101 Tips & Tricks on COOKING followed by Professionals

101 Best Healthy Cooking Tips & Tricks: THIS IS WHAT PROFESSIONALS FOLLOW, An incredibly easy method that works for all.

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Kitchen and Cooking Tips & Tricks:

Tip-01:

Whenever you buy spring onions from market Chop them roughly and store in any glass jar Cover it with lid properly Keep it in refrigerator This will increase the lifespan of it.

Tip-02:

Whenever you get extra lemons from the market They tend to turn dark & ripe fast, you can keep them fresh for a longer period by wrapping with a cling wrap or newspaper. This will increase its lifespan and they will remain fresh for a very long time.

Tip-03:

You can put 6-7 cloves in the Sugar jar and mix, this will prevent ants from coming in the sugar.

Tip-04:

While boiling the green peas, add a tsp of sugar and mix, this will retain the bright green color of the peas.

Tip-05:

If you do not have an egg separator, then use any light plastic bottle and Invert it upside down onto the yolk, press slightly and release it to suck the yolk. The yolk will be easily separated without any mess.

Tip-06:

Whenever you buy Paneer from the market and you are not going to use it right away, place the Paneer completely immersed in water, and refrigerate it. Keep changing the water every day until you use it. This way you can store the Paneer for almost a week.

Tip-07:

To get rid of the burnt food inside the microwave as it smells bad, Mix 1/2 cup lemon juice/vinegar with 1/2 cup water Microwave it for 4-5 mins Carefully remove the bowl Clean the microwave with any damp cloth to remove stains and odor.

Tip-08:

Whenever you get extra lemons from the market Squeeze them in a bowl strain it and pour the juice in the ice tray and freeze overnight. You will get these beautiful frozen lemon cubes, store in a ziplock bag, and use later for dishes, cocktails, and mocktails. Similarly, you can also use this tip for sauces.

Tip-09:

To preserve ginger garlic paste for a longer time, add a tablespoon of hot oil and mix well, then it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tip-10:

To make crispy pooris, add a tablespoon of semolina/fine sooji or 2 tablespoon rice flour in the wheat flour and knead well.

Tip-11:

When you prepare green chutney, add a pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon of lemon juice and mix well, This will retain the bright green color of the chutney.

Tip-12:

To get rid of burnt and sticky food from any vessel, place a few pieces of chopped onions and pour water in it, let it boil for 3-4 mins and then clean with any washing powder or liquid soap.

Tip-13:

If you have any leftover cookies/brownies they go stale quickly, put them in an airtight container with a slice of bread, this will keep them fresh for a longer time.

Tip-14:

Whenever you grate the cheese with grater It becomes sticky and messy, for this brush some oil over it, this will prevent the cheese from sticking to the grater.

Tip-15:

Whenever you use half-block of cheese It tends to become dry, to stop this apply the cheese with some oil/butter on the cut side and then wrap it in any foil or cling wrap.

Tip-16:

You can freeze the coffee-flavored water in an ice tray and freeze it overnight, you will get these coffee-flavored ice cubes which will enhance the flavor of the coffee and will not make it watery.

Tip-17:

When you cut the potatoes for deep frying soak them in cold water for 2-3 hours, this will remove the excess starch and make them more crispy after frying.

Tip-18:

To increase the sharpness of the blades of the blender at home, put a cup of regular salt in it, and run the blender for a few seconds, this will increase the sharpness of the blades, you can do this once every month.

Tip-19:

Whenever you pre-cut your salads, drape it with a damp cloth/napkin and then cover it with a cling wrap and refrigerate it. This will keep the cut salad fresh for almost 5-6 days.

Tip-20:

To peel the garlic skin easily, warm the garlic cloves for 15- 20 secs in the microwave and you will see the skin peeling off easily without any difficulty. Then refrigerate in an airtight container.

Tip-21:

Whenever you get extra grapes from the market, you can freeze them overnight, you will get frozen grapes for snacking during summers. Also, you can put green grapes in white wine and red grapes in red wine for making it chilled.

Tip-22:

After eating Banana do not throw the skin, Banana peel is loaded with potassium and It can be used to reduce wrinkles and puffiness by rubbing it around the eyes.

Tip-23:

While cooking cabbage, add a bay leaf and cook. This will reduce the smell during cooking and will give it a nice flavor.

