TIPS & TRICKS

2006-10-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Every cook needs special tips whether be Amateur or Expert. Compiled below are few tips on various headings. Feel free to read them and enhance your cooking skills. If you have your own tip please mail it to me and i would post it on the related topics.

CLEANING COOKING FOOD HEALTHCARE KITCHEN

CLEANING

Add lemon peel to a jar of castor sugar and close lid tightly. The sugar will have a beautiful mild lemony taste and smell to be used in pastries, cakes, puddings, etc.

To clean a paellera pan or other nonstick pan easily, without scraping, dump a few onion peels in it, add 1 tsp. vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and leave aside for 10 minutes, wash pan all over with this liquid, then wash with a mild detergent and sponge. Wipe clean and dry.

Wash ring bag, with contents intact, under running water to clean out completely. Then add it to your hot tub and bubble bath, run in contents in water, using sachet as a scrubber and letting lemony flavours into you bath water for invigorating and fresh feeling.

Always rinse containers in which sauces have been made, with some vinegar and hot water, to alleviate the sauce odours before using for another dish.

Always strain sugar or jaggery syrups before adding to sweets, so that the muddy grains .

Use a soft nylon cloth to wipe away dirt stains from walls, painted furniture Electronic gadgets like tv sets, computers, etc. Take care to keep the cloth Slightly moist.

Use old shaving brushes to clean insides of ovens, toaster, etc. to reach the difficult corners, Crevices, etc.

Rinse glassware in a solution of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water after washing with soap. This will make the glassware gleam and clean.

Do not throw away the solid residue left after pressing out water from soaked tamarind. Mix in some salt and use to scrub copper and brassware to bring a shine. Follow with a normal soap wash.

Always hold fresh vegetables under running water for a minute, after boiling and draining, to enhance their colour, eg. carrots, greens, peas, etc. Hold in a colander or strainer so that the water passes through.

Clean unreachable places and crevices in ovens and waffle trays etc. by using old tootbrushes dipped in soda bi carb. Then wipe clean with a soft cloth.

CLEANING COOKING FOOD HEALTHCARE KITCHEN

COOKING

Lemon juice when added to fruit like apples, bananas after cutting and tossed lightly will prevent them from turning blackish immediately. This job can be simplified by using a small spray bottle spray the fruit.

Add a few drops of lemon juice to rice, while it is cooking. This will keep the grain from breaking easily.

Do not discard leftover mojo sauce. Add as a seasoning to clear and tomato or other similar soups.

One may marinate the vegetables prior in some vinegar, garlic and chilli if desired. This will give a more piquant taste to the stew.

To avoid a layer form on any thick liquid preparation while cooling (for eg. Basundi, tamarind chutney, custard etc.),spinkle some granules of sugar over the surface of the dish.

Lightly roast garlic flakes, rub between the folds of a piece of cloth. The skins will come off easily.

Try recipes of mangoes with different varieties, to get a variation in flavours, taste as well as colour, since they range from pale yellow (malgoba) to the deep orange (kesari and dusseri) varieties.

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 powder citric acid crystals before adding to any preserve or murabba, etc. It will blend into the recipe much better and faster.

Choose the smaller, flat, thin skinned tomatoes, for making sauces. They will not only give better quality sauce, flavour will also be better. Even the residue to get puree will be much lesser.

Tamarind tends to get very thick on grinding. So save some water to add to the last churning, or To run in mixie, after having emptied it by inverting into container. The stuck paste will dilute Easily, when machine is run for a few seconds. Therefore cleaning is simplified and wastage Minimised.

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.

Never store pastes in open bowls or jars. The smell will permeate milk, butter, cheese, veggies, Fruit, other dishes and even icecubes, and the damage will be irreversible. This is because of High content of garlic in many pastes.

Never make a paste of raw onions if you want to keep it for any amount of time. It will turn Bitter. Always fry them in a little oil, and then grind.

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.

CLEANING COOKING FOOD HEALTHCARE KITCHEN

FOOD

If the lemon seems to dry out, or the skin is too stiff, either soak in hot water for 10 minutes or microwave for 30 seconds, before cutting. You will be able to extract maximum juice this way.

If just a few drops of lemon juice are required do not cut whole lemon. Roll lemon on a hard surface to soften the skin, prick a hole with a cocktail or skewer. Press out required drops. Leave a toothpick in the hole or wrap it in a piece of foil. This will keep it from drying out.

Add a tbsp. of honey to a cup of whipping cream to keep it better in the refrigerator.

To prevent lumps while adding flour to any liquids, eg. Water, buttermilk,etc. first mix the flour in a little bit of the Liquid to form a smooth paste. Add this to the remaining liquid and stir well.

If you have excessive stock of green chillies, do not waste them. Boil in hot salted water, till white. Drain and sun dry till brittle. Crush or store whole and use as required in any dish requiring chillies, without Changing the colour of the dish.

