Kitchen Tips for Easy Cooking

To avoid spilling over of milk when boiling it: 

If you see yourself standing in front of the stove guarding it till the milk boils, here’s what you need to do. Before you pour milk into the pot for boiling, rub butter along the top edge and the inside lip of the pot. Due to this, the milk won’t overflow when it foams up.

To chop onions without crying: 

Onions are a great addition to a dish but chopping them can be frustrating, as they bring you to tears. Try peeling and cutting onions under running water or try chopping them near a gas flame. Refrigerating onions before cutting them is also a good idea.

To remove extra water from the batter:

When you’re making pakoras or vadas, see to it that you do not add extra water to the batter. In case the batter turns watery, there are chances of oil splattering when you try to fry it. Do not panic or throw away the batter. Add a tablespoon of ghee to it and the batter is ready to be fried.

 To make softer rotis: 

The next time you make paneer at home, do not throw away the remaining water. Keep it for further use in cooking. Whey (paneer water) is full of protein, calcium and digestive aids. It can be used for kneading soft dough for chapatis or for making soup. It not only adds more taste to the dish, but is also very nutritious.

To peel garlic skin easily: 

Removing garlic skin is tedious and can consume a lot of time, especially when you’re in a hurry. Warm garlic cloves in the microwave slightly and you’ll see the skin peeling off without difficulty. Also, you can submerge them in water for about 10 minutes before peeling the skin

To preserve lemons for longer: 

Do you shove lemons in the refrigerator in those flimsy supermarket plastic bags? Lemons, if stored at room temperature can only last a week before they start hardening. To preserve lemons for a longer duration, coat them with coconut oil and refrigerate them in an open container.

To get rid of excess salt: 

If you have read the recipe wrong and ended up adding a tablespoon of salt, rather than a teaspoon, don’t despair. You need not throw it away. Excess salt in any dish can be brought down by adding diced potatoes, tomatoes or a teaspoon of sugar.

 
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. Serve fresh and hot. Now, you can easily stock up on chapatis without worrying about them turning stale or hard. 

For instant tomato puree: 

Pressure-cook tomatoes with salt to taste. When cool, churn them in a mixer and strain the juice. Deep freeze the juice in an ice tray. Place the juice cubes in a box or a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. Use them to make tomato soup, vegetables and gravies when you’re falling short of time or have run out of tomatoes.