Tip-24:

Whenever you buy fresh coriander, clean it nicely under running water, remove the excess water, and cover it in a damp cloth/kitchen towel. Put it in an airtight container or ziplock bag and refrigerate it, this will keep them fresh for long.

Tip-25:

Add 1-2 dry red chillies or 2-3 bay leaves in the dal container. This will keep away the bugs from coming into the dal. Also the cooked dals you are not using can be stored in the fridge.

Tip-26:

Add 2-3 bay leaves in the box of flours, to keep away the worms and bugs getting in.

Tip-27:

Add 2 pinches of salt in the oil before frying and stir. This will reduce the amount of oil-soaked by food.

Tip-28:

Place the rolled puris in the fridge for 10 mins before frying. This will ensure that the puris consume less oil, and they will turn more crispy.

Tip-29:

Whenever you fry the Paneer for any gravies it tends to become chewy and rubbery after reheating. So after frying remove the paneer cubes directly into a bowl containing salted warm water. This will keep the Paneer soft, moist, and juicy for a longer period of time, as the hot Paneer will absorb all the moisture.

Tip-30:

Take the container in which you normally store the red chilly powder and to this add 2 pinches of hing or asafoetida and mix well. Now store it with an airtight lid. This will help in retaining the freshness of the chilly powder for a longer period of time.

Tip-31:

After blanching or boiling the chopped vegetables, strain them, and immediately put them in ice water. This will help in retaining the bright color of the vegetables.

Tip-32:

While blanching the chopped cauliflower in water put some salt and add 2-3 ounces of milk to the water. Once boiled, strain them and put them in cold water to halt the cooking process. This will help in retaining the bright white color of the cauliflower.

Tip-33:

While removing the juice of the lemon or lime, roll it hard under your palm or on the flat surface of your kitchen just for a minute before juicing it. and if you want, alternatively you can put it into the microwave just for 10-15 seconds. This process will help to draw out the maximum juice from it.

Tip-34:

Whenever you buy greens vegetables from the market, like the spinach, coriander, or any other leafy green vegetables, wrap them loosely in a damp paper towel or in a damp muslin cloth and then store it in a plastic bag or ziplock bag making few holes into it. This will help in prolonging the lifespan of the green vegetables.

Tip-35:

Whenever you are pre-heating oil for frying, and if you would like to understand whether the oil is hot enough for frying or not, dip a wooden skewer or a spoon into the center of the oil, and if bubbles are formed around the wood, then you are good to go. That's the right temperature to start frying your stuff.

Tip-36:

Remove the stems of the green chillies while storing them. This will help them to stay fresher for a longer period of time.

Tip-37:

While cooking or boiling the rice, when the rice is half done, add a few drops of lemon juice to the rice and a teaspoon of oil to it. This will make sure the grains of rice grains remain separate and the rice looks bright white.

Tip-38:

While cutting the lady's finger you can see the juice and the fibers coming out of it and starts to stick onto the edges of the knife, which makes the cutting messy, and also while frying, or cooking them they tend to turn very soggy. To prevent it, apply lemon juice to the edge and sides of the knife, which will remove the stickiness while chopping and it will fry out to be more crispy.

Tip-39:

While using eggs, if you want to confirm the freshness of your eggs, immerse fully the eggs in a bowl of water. The eggs which settle at the bottom of the bowl are fresh, eggs that remain semi immersed they are less fresh and have to be consumed as early as possible, and finally, the eggs which float on top of the water is expired and should not be consumed.

Tip-40:

Never keep a bunch of bananas with other fruits in the same bowl, always, store the fruits in separate baskets or bowls, as bananas release gas which causes the fruits including the banana to ripen quickly.

Tip-41:

While removing the skin from the ginger, don't remove it with the peeler or a knife instead, use a steel spoon and start rubbing it all over. This will help in removing the skin faster and also reduce the wastage considerably.

Tip-42:

In the container where you normally store rice or dals, place a sprig of neem leaves. This will prevent the worms from getting inside the rice and dal, and they will stay fresh for a longer period of time.

Tip-43:

Before chopping or slicing the onions, cut the top and bottom part of the onion, i.e., the sprout and root of the onions and then peel and wash the onions under running water, this will stop your tears while chopping.

Tip-44:

Add some warm water along with some warm milk while kneading the wheat flour and let the dough rest for 20 mins. This will ensure your soft Chapatis.

