately.

Cutting & Peeling

Use kitchen scissors To chop fresh mint, chilies and coriander finely and without any mess.
Keep garlic skins from sticking to your hands while peeling Soak the garlic flakes in a cup of water for five
minutes before peeling.
Potato peel wafers Potato peels can be made into tasty wafers. Immerse the peel in warm water to which a pinch
of salt is added and then dry it. Deep fry till crisp and you have delicious potato wafers.
To cut hard boiled eggs smoothly 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.
Stop crying while cutting onions After peeling onions cut in half and soak in water for about 5 minutes. Now,
when you cut these onions your eyes will not water.
Eggs will not crack Pierce eggs with a sharp pin before boiling. This way you will prevent them from cracking.
More juice from a lemon Putting a lemon in hot water before squeezing will give you more juice than usual.
Stop crying while cutting onions after peeling the skin keep the onions in the refridgerator for half to one
hour.Then cut. And donot cry
Peeling Almonds Boil almonds in water for 5 min.They peel off easily.

Cooking
If potatoes or carrots get over-cooked Just mash them well and serve with butter or use it as a batter for
preparing cutlets.

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When soups and stews get burnt, you can renew its taste. By pouring the liquid gently and carefully into a clean
pan and flavour with curry powder or mustard or some chutney to camouflage the burnt taste.
To remove bitterness from karela Slit it from the middle and rub a mixture of salt, wheat flour and curd over it.
Keep aside for 1/2 an hour, before cooking.
To regain freshness in stale chapatis Just wrap them in a clean cloth and pack them in an airtight container that
will fit into the pressure cooker and pressure cook for two whistles and serve fresh and hot.
For crisp puris Add a little rice flour to the wheat flour while kneading.
To prevent the insides of the cooker from turning black Add a piece of tamarind or lemon peel to the cooker
while boiling.
To preserve the white colour in cauliflower and cabbage. Add a teaspoon of milk or milk powder while cooking.
To prevent the burn sensation after grinding chilies Dip the hands in cold milk.
To prevent milk from curdling while boiling Add a pinch pf baking soda to it and it will regain its freshness.
To save oil while frying Add a pinch of salt to the oil while frying ‘pakodas’ or ‘koftas’ and you will use up less oil.
Boiling Pasta & Noodles Boil pasta/noodles in plenty of water and remove just before it is fully cooked. They
continue to be cooked even after it is removed from flame and drained.
French fries - Sanjeev Kapoor style! First blanch cut potatoes in hot water or medium hot oil till tender, then
deep-fry in very hot oil till crisp. Take care not too add too many potatoes at once to the oil. This causes the
temperature of the oil to come down and you will end up with fries that are greasy, not crisp!
Retain the green of vegetables Green vegetables lose colour if subjected to continuous heat. So, do not overcook
them.
To avoid stickiness in Rice Add a few drops of lemon juice to the rice while cooking, you will find that the grains of
rice will remain separate.
For crispy lady fingers Add a few drops of lemon juice while cooking for a crispy taste.
For crispy Pakodas ‘Pakodas’ will turn out crisper and tastier if you add a little cornflour to the gramflour while
mixing the dough.
Ladyfingers will not stick to the vessel Adding a spoonful of curd to the ladyfingers while cooking while ensure
that they do not stick to the vessel or turn black
To thicken gravies Roast groundnuts and sesame seeds and powder them. This can be used to thicken gravies.
Serving Boiled Noodles later If noodles/pasta has to be used after some time, then refresh the boiled noodles in
cold water and drain. This way they will not stick to each other.
"Carrot" burfi Adding a cupful of grated carrot or beetroot to the coconut while making burfi will give you "natural"
colouring and nutritional benefits.
Making potato cutlets? When boiling potatoes for cutlets add the salt to the water itself as potatoes absorb salt
better this way.
To remove excess oil in any fried vegetables Sprinkle a little gramflour over the vegetables. Gramflour absorbs
the excess oil and makes the vegetable tastier.
Curry turned out a bit oily and pungent ? Take two bread slices and powder them coarsely. Add this to the curry
and mix well. Bread absorbs the excess oil and spice.
Hurry to cook 'dal' ? Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in
10 minutes flat.
Boil potatoes faster 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.
Use coconut milk for frying 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.
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. Fry till done
and serve hot.
To roll out bhatura easily Roll out each ball of dough into a small puri and cover with a damp cloth. When you
want to serve roll each 'puri' into a larger size. Keep it covered. This way it will be easier to roll out the bhatura.
Prevent onions from burning, frying Add a little milk to onions while frying, this will help retain a rich colour and
prevent them from burning.
Cook pulses like chana etc. even if you have forgotten to soak them overnight Just put the chana in a flask
full of boiling water for an hour. They are ready for cooking.
Soft paneer for children After taking out the butter in the milk cream add a little milk or curd to the remaining
buttermilk and boil. Voila! you now have a soft paneer which is specially good for small children and those with
weak stomachs.
Instant Lemonade Pour lemon juice with sugar and a little salt into ice trays, to make cubes which can be used for
instant lemonade.
Frying Instead of frying Sabudana papadi, chakali, batata papad etc. used for fast, can be roasted in microwave.
Useful for calorie concious women!
Eggs Before beating eggs,rinse the container with water.The mixture will not stick to the sides of the vessel.
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To cook corn kernals soft put some milk and water and pressure cook. It becomes tasty and easy to chew.
While making Gulab Jamoon grease your palm with a little ghee the jamoons will not crack and be smooth in
texture.
While cooking bhindi (okra) ,add 1-2 pieces of kokam to it. The bhindi will not become sticky.
For frying fish, apply haldi powder, chili powder, coriander-cumin powder and salt. Cover it and keep it in the
refrigerator for about 1 hour before frying. It will not break whilst frying.
To thicken 'tomato saar', add one boiled grated potato & boil the saar again for some time.
Cooking Dal While cooking dal, add two to three drops of oil to cook it faster

