1.Vegetables that have been lying in the refrigerator tend to look dull and lifeless. If you want to make a salad, and need your veggies to look fresh, soak them in cold water with a few drops of lime for about 15minutes and they will look bright and delicious.
2.Slicing cheesecake and other cold desserts is tricky. If you want to make clean slices soak your knife in warm water for a few minutes, then wipe it dry and use to make a clean slice.
3.To prevent pieces of cut apple or pear from turning black, squeeze a little lime juice on them or sprinkle a little bit of crushed mustard.
4.When boiling potatoes add a pinch of salt to the water. This loosens the potato peal and makes peeling boiled potatoes a lot easer.
5.Before cooking cauliflower keep in soaking in water mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar for about fifteen minutes. This not only loosens the dirt and grit but also kills any insects that may be lodged between the florets.
6.When boiling pasta add salt generously, at least one teaspoon per litre of water. The pasta will absorb only as much as it needs, adding extra flavour dish.
7.To maintain the freshness of herbs like parsley, coriander, basil or curry leaves put them in a plastic bag, blow air into the bag so that it puffs up like a balloon and put the inflated bag in the refrigerator.
8.Before grating cheese, rub some oil onto the grater. This will ensure that the cheese doesn't stick to the grater.
9.To give mashed potatoes a creamy consistency, stir in warm milk.
10.If you want to quickly ripen some tomatoes, put them in a brown paper bag and store in a dark corner.
11.To ensure that your pasta absorbs the flavour of the sauce, don't cook the pasta in advance. Toss it is sauce, immediately after the cooking liquid is drained. Cooked pasta absorbs flavour best when hot. 12.Dry herbs and spices loose their flavour when exposed to heat and sunlight. To make sure they retain their aroma, keep them in an air tight container inside a dark, cool cupboard.
13.When cooking vegetables don't add salt until the very end. Adding salt early can dehydrate vegetables and reduce their nutritional value.
14.To make puris soft and fluffy use milk instead of water when kneeding the dough.
15.To ensure that dal cooks quickly, add a little bit of oil and turmeric powder to it before pressure cooking.
16.In our warm climate bananas tend to get over-ripe. To stop the process of ripening put bananas in the refrigerator. The skin may turn black, but the fruit itself will remain firm.
17.To prevent rice grains from sticking one has to remove starch. To do this wash the rice several times till water runs clear, then let it soak for 20 mins in clean water.
18.To get the maximum juice out of a lemon or a lime, roll it hard on the kitchen counter using your palm. This releases more of the juice.
19.When making a tomato based pasta sauce, add a little grated or ground carrot. It adds a small element of sweetness and reduced the acidic, sourness of tomatoes.
20.Avoid using tamarind, lime or other souring agents in green leafy preparations. Acid reduces the nutritional properties of greens.
And last but not least V.V. Important
If you're cooking for someone important — whether it's your boss or a date — never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.