Tip-45:

Always wash the vegetables & fruits very nicely before peeling or cutting them, if possible use vegetable & fruit washing liquid which helps to thoroughly cleanse the veggies & fruits. As sometimes washing them with only water does not remove germs, pesticides & waxes.

Tip-46:

Do not throw away the water after blanching or boiling of vegetables, as this can be used in the preparation of gravies.

Tip-47:

Peel vegetables as thin as possible to ensure minimum wastage.

Tip-48:

Microwave Hack - We all know how to roast papads in the microwave. But to give this a twist put this in glass by rolling and Microwave for 50 Seconds. After 50 seconds our twisted roasted papads are ready. Fill your papads with chopped Tomato, Onion and coriander, top with Chat masala, salt, and our quick party starter is ready.

Tip-49:

Wrap the fruits and vegetables in the newspaper before refrigerating to keep them fresh for long.

Tip-50:

Remove the stems of green chilies while storing them. This will ensure that the chillis remain fresh for a longer period of time.

Tip-51:

While preparing Pakoras/Pakodas, add some warm oil, a little bit of cornflour, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in the batter. This helps the Pakodas to turn out crisper.

Tip-52:

While preparing any sabji or dish, smoke mustard oil first by heating to a point until light white smoke emerges from it. This enhances the taste of what you are cooking.

Tip-53:

When kneading wheat flour for making pooris, add a small quantity of rice flour to it, the pooris will turn out to be very crispy.

Tip-54:

When you use the plastic chopping board, you can see the knife marks on the chopping board and it is also difficult to clean the chopping board. So Instead of the chopping board use Marble Chakla or Rolling Board. on this knife marks will not be formed while cutting and cutting vegetables becomes very easy and clean. You can wash this with plain water and no knife marks are seen.

Tip-55:

To peel Garlic, cut the ends of the Garlic bulb and remove the skin with the knife. It becomes easy to peel garlic. store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will remain fresh for 8 to 10 days.

Tip-56:

Before setting the curd, slightly warm the milk on the gas stove for 2 mins. Now add 1 teaspoon Curd and mix well. leave the container on the kitchen top overnight, in the morning shift the container into the fridge and let it chill for 2 hours. You will have a very thick and sour-less Curd that is ready to use.

Tip-57:

To store Semolina / Rava, for a very long period, dry roast it on a Pan on a medium flame for 5 minutes, allow it to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container.

Tip-58:

When storing tea powder, add 8 to 10 Elaichis / Cardamom and mix well. If you store Tea by this method, when you make tea, the aroma of the tea will be awesome !!!

Tip-59:

Whenever you make tea or vegetable, you use grated ginger instead of crushed ginger, so that your ginger will not be wasted and it will give you a very good flavor.

Tip-60:

To prevent papad to become soggy, fry the papad and pack it into a box and put it in a refrigerator. it will remain crispy and it will not become soggy.

Tip-61:

Microwave Hack - In rainy season many times we find that Biscuits get moist and lose their crunch, to remove this place the biscuits in a plate and microwave them for 30 seconds. Let it cool to Room temperature, you will find moisture has gone and biscuits are crunchy again.

Tip-62:

whenever you boil spinach you would have noticed that it becomes black, there is a very simple way to avoid it, put a pinch of soda in it and now boil it. You will see that its color will remain the same as green as it was.

Tip-63:

Most of the time you put coriander leaves in the refrigerator without covering it as a result it will become dry and black to avoid it take a cotton cloth whether it may be your handkerchief or any other cotton cloth roll coriander leaves in it cover it and place it in a plastic container and store in the refrigerator, it will remain fresh for 10 days.

Tip-64:

Whenever you keep any hot case, flask, and children's tiffin box away for a long time, you will see that when you open it, it smells strange. This is because there is moisture in it, to remove the odor place small paper balls in the containers.

Tip-65:

Take two Bottle, one of turmeric powder and other filled with red chilli powder and mix 1/3rd spoon of salt in it, give it a good mix. By doing so your spices will not get infected and remain fresh for a longer period of time.

Tip-66:

To avoid the bad Smell from metal containers, take a Lemon, cut it into half slices, and keep these slices on each shelf. This will give good fragrance and make your Metal Container free of the bad smell.

Tip-67:

When you keep our dough in Metal Container, the color changes and it becomes stiff. To keep the dough fresh for a long period of time spread Clarified Butter (Pure Ghee) on the dough.

