# Life Style Club > Desi Recipes >  Tips & Tricks By Sanjeev Kapoor

## Humayun khawar

To reduce fat in the chicken by about 10 grams per serving, remove the skin before marinating it.

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.

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.

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.

Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in ten minutes flat.

Adding a cupful of grated carrot or beetroot to the coconut while making coconut burfi will give you natural colouring and nutritional benefits.

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.

Adding a spoonful of curd to ladyfingers while cooking will ensure that they do not stick to the vessel or turn black.

Sprinkle a bit of salt in the frying pan before adding chicken. It will cut down on the amount of grease splattering.

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.

While grinding the batter for idlis replace 1/5 quantity of rice with pressed rice (poha). This will make the idlis fluffier.

Place rolled puris in the fridge for ten minutes before frying them, they will consume less oil and will be crisper.

To make dosas more crisp, add a little fenugreek seeds to the lentil and rice mixture while soaking.

Rather than using food colors, use a mixture of limewater and turmeric to get (almost) tandoori color.

Always add salt to the water while boiling vegetables. This enhances their natural flavour and diminishes the need to add salt at the table.

Add a pinch of salt to the oil while frying "pakodas" or "koftas" and you will use up less oil.

To preserve the white colour in cauliflower and cabbage, add a teaspoon of milk or milk powder while cooking.

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.

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.

When boiling potatoes for cutlets add the salt to the water itself as potatoes absorb salt better this way.

Onions will brown faster if half a teaspoon of salt is added to the onions while frying.

While cooking ladyfingers (okra) add a few drops of lemon juice or a spoonful of yogurt to avoid becoming sticky.

Use crushed vermicelli to coat your cutlets for a change. The cutlets will have a nest-like appearance.

Onions will boil faster if you make X-shaped cuts in the root ends.

A pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon full of ghee added to dal before pressure-cooking it will give it a better flavour.

To roll out the perfect bhatura, roll out small portions of he maida dough into small puris, cover with a damp cloth. Roll them out to the desired size just before frying. The dough will be elastic, makes rolling more efficient.

Curry leaves used in any dish are usually discarded. To prevent this, here is a simple idea. In about one to two teaspoons of oil, fry washed curry leaves till crisp. Now, crush with hands or coarsely powder in a mixie. Store this curry powder in an air-tight bottle and use it to flavour gravies, chutneys, idli batter, etc.

If you are making an apple and banana fruit salad, add a pinch of crushed mustard seeds. It will prevent the fruits from turning black and also help retain their flavour.

Add a small piece of beetroot while making tomato puree, it will give it a bright red colour.

If you have stale ghee do not throw it away. You can freshen it by boiling it with a little yogurt  two tablespoons of yogurt to half a kilo of ghee. Cool, strain and use it again.

If brown sugar has hardened, do not despair. Just place it in a bowl, cover it with a clean, damp cloth and leave overnight. Next morning you will find it softened.

If you want your yogurt firm and thick, place a small slit green chilli in warm milk while setting it.

The best way to clean cauliflower florets before cooking is to soak them in water mixed with a little vinegar for about fifteen minutes. This not only removes the dirt but also kills the insects. Rinse in fresh water and use for cooking.

If you want to store eggs without refrigeration just keep them immersed in lime water.

To freshen up shriveled vegetables, keep them immersed in cold water to which drops of lemon juice have been added for about an hour.

To make peeling of boiled potatoes easy, add a little bit of salt to the water before boiling.

You can replace sweetened, condensed milk or mawa with skimmed milk thickened with wheat flour or arrowroot powder to make desserts less calorific.

It is healthier to garnish soups with popcorn in place of fried croutons.

If using desiccated coconut in place of fresh coconut, soak it in a bowl with equal proportions of warm milk and water for about half an hour and then grind. It will taste as good as ground fresh coconut.

Add a few pieces of raw mango while cooking bitter gourd. It will not only remove the bitterness but also add to the flavour of the curry.

A tablespoon of honey added to meat before cooking improves its taste and flavour.

Do not throw away the syrup from canned fruits. Add some cornstarch to it and cook till it thickens, add some flavouring and use it as a sauce with cakes or puddings

Grate the rinds of lemon, grapefruit and orange and store in the freezer. They make excellent flavouring for muffins, cakes and frostings.

If after halving a jackfruit you find it has not ripened enough wrap the halves tightly in a muslin cloth and keep it in a dark place. It will ripen in a few days. And you will know it is ready when you get the strong flavour of a ripened jackfruit.

If you use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar to sweeten whipped cream, it will make the cream fluffy

If you add one teaspoon of glycerine to every half kilogram of flour, it will help make the cakes light and spongy.

If you add a little boiled tur dal to the besan batter it will make the batata vadas crispier

Add a little malai (cream) to the dholkla batter to make them softer and richer.

Left over coconut milk can be frozen in ice trays and used whenever required.

While making bread, warm the ingredients in the oven before kneading the dough. It will help make the dough softer and the bread too will have a better texture.