One way to test if the mango is rip enough to cut, is to smell the point where the mango was attached to the tree. Nip off any remaining stalk, smell. If the mango is right, it will exude a luscious sweet fragrant aroma.

Keep grated potatoes in cold water to keep them from discolouring, till used. When required, drain, press out excess water, and dab on a clean kitchen towel. Use immediately.

Always garnish a dish just before it is ready to serve. If you are preparing any vegtable few hours ahead, then reheat and refresh before pouring into serving dish. Then garnish to give that attractive just-made look and taste.

To serve piping hot fresh biryani, pulaos, or rices, you can prepare completely, upto the stage when cooker is closed and whistles have to be counted after putting on heat. This stage can be done just a half hour before sitting to a meal, so that the cooker is done, as well as cooled enough to open and serve, in time.

Wherever brinjals are required to be griddled, fried, or burnt, one can butter it up and cook it in the microwave too. Though a little different in texture, it will be equally good in taste.

To refesh old ladoos, place in a microwave for 30 seconds. The ladoo will taste as good and fresh as just made.

CLEANING COOKING FOOD HEALTHCARE KITCHEN

HEALTHCARE

A tsp. lemon juice, mixed with 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. ginger juice, will reduce phlegmatic cough.

For a painful scald, try this home-made remedy. Place a crushed onion on the affected part, with a bandage over it. It really works and brings relief. Another good remedy for burns and scalds, is to smear the parts immediately with the white of an egg. In half an hour there will be no sign of the burn, and no soreness. Works like magic!

People with kidney problems and other digestive system ailments should use products with preservatives, high salt content, and tomatoes sparingly. Such persons can make sauces in small quantities without preservatives and enjoy them too.

A glass of warm water, to which the juice of 1 lemon, and a tsp. of honey has been added, help in weight loss if taken first thing in the morning, regularly.

Place cotton pads soaked in potato juice (grated and extracted from raw potato) over eyes, to remove puffiness. Regular use will reduce dark circles from under eyes.

Place teabags soaked in chilled water over closed eyes to relieve tired and strained eyes. Regular use will bring the sparkle and smile back to your eyes.

Wash hands and feet before sleeping. Apply petroleum jelly generously. Wear woollen or cotton socks and mittens. This will not only keep you warm and decrease chances of catching colds, it will keep your hands and feet, soft and supple through the winter.

Keeping a small lump of edible gum in the mouth, will bring relief to mouth boils and blisters.

Dry pomegrante skin, break into small pieces, chew these now and then to reduce coughing Spasms.

A regular warm shower just before going to bed, can work wonders for mild insomnia. Avoid late night teas and coffees.

CLEANING COOKING FOOD HEALTHCARE KITCHEN

KITCHEN

To ease the pouring of sauces in narrow necked bottles, use a funnel, holding it just above the top, stem inside, but not resting on the bottle. This way the air inside the bottle will easily pass out, while the suace is flowing in. It will not cause blockages and choking of the funnel. If bottom of funnel stem is so narrow as to block flow, snip off a small portion.

Use a pair of kitchen scissors to chop chillies, etc. fine. It will keep hands from burning, and the job is done much faster too.

Always take care to cover vessel with a loose lid, while boiling chillies, garlic and other such pungent condiments. The smell tends to permeate the house. Keep the kitchen exhaust on and windows wide open, as an added precaution.

Chop chillies, etc. either with a steel knife or steel scissors. Do not use iron knives, etc. since the Pastes will tend to turn blackish later on.

Always wear plastic gloves or slip hands into 2 transparent plastic bags while handling and Cutting chillies, to avoid hands from burning sensations.

If oil is by chance spilt on the non stick vessel while making dosa or chapatti then wipe it immediately using a paper napkin before it can settle on the edges of the non stick pan.

Try applying salt on the greased part of the non stick vessels and then try cleaning them it works easier and faster.

Rub chopping board with a slice of lemon vigorously, after cutting onions, garlic, etc. This will ensure that all odours of such vegetables is rid, then wash thoroughly with washing soap.

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.

Always plan your lunches or dinners, even regular ones ahead. A little time spent on that is worth a lot saved through haphazard planning, searching for ingredients you have and don't have, and even simulating dishes to work on more than one dish. This was you save a lot, lot more time than you spend on planning ahead. It will in the long run, help reduce your stress, keep you enough time and energy for other things and hobbies, and generally keep you smiling.

Garnish casseroles after they are ready with decoratively cut vegetables like flowers from tomato skins, carrot curls, onions curls, etc.

To slice vegetables with smooth skins like capsicum, tomatoes, remove a thin sliver of skin Vertically. Place knife over this strip while making the slices. This will cut much easier, neater, And quicker.

If you have more tips on the above topics feel free to mail me on blogspot@rediffmail.com

Tips & Tricks

TIPS & TRICKS