Tip-68:

While cutting an apple, it's color changes after a while and no one likes to eat it. So to maintain it's natural color. Cut the apple into the required pieces and squeeze small amounts of lemon juice on the pieces or you can even rub the lemon on the apple pieces to retain the color and freshness of apple.

Tip-69:

When you pour the seasoning over the curries don’t stir immediately. Close it with a lid which helps to trap the fragrant vapor. Stir just before serving. This will increase the taste and flavor of the curry.

Tip-70:

While cleaning the Chinese potatoes you will get stains on your hands. Apply Bimbili or Lemon juice to remove the stains from your hands.

Tip-71:

To keep salad fresh for more time serve the salad in a chilled bowl.

Tip-72:

To avoid the bugs and worms in lentils and grams, Roast the lentils/grams in low flame for a few minutes, let it cool and then store in an airtight container.

Tip-73:

Do not use dishwashing soap/liquid to clean the clay pots, Soap will soak into the pores of the clay and then leach into your food the next time you use it. Use salt as a cleanser to clay pots and clean it with a scrubber.

Tip-74:

How to maintain a wooden cutting board:

After every use clean the cutting board with water, dish wash soap, and wipe it dry.

Always wash your cutting board right away after use.

Soaking of the wooden chopping board in the sink with water will damage it.

To disinfect the cutting board, Once in a week pour salt over the cutting board and rub it with half lemon.

Squeeze the lime and apply all over the cutting board Leave it for 10 mins, then wash it with water and wipe to dry it.

To prevent the cracks on the wooden cutting board, moisturize the cutting board every month by applying oil all over the board. Leave it overnight for absorbing the oil. You can apply oil also on wooden spoons, wood-handled pans, and other wooden kitchen tools to look new.

Tip-75:

Whenever you get extra lemons from the market especially in seasons, they tend to turn dark and the juice becomes bitter. To preserve lemon for a long time extract juice from the lime and strain it. Pour the juice in ice tray freeze overnight. Keep the lemon-juice cubes in a container and store it in the fridge and use later for dishes salads and juices. By this method, you can use lime juice for up to 6 months.

Tip-76:

To peel the garlic easily, break the head into cloves using a knife, and then soak the cloves in mildly hot water for 10 -15 mins. Make sure they are fully submerged. The water will loosen the skins. You can easily peel the skin with your hands now.

Tip-77:

To prevent coffee powder from hardening, keep them in an air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator or keep spoonful rice wrapped in a linen cloth in the coffee container, this will prevent the hardening of coffee.

Tip-78:

If the coffee powder hardens inside the coffee jar add some lukewarm water and gently shake the bottle. The hardened coffee powder will get loosen up with water and form a paste. You can use this coffee paste to make your coffee and you can also refrigerate it until you enjoy the last drop of coffee from that jar.

Tip-79:

To remove the odor from the fish, clean the fish with water 2-3 times, and add some lime juice to the water and dip it for 5 minutes.

Tip-80:

Apply oil on your hands before cutting Yam or peeling Taro root to prevent Itching.

Tip-81:

If you find your pressure cooker sealing ring is loose and steam is coming out from around the lid. Keep it in the freezer for 30 mins, this will help to tighten the sealing ring. This is a temporary solution. Get the seal ring replaced with a new one at the earliest.

Tip-82:

Keep juice extracted lemons/skin in the refrigerator to get rid of foul smells, as it has deodorizing properties.

Tip-83:

To remove stains from the pressure cooker, add water and juice extracted lemons/skins to pressure cooker and heat the liquid to almost boiling. Remove the cooker from the heat, allow the mixture to remain in the cooker for 30 minutes. Then pour out the liquid from the pressure cooker and rinse the stains from the cooker using liquid detergent with a scrubber.

Tip-84:

Add bay leaves in the Atta/Wheat flour container. This will helps atta to remain fresh for a long time and also keep away the bugs and worms.

Tip-85:

When you bring bananas from the market. they tend to turn black very fast. So you will separate them first, and wrap the cut stalk end of the banana with tissue paper. This way if you keep the bananas separated, they will not turn black. You can also wrap the cut stalk end of bananas with aluminum foil, or newspaper they will not turn black.

Tip-86:

To remove bitterness from Karela (Bitter Groud), cut open the karela, remove the seeds and cut them into slices, and immerse them for 30 mins is a bowl containing saltwater. With this method, Karela or Bitter gourd's bitterness is removed and now you can use it.

