Cooking Tips

• Add a tiny piece of crushed ginger to tea, while boiling, for the extra zing especially during the winter.
  
• Warm garlic flakes a little either in a microwave or on griddle before peeling, to make the skin come off easily.
  
• Sprinkle salt in tamarind before storing, to keep away the worms. Dry well in sun till a little stiff, cool indoors for few hours and then add salt. 1 fistful to a kilogram of tamarind. Store in airtight plastic or glass container.
  
• Roast cumin seeds on a warm griddle before dry grinding. They will give a better flavour and grind faster.
  
• To keep salt from becoming lumpy in moist climate, add a dash of rice flour to it. Add a few rice grains in the salt shaker.
  
• Microwave fresh mint till dry and crisp. Crush coarsely; mix some salt and chilli powder and chaat masala. Sprinkle over freshly fried papads for that extra tang.

• Always mash potatoes when they are still quite hot. They mash more easily and can be finely mashed too.
  
• To clean the surface of vegetables like potato, radish, sweet potato, carrots, etc. use a separate plastic scrubber or toothbrush kept for the purpose. Hold under running water and scrub.
  
• When very finely chopped greens or chillies etc. are required in a recipe, use a pair of sharp Scissors instead of a knife. The job will be made faster, more efficient and safe to cut.
  
• Add a few tsps. Of milk to cauliflower while boiling to rid it of the raw smell. Drain and wash before adding to the recipe.
  
• 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.
  
• Add a pinch of soda bicarb to green vegetables while steaming or boiling or cooking in the microwave to retain the fresh green colour.
  
• For use of green like sarson ki bhaji out of season, microwave to dehydrate till crisp. Soak in hot water for half an hour, before proceeding as for fresh bhaji.
  
• Store chopped vegetables in airtight plastic containers in the fridge to keep from browning and drying up.
  Add some salt or vinegar drops while washing vegetables and greens to make them clean and germ free, eg. cauliflower, spinach, etc.