Add a teaspoon of condensed milk while preparing the icing for a cake in order to prevent it from cracking.

If the curd has not set well place the bowl of curd in a bowl of warm water and it will set within fifteen minutes

In the winter if you add a little fruit salt to the idli batter it will help ferment faster and also make the idlis softer

If you add a carrot to tomatoes while making soup, it will not only reduce the sourness but also increase the nutrient value.

Drop raw banana and brinjal slices into water mixed with curd .This will prevent them from turning black

If the potato chips you brought for your party turn soggy, simply pop them in microwave for 30 to 60 seconds . they will turn crispy again.

Add a little boiled toovar dal to the besan batter for batata vadas. They will be crisper.

Add a little malai (cream) to dhokla batter to make them softer and richer.

Left over coconut milk can be frozen in ice trays and used whenever required

Add a teaspoon of condensed milk while preparing glace icing. This prevents it from cracking

When the curd is not set well, place the bowl in a pan with warm water. It will set within fifteen minutes.

In winters, adding a little fruit salt to the idli batter helps it ferment faster and also makes idlis softer.

Adding a carrot to tomatoes while making soup reduces the sourness and also increases the nutrient value.

Drop raw banana and brinjal slices into water mixed with curd. This prevents them from turning black.

Add a little sugar to the dosa mixture to make them brown nicely and become crisp.

You can make delicious makki ki rotis without breaking them by adding some wheat flour while kneading the dough.

To make thick curd, add one teaspoon of milk powder to the milk while setting the curd.

If cream does not whip properly, add some white of egg and it will beat up really fluffy. One egg white is enough for two cups of cream.

To make puris tastier add four to five slices of bread soaked in water, to the dough.

Punch numerous holes in amla and soak it in honey for about a month. Eat two amlas everyday as a general health tonic.

Fill cooked, drained and cooled pasta shells with corn, ham or chicken salad. Or cheese based mixtures.

The secret of the great kebab is in its marination. Ideally you should marinate kebabs twice. First, in a light marinade like garlic, salt and lemon juice. Then for a few hours in the main marinade.

Add pasta to the sauce as soon as it is drained. Time your cooking such that the sauce is ready when the pasta is. The hotter the pasta the better it will absorb the sauce.

While presenting snacks, pay attention towards the colors combinations. Like top a pale green cucumber slice with white cheese.

The best kebabs are made in charcoal ovens. Home electric oven will slow cook and dry out the kebab, robbing it of tenderness and flavour.

While cooking hard meat like lamb chunks in a tandoor or in an oven, it is best to add tenderizers like raw papaya or pineapple and let the meat absorb the flavours of the marinade overnight or at least four to six hours.

While cooking pasta, add plenty of salt to the water. Use a minimum of one teaspoon salt per one liter of water. Pasta cooked in unsalted water will taste flat and lifeless, no matter how well you salt and flavour the sauce.

Use powdered (confectioner's) sugar to sweeten cream for it not only dissolves quickly, but also helps stabilize the whipped cream since it contains cornflour.

While whipping cream, you can decrease splattering, by gradually increasing the speed of the mixer from low to high. To protect yourself and your clothes, drape a kitchen towel over the bowl of an electric standing mixer to catch any fly away cream.

An egg slicer works great for slicing fresh mushrooms too. It makes even slices in a jiffy.

Use a cooking spray or grease the measuring cup every time you need to measure honey. No more messy process of scraping the cup, as the honey slides out easily this way.

The best way to crush nuts is to place them in a zip lock bag and pound with a mallet or the bottom of a small sauce pan.

To heat rice quickly, spread it on a serving plate, sprinkle a little water, cover with a domed shaped glass lid and microwave for three to four minutes

Store extra baked potato skins in the freezer. Just before serving spread them on a microwave-safe platter sprinkle with grated cheese and mixed herbs and microwave until the cheese melts.

To keep fresh herbs fresh put them in a plastic bag, blow air into the bag as if it were a balloon and seal it tight.

To prevent basil leaves from turning brown, keep them on short stems, rinse and dry gently, layer between paper towels enclosed in a large plastic bag with air trapped inside and refrigerate.

While grilling shrimps, thread them onto skewers lengthwise so that they do not curl as they grill.

It's quicker, easier and neater to use scissors than a knife to trim the extra pastry overhanging from a pie dish.

Best way to separate egg white from yolk is to break the egg into a funnel set over a bowl - the white will slide through while the yolk will remain in the funnel.

While making any stock, start the cooking in cold water because it brings out the flavour, whereas hot water seals it in.

Since salt does not dissolve in oil, dissolve it in the vinegar or lemon juice, then whisk in the oil while making a vinaigrette dressing.

Puree leftover vegetables, add a little mashed potatoes or bread crumbs, shape into patties, sprinkle crushed potato chips and bake to make an excellent meal.

You can store cooked rice in one-cup portions in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat sprinkle about two tablespoons water and microwave for two minutes.

Freeze leftover coffee and tea in ice cube trays. Use cubes to cool down complimentary iced beverages without diluting them.

