Kitchen & Cooking Tips

• For tiny cockroaches, pests in the kitchen.take boric powder -10 spoons,atta (flour)-2 cups,add sugar -2 tbsp, mix with water to make dough. Take small balls of the dough and place them in infected areas.This will rid the kitchen of pests. Its quite effective for three months in a row can be done again when pests reappear.(Shanti, Hyd)
• If your curry is burnt, place a few betel leaves on the curry and close lid the leaves will absorb the burnt smell. (Shanti, Hyd)
• While cooking Spinach, add a slice of potato to retain the iron in the leafy vegetable. (Shanti, Hyd)
• Store rice flour and basin in a polythene cover in refrigerator when to store it for a long time.
• Put some neem leaves and turmeric pieces or garlic flakes or dry red chilies to the container where you store rice or grains, in order to keep away insects.
• Use kitchen scissors to chop fresh mint, chillies and coriander finely and without any mess.
• To remove tea or coffee stains from pans or cups, rub the stained area with a little salt and wash it.
• To unclog a drain, mix a cup of salt with a cup of baking soda. Pour these into the drain, and then run a kettle of boiling water.
• A handful of salt added to water while washing glass ware will make them cleaner and sparkling clear.
• Arrange your kitchen cabinets with old newspapers and then arrange the bottles and spices, its easy to discard when it becomes messy and can easily replaced with fresh ones.
• Always use long handled spatula or spoon while stir-frying food in a pressure cooker. To avoid burning your hand.
• Always warm dry spices like cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, etc. on a frying pan before powdering. They will grind faster and the powder will be finer.
• Always keep chapathi or parotta or poori dough covered with a moist cloth to avoid from drying.
• To defrost chilled dishes fast, dip the container halfway into hot water for a few seconds and then it will defrost fast.
• Keep a little powdered cashewnuts or couscous (KasaKasa)handy in a bottle to add to gravies to make it thick.
• Add a pinch of salt while frying onion, it will fry soon.
• If any dish becomes salty, add a big piece of potato to the dish. Then remove the potato piece. Potato will remove salt.
• Lemon juice when added to fruit like apples, bananas after cutting, and tossed lightly will prevent them from turning blackish immediately.
• To skin whole tomatoes easily, put them in boiling water, cover and keep aside for a few Minutes. Remove and peel off the skin easily.
• Soak tamarind in warm water for making fast and smooth paste
• If kasakasa or poppy seeds ( couscous) are used in grinding, soak it in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes before grinding in a mixie.
• When boiling noodles, add some oil to it. It helps to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
• Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dhal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in soon.