Storage
To retain the freshness in white flour, semolina and gram flour Store them in the refrigerator and they will
remain fresh and insect-free for long.
To prevent fungal growth in pickles Invert an empty jar over burning coals to which a pinch of asafoetida has
been added. The pickle will remain free from fungus.
To preserve green peas Keep it packed in polythene bags in the freezer.
To preserve the colour of turmeric Apply a little ghee to the bottom and sides of the jar before storing.
To preserve a coconut Keep it in the deep freezer and it will remain fresh for days.
Keep ants away from honey Adding a few peppercorns to the the bottle of honey will keep them away.
To prevent milk from getting spoiled Add half a teaspoon of soda bicarb while boiling milk. It will not get spoiled
even if you forget to put it in the refrigerator.
For ant free sugar Put two to three cloves in the sugar to keep ants at bay.
To prevent papads from drying and breaking Wrap them in a polythene sheet and store along with rice or ‘dal.
To keep coconut kernels fresh Rub a little salt over them, or sprinkle a little salt water on them.
To keep biscuits fresh for a longer time Keep a piece of blotting paper at the bottom of the biscuit jar.
Don't store potatoes near onions! Potatoes rot quickly if stored near onions.
Refrigerate flour Storing flour in an airtight container and refrigerating it doubles their storage time.
Storing Mushrooms Cover mushrooms with a damp cloth or in a paper bag with holes poked in the cloth/bag for
ventilation.This will keep them dry. Refrigerate for long life.
To preserve ginger-garlic paste Fry them in oil before grinding and store in the same oil.
Store peeled potatoes Mix a tsp. of vinegar in cold water and keep the potatoes in it. This will keep them fresh for
4 -5 days.
Preserve dry fruits and sugar All you have to do is add a couple of cloves to the same container as the dry fruits.
Same goes for sugar.
Keep fruits & vegetables fresh longer Wrap them in newspaper before storing them in the fridge.
Preserve coriander leaves or curry leaves Keep them in a muslin cloth bag in the refrigerator. They will remain
fresh for a longer time without getting discolored.
Freshen slightly withered coriander leaves If placed in a polythene bag and stored in the fridge these will
freshen overnight.
Keep green chilies fresh While storing green chilies, remove the stems. This will help the chilies to stay fresh for a
longer time.
Store green peas for 2 years Tie the shelled green peas in a cloth and dip in boiling water for three minutes. Then
dip in chilled water for three minutes. Dry under the fan till the extra moisture is removed and then pack into airtight
jars or sealed packets. Freeze and use when peas are too costly. They will not spoil for 2 years.
Fresh paneer for days Wrap paneer in blotting paper while storing in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for days
together.
Keep fried papads chips and biscuits fresh and crisp. Put them in a polythene bag and store them in a
refrigerator to keep them fresh for a long time.
Protect rice from insects Dry 50 g. of mint leaves, powder them and add to 10 kg. Of rice. Not only will the mint
leaves keep insects at bay, they will also impart a delicious flavour to the cooked rice.
Preserve eggs for a longer period Wash the eggs and put them slowly in a container full of lime water or mustard
oil. The eggs will not only be preserved for long - they will not get spoiled either.
Store chili powder for longer By keeping a piece of asafoetida in the same container you can store chili powder
for longer.
Keep Fresh coriander and curry leaves wrapped in 2-3 layers of newspaper. It will last for more than a week!
Layer the vegetable compartment of the fridge with two sheets of newspaper, this keeps vegetables fresh longer
without any messy , rotten vegetables! and easy to clean.. as all you do is discard the old paper and replace with
new !
Clean Spread your kitchen table with two sheets of newspaper. Now cut or grate or peel vegetables on this. Wrap
the mess with the paper and throw.. Bingo! No mess to clean !
Mix lime juice, water, sugar and salt and put them in a ice-tray and freeze them. This can be used anytime for
instant cool drink during summer. Just take a cube and add water to it, stir it on melting and drink it.
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Forgot to turn off the flame after cooking vegetables or rice, and it start giving burnt smell, just keep a slice of
bread over it and cover it for 5 minutes. The smell will go of and then transfer the vegetable into another dish.
When u buy the asafoetida, its soft but over a period of time it gets hard. In such a case keep a green or red chili
with it and the hing will always be soft.
For storing rice seeds for a longer period add boric powder in it(special boric powder is available for grains).
Cut spring onions into desired pieces and keep them in container tightly closed in freezer. This will save time and
lasts longer.
To keep almonds fresh for a longer time store it in an air tight container with a little sugar.
If you have a bit of extra wine left over from a party, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer
to a zip lock baggy or tin foil, and use in any dish that requires wine! The same can be done with left over veggie or
chicken stock.