Tip-87:

When you boil milk use a spoon or ladle across on the vessel so that when milk is boiled it will not overflow from the vessel. This spoon or spatula will be like a barrier to it, and the milk when boiled, will not overflow from the pan.

Tip-88:

The Gas burner tends to turn black over a period of long use, to clean it dip the burner in a bowl of Vinegar, and keep it soaked overnight. Use an old toothbrush/scrubber and mildly scrub with some dishwasher liquid. After washing it with water you can see the difference.

Tip-89:

Microwave Hack - It is difficult and messy to roast the eggplant on the gas stove. To Roast them in the microwave, Apply some oil on eggplant and make a slit. After 8 minutes you will find that Eggplant is well roasted and we can peel the skin easily. Roasted Eggplant is Ready.

Tip-90:

To clean the counter tip and tiles of the kitchen counter, take some water in a bowl, add 2 to 3 Camphor/Kapur pieces, and let it dissolve. Now clean the tiles and the countertop with a napkin dipped in the mixture. By doing this, there will be no worms and the foul smell will also go away.

Tip-91:

To clean burnt steel pan/tawa. Heat the pan/tawa with a mixture of 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar for 10 to 15 mins. Then remove the pan from heat and scrub the burnt steel with a liquid dishwasher. Rinse the pan with water and you will see all the burnt stains have been cleaned.

Tip-92:

To open the air-sealed lid of new glass Jars of Jam or Jelly, rotate the lid on the gas stove with low flame for 8-10 Seconds which will make the lid hot and now open it with a kitchen towel. The lid is opened so easily.

Tip-93:

Black-grams and kidney beans (Rajma) have to be soaked overnight to cook them. But what if you forget to soak them in the night or there is an instant demand for them. For that, add the pulses to the pressure cooker with sufficient water and cook till one whistle. Put off the gas and keep it aside for some time and after that, they are ready to cook.

Tip-94:

If you don't beat the Curd well, you won't get good Raita. For this, you can either beat curd with a blender or filtrate it with the help of a stainer. Now the Raita will taste so good. Add salt in it at the time of eating only. By adding it earlier, it may turn sour.

Tip-95:

How to clean the blades of Hand Blender. Due to prolonged use, the blades of hand blender gets dirty and messy. To clean them, take a large glass, that may accommodate its front portion. Pour 1/4 cup of vinegar in the glass and one cup of lukewarm water. Open the blender and dip it completely in the glass, keep it submerged for 5-10 minutes or as per requirement. Then keeping the blender in the glass, plug the blender and run it for a few seconds or until the blades are clean. All the dirt of blades shall dissolve in the glass. Similarly, you can clean the blender also.

Tip-96:

The next tip is related to Pooris. Next time, when you knead the flour for pooris, add some Pickle Masala in it, only Masala and not the pickle pieces. This Aachari Poori will be so yummy, You can relish it without any vegetable, just with Tea.

Tip-97:

Cups, after using them for tea and coffee for long, these cups often get stubborn stains, they are not easy to remove. For this, take a spoon of Baking Soda, also pour a spoon of water, and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes. Then wash it with any utensil washing foam, It is dazzling clean now.

Tip-98:

Thermos, we use them for keeping tea hot, but it gets smelly and stinky after continuous use. To remove this, pour a cup of eating grade white Vinegar (Sirka), add a cup of water, close the lid, and shake it well. Leave it for 1 hour, keep it for a little longer, if it is more stinky. Then rinse it with water and you will see the difference.

Tip-99:

We generally use steel or plastic spoons to take Pickle out. The pickle may get spoiled if you remove the pickle with wet hands or steel spoons. For this, use a wooden spoon only, you will see the Pickle will last longer, will not get spoiled, and will also not catch fungus.

Tip-100:

We receive accidental burns while working in Kitchen. For this, you keep a Burn's ointment handy in the kitchen. But away from the flames of the gas stove, so that you can use it immediately after washing the wound with water. Otherwise, we keep on looking for it and it is not to be found, and we sustain blisters.

Tip-101:

Hang a slate in your kitchen to notify needed provisions and some important kitchen work to-do list.

Be a part of our healthy eating family at viaindiankitchen.com and you are most welcome to share your recipes and healthy cooking tips & tricks at contact@viaindiankitchen.com.

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