Stir one to two teaspoons of mint jelly into iced tea for a refreshing twist.

Make ice cubes festive for a party by freezing sprigs of mint, cherries, lemon or orange peel in them.

Add a little soda water to your favourite fruit juice to add a bubbly sparkle.

To make plain brownies special, melt a few chocolate bars, along with a splash of milk, in the microwave. Use this melted chocolate mixture to top the brownies.

Mash about six garlic cloves and mix with half a cup of butter, add chopped chives or parsley. Form into logs, wrap in plastic and freeze. Slice as needed to add to meats, vegetables or use as a spread.

You can use flavoured oils to enhance the flavour of many dishes. Drizzle basil-flavoured oil over sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. Use roasted garlic-flavoured oil to add a zing to ordinary fried potatoes.

You can decorate desserts with one of the ingredient used in making it. Like a twist of lemon can go on a lemon pie, or chocolate curls can go on a chocolate cake.

While buying lamb, look for meat with a fresh pink-red colour and a layer of fat which is creamy white in colour.

As lamb has quite a high fat content avoid cuts with too much fat. But absolutely no fat will mean that the flavours will not come out well in the cooked dish.

Store lamb at temperatures between 1°C and 5°C. At room temperature, bacteria that cause food poisoning will multiply rapidly.

Small cuts of lamb, such as chops and joints, can be kept in the freezer for up to three months large joints, such as legs, for up to six months.

While storing meat in the deep freezer, remember to wrap it well to prevent freezer burn.

Adding acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes, ketchup or wine to beans at the end of the cooking time will make them firm.

For dishes that take long to cook, such as stews, add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving. For best results crush the herbs before adding to the dish.

Fresh spices and herbs should be added towards the end of cooking. But add the dry spices earlier specially in dishes that cook fast.

Dry herbs and spices lose their flavour faster with heat, humidity and excessive light. Therefore store them in a cool, dry and dark place.

If stored properly, dried herbs and ground spices will retain their flavours for upto a year.

Rubbing the inside of the cooking vessel with vegetable oil will prevent noodles, spaghetti and similar starches from boiling over.

Hot milk will give mashed potatoes a beautiful whipped cream look.

To test if the consistency of your dahiwada batter is correct, drop a little batter into a cup of water. If it floats it is ready to be fried.

Dip the ice cream scoop in hot water and it will cut through the ice cream more easily and make neat smooth scoops.

To ripen tomatoes quickly, put them in a brown paper bag and keep in a dark place.

When making an egg omelette heat the fat till smoke rises. Take the pan off the fire, pour the mixture in it, cook on low heat.

While buying a chicken chose one that does not have yellow skin or flesh.

It is easier to cut chicken liver with a pair of scissors.

Marinating tough meat in wine, yogurt, vinegar etc. helps to tenderize it.

If you sprinkle some lemon juice over hot coals in the last few minutes while barbequing it will add a delicious flavour to the chicken or mutton that is being grilled.

Wash the dark outer leaves of the cabbage, shred and use them in soups and stews.

To store leafy greens for a longer time, wrap them in a cotton napkin and keep them in the refrigerator.

It is best to blanch vegetables in boiling water.

Salt should always be added to the vegetables at the end of cooking because if added in the beginning the nutrients are drained out by the process of reverse osmosis

Vegetables should always be cooked until barely tender, because then they have a better appearance, better flavour, and retain more food values.

Do not throw away the water in which vegetables have been boiled, instead use it for stocks, soups, stews or even for kneading dough.

Lettuce leaves should never be cut with a knife, they should be torn.

Do not remove the outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage until needed.

Before using cucumber cut half inch from their stem ends and rub the cut surfaces vigorously with the stem ends until it froths. This helps in removing any bitterness in cucumber.

Brinjals when cut should be put into salt water to prevent it from blackening.

Brinjals should be smooth and light in weight. Heaviness indicates that they are over mature with plenty of seeds.

The greater the number of seeds in brinjal the more bitter it will be.

It is easier to finely chop coriander leaves with a pair of scissors than with a knife.

In order to keep coriander leaves fresh put the bunch along with the roots in a glass of water and refrigerate.

To give a subtle garlic flavour to salads, cut a garlic clove and rub the inside of the salad bowl with it.

It is easier to slice tomatoes with a serrated knife.

To make instant tomato puree cut the tomatoes into half and grate it with a fine grater. The tomato skin will remain on top and puree will collect at the bottom.

Brush the grater with little oil before grating cheese. The cheese will not stick to the grater.

Use a knife dipped in warm water to spread icing evenly on a cake.

If a pastry dough breaks while rolling place the dough between two sheets of butter paper and roll.

Burnt pans can be easily cleaned by scouring them with salt.

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## friendlygal786

great tips...som of them I am familiar with  :Smile:

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## RAHEN

:applaud;....great tips...simply superb ones...will learn them all...i know many but not all...these tips are great....thanks a lot for sharing...:up;

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## Muzna

great tips.......good job  :Smile:  keep sharing  :Smile:

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