1. To reduce fat in the chicken by about 10 grams per serving, remove the skin before marinating it.
2. If you have forgotten to soak pulses like chana overnight, just put the chana in a flask full of boiling water for an hour. They are ready for cooking.
3. To make a soft fluffy omelet heat a non-stick pan and add a little more butter than usual. Now beat the egg and stir briskly (even while frying) with a fork. This way more air goes in your omelet, making it light and fluffy. Cook till done and serve hot.
4. Coconut milk when kept overnight in the fridge forms a white layer on top. This layer can be used as fat instead of oil for frying mutton or chicken.
5. Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in ten minutes flat.
6. Adding a cupful of grated carrot or beetroot to the coconut while making coconut burfi will give you natural colouring and nutritional benefits.
7. To refresh stale bread, sprinkle it with water, wrap it in a foil and heat it in the oven on 200 ºC for about five to ten minutes.
8. Adding a spoonful of curd to ladyfingers while cooking will ensure that they do not stick to the vessel or turn black.
9. Sprinkle a bit of salt in the frying pan before adding chicken. It will cut down on the amount of grease splattering.
10. Peel and cut potatoes and boil them in water to which a little vinegar is added. They will be done in no time and will retain the texture as well.
11. While grinding the batter for idlis replace 1/5 quantity of rice with pressed rice (poha). This will make the idlis fluffier.
12. Add a pinch of salt to the oil while frying "pakodas" or "koftas" and you will use up less oil.
13. To preserve the white colour in cauliflower and cabbage, add a teaspoon of milk or milk powder while cooking.
14. When soups or stews get slightly burnt you can renew the taste by transferring it gently and carefully into a clean pan and flavouring with curry powder or mustard to camouflage the burnt taste.
15. The art of making good naan khatais lies in beating of the mixture till it becomes light and fluffy. Also only vanaspati should be used to make them.
16. When boiling potatoes for cutlets add the salt to the water itself as potatoes absorb salt better this way.
17. Onions will brown faster if half a teaspoon of salt is added to the onions while frying.
18. While cooking ladyfingers (okra) add a few drops of lemon juice or a spoonful of yogurt to avoid becoming sticky.
19. Use crushed vermicelli to coat your cutlets for a change. The cutlets will have a nest-like appearance.
20. Onions will boil faster if you make X-shaped cuts in the root ends.
21. A pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon full of ghee added to dal before pressure-cooking it will give it a better flavour.
22. Never beat idli batter too much because the air which has already incorporated during fermentation is lost.
23. Cooking sour food (tamarind/lemon based) in non-stick ware reduces its durability and the coating is likely to peel off sooner.
24. Deodorize cutting board by rubbing it with a paste of baking soda and water.
25. Spread a little hot oil in your new utensils and rub with a half cut onion thoroughly. The utensils will not burn easily.
26. Try grating a raw potato after the cheese. The potato clears the gummy cheese out of the holes.
27. Fish smell tends to linger on the pots and pans long after the cooking. Brew some tea (for ten to fifteen minutes) in the pot/pan in which fish has been cooked. Discard tealeaves and water. Fish smell will disappear.
28. Used milk glasses should be rinsed with cold water instead of hot water before washing, as hot water cooks the milk and makes them harder to clean.
29. Keep a square of sandpaper in your kitchen, it will give you a better grip on those hard to open jars.
30. When making green banana wafers use a potato peeler to produce the thinnest slices.
31. Soak walnuts in salted water overnight before cracking them in order to get the whole kernels.
32. If only a drop of lemon juice is required, pierce the lemon with a knitting needle and squeeze. The lemon can be kept indefinitely as the hole closes again.
33. To clean copper pots, sprinkle a little salt, rub with the cut side of a halved lemon and rinse with water.
34. Vinegar brought to a boil in a new frying pan will prevent foods from sticking.
35. If the vegetables are not fresh, soak them in cold water to which a little lemon juice has been added. They will become fresh again.
36. To prevent the burning sensation after grinding chillies dip the hands in cold milk.
37. While cutting hard-boiled eggs, the egg yolk often tends to break. To avoid this dip the knife in cold water for a few seconds and then cut smoothly.
38. Use kitchen scissors to chop fresh mint, chillies and coriander finely and without any mess.
39. For cleaning vessels add a handful of common salt to the washing powder for better results.
40. The microwave oven should not be used without any food in it as this could cause damage.
41. If mushrooms are very large, the stalks are likely to be tough; therefore they should be discarded. Always tear rather than cut oyster mushrooms.
42. Soak burnt pans in a solution of ammonia and water, for an hour. Clean with used lemon and then with soap and water. They will sparkle again.
43. In order that there is a free circulation of air in the freezer ensure that it is not packed tightly.
44. Muffins will slide right out of tin pans if the hot pan is first placed on a wet towel.
45. To remove tea or coffee stains from pots or cups, rub the stained area with a little salt and rinse afterwards.
46. To remove unpleasant odours from the oven, place a wide pan with warm water to which used tealeaves have been added and leave it to stand in the oven for some time. Even a bowl of warm water with vinegar or lemon juice does the trick.
47. To avoid watering of eyes while handling onions, keep them in water for a while after peeling.
48. Because mushrooms readily absorb water, even from atmosphere, they should never be washed. Instead wipe them with a clean and damp cloth.
49. To easily shred cheese, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes. The firmer cheese is less likely to make a melted mess on your grater.
50. To cut grease and odour on dishes, add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.
51. You can clean darkened aluminum pans easily by pouring in two teaspoons cream of tartar mixed in some of water. Place on heat and boil for 10 minutes.
52. To unclog a drain, mix a cup of salt with a cup of baking soda. Pour these into the drain, and then add a pot of boiling water.
53. If you drop an egg on the floor, cover it with salt and let it remain like this for a couple of minutes. You will be able to easily clean the mess with a paper towel.
54. Mix extra pastry dough, to the breadcrumb stage, and store in airtight container in refrigerator. Use as and when required, for simple and quick result. Same dough may be used in a number of tarts, pies, cookies and puddings.
55. To save time, when preparing tamarind pulp, make double the quantity of tamarind pulp and freeze them in ice cube trays. When required remove a cube and add it to the required dish.