Miscellaneous
To prevent ice-trays from sticking to the freezer surface Sprinkle a little salt on the surface of the freezer before
placing the ice-trays.
Rusted strainers ? Just warm the rusted strainers on high heat, then dust thoroughly and the rust will disappear.
For cleaning vessels Add a handful of common salt to the washing powder for better results.
If you want a quick salad dressing Blend a cup of curd with little lime juice and seasoning and toss the salad into
it.
Make tasty cutlets out of leftover vegetables Best with cabbage or cauliflower. Boil, peel and mash potatoes with
salt, chopped green chilies, coriander leaves and ginger garlic paste. Mix with the vegetable. Take small portions
and roll into round balls. Flatten and dip the balls in beaten egg. Roll in breadcrumbs and fry in oil till done.
Running short of chili sauce? Make a quick sauce at home! Put a little chili pickle in the mixer and grind for 2-3
minutes to obtain a smooth paste. Add this paste instead of chili sauce to the dish.
To increase the quantity of curd for 'raitas' Grind freshly grated coconut to a fine paste and mix with the curd.
Overripe and difficult to use tomatoes ? Dip them in cold water, add some salt and leave overnight. They will be
fresh and firm to the touch next day.
Make curd in winter Set in a ceramic container and place it on the voltage stabilizer of your refrigerator . It will set
overnight.
To freshen stale bread Sprinkle a little milk over it and place it in a moderately hot oven for 15 minutes. The crust
will be crispier and the bread tastier.
Run out of fresh bread ? Just keep leftover hardened bread on the lid of a pan containing hot water. The slices
will be soft and as good as fresh, in no time.
Dough sticking to the rolling pin? To prevent fresh dough from sticking to the rolling pin, keep it in the freezer for
a few minutes before using.
Avoid milk from spilling Milk will not spill while boiling if one applies glycerine to the rim of the vessel.
Peaked cake? Peaked top in a cake could be because of too much gluten being developed in the mixture either
due to using too hard a flour or by overbeating. It could also be due to oven temperature being too high.
Sunken cake? Sunken centre in a cake could be due to too much sugar, shown by a sticky centre and very brown
crust. It could also be due to too musch baking powder or undercooking in a low temperature oven
Plant Mint plants all over your kitchen garden to prevent mice, they will never come near to your garden.
For quick setting of curd, add a pinch of sugar to warm milk and then set the curd
When you use cardamom for anything do not throw away the skin instead put them in the teabox and your tea will
start having the flavour of cardamom.