Cooking Tips

• Always use glass, porcelain or china jars for picklings. Make sure the lids can be secured tightly.
  
• Never use wet spoons, ladles etc. to remove or handle pickle. Moistures pave way for rotting.
  
• Always press back remaining pickle with a rubber spatula or spoon back making sure under the pickle is fully submerged the oil layer.

• Throw in a handful of soaked beans or sprouts to give the added nourishment, as a combination in any raita.
  
• To make creamier raitas, add half a cup of fresh cream to one recipe of raita. Makes the dish much richer, though.
  
• If curds have become too sour to eat as is, tie for 3-4 hours, add milk and use in raitas, curd rice, etc.
  
• If an onion is too sharp in taste, wash, drain and toss into some beaten curd. Add a dash of salt and pepper, it becomes a tasty raita.
  
• Save the peel of apples, cucumbers and peaches. Grind them and add to the ingredients of green chutney (coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger, coconut, salt and sugar). It makes tasty and nutritious chutney and when mixed with curd makes an unusual raita.

• If fish is to be stored for more than a day, clean it, rub with salt, turmeric and if liked, a dash of vinegar before freezing.

• Always sprinkle gelatine over the water. Never put in dry pan, and then add water and heat. Never boil gelatine. Only warm to dissolve. Safest is to heat the container over a hot griddle (tawa). Stir always.
  
• While whipping cream never overdo it or butter will form. Always whip over a tray of iced water or ice cubes. Whip in sharp upward strokes till soft peaks form. Keep in refrigerator till used.
  
• You can top with any sauce of your choice, if you like while serving or accompany it. Ideal sauces may be chocolate, custard, orange, grape, caramel or just basic coloured sauce.
  
• Cadbury's nut ties & gems, gluced cherries, whipped cream, crumbled biscuits, dry fruits used inside, coloured sugar etc. make excellent decorations for party puddings.
  
• Day old bread slices can be substituted for cake if cake is not available at hand.