Sandadesandadi

TOMATOES

Quick Tomato Paste Cubes : Spoon tomato paste into ice cube trays. Freeze

overnight. Transfer into plastic bags and freeze. Frozen cubes can be dropped right
into curries.

Tomatoes can be kept longer if kept in the freezer, this also helps, when

the skins of the tomatoes have to be peeled, as it comes off naturally when the
tomatoes thaw.

Overripe Tomatoes Dip them in cold water, add some salt and leave overnight. They will be
fresh and firm to the touch the next day.
An open packet of tomato puree may get a mould or fungus. To store the puree for longer, pour
it into an ice tray and freeze. This serves the dual purpose of storing as well as, a few cubes can
be removed at a time as required.

Eggplants Retaining Color : When cooking eggplant add a spoon of milk to a bowl of water and add the
cut up pieces to that water. The eggplant will retain their color with out becoming black.

LEMON

Buying Lemons and Lime Buy large lemons and limes, they tend to be much

sweeter. Makesure that the skin is thin, those are much juicer. To obtain more of the
juice from lemons, limes or oranges, microwave on high for 30 seconds and then let
stand for a couple of minutes before cutting and squeezing. Rolling them between
your hand and the counter will also help release more juice.

Set lemon juice with sugar and a little salt in ice trays to make cubes which can be used to make
instant lemonade.
Lemon halves shrivel in the fridge when unused. Hence freeze them in polyethylene bags so that
they are handy for making cold drinks whenever the need arises.
Freshly cut fruits can be kept for a longer period by adding a little lime juice or a small dose of
vitamin C tablet.
Rather than using food colors, use a mixture of lime water and turmeric to get (almost) tandoori
color.

ONION

How to cut an onion without crying ?

Indian food requires a lot of onions sometimes. Use sweet onions. Peeling and cutting
under running water, chopping near a gas flame, and refrigerating onions before
chopping, all methods for reducing the volatility of the sulfide that causes the irritation

Instead of Onion : If anyone does not like or want the strong taste of onion, you

can use cabbage in the recipe for the same taste and good recipe.

Dicing Onions : The best way to avoid crying when dicing an onion is to use a very sharp knife and
to move as quickly as safety permits. Cut off the end of the onion end with the small roots
sticking out. Cut it into half lengthwise, so that the end that is still together is cut into half. Now
remove the skin and may be one of the layers to clean the onion. Holding your knife parallel to
the cutting surface slice the onion parallel to the cutting surface so that you are making slices
that are 1/4 inch from each other. Remember to never make a cut that would break through the
end of the onion. The onion will come apart if you slice through the bottom end. Remember to
never make a cut that would break through the end of the onion. The onion will come apart if
you slice through the bottom end. Turn the onion. Make lengthwise slices remembering not to cut
all the way to the end . The onion will still be in one piece and look like half an onion. Turn the
onion and chop the onion all the way to the back of the part that is still together. You will have
perfect small dices of onion. Now chop the other part of the onion the same way. Finely
chopped onion is a very important ingredient for many Indian curies.
Onions will brown faster if half a teaspoon of salt is added to the onions while frying.
Onions will boil faster if you make X-shaped cuts in the root ends.

DOSA

Tips for Making Dosa : To ensure that the griddle (tawa) is hot enough before spreading dosa,
sprinkle a little water over it. If it sizzles immediately, then the griddle is hot enough. Wipe with a
clean rag or half a raw onion and proceed.
To make dosas more crisp, add a little fenugreek seeds to the lentil and rice mixture while soaking.

GARLIC

Peeling a whole Garlic : To peel garlic, place your knife flat on the garlic clove

and whack with your other hand. The covering will burst open and the clove can be
easily removed.

Removing the garlic skins : Use 'Jar Openers'- round flat pieces of rubber. Put the

clove of garlic in the center of the jar opener and fold it in half over the garlic. Then
press down with your hand while rolling it back and forth over the garlic.

Using Kitchen Scissors Most Indian dishes require the use of freshly chopped coriander leaves as a
garnish. Use the scissors to chop fresh mint, chilies and coriander finely and without any mess.

RICE

Retaining the "whiteness" of white rice : While cooking rice add a few drops of

lemon juice. The color of the grains become bright white.

Reheating left-over Rice : Refrigerate leftover cooked rice in a well-sealed

container. Reheat cold rice with a sprinkling of water in a microwave oven or in a
covered pot over low heat. Left over rice is great to have on hand for stirring into
soups and broths and for making fried rice — it's perhaps the world's best vehicle for turning leftovers
into something fresh and new.

Avoid Sticky Rice: Wash the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Remove all the water until
no water remains. Let it sit for 20 minutes. This will remove all the starch and help the rice to
remain separate. Also adding a few drops of lemon juice to the rice while cooking, you will find
that the grains of rice will tend to remain separate.
Peeling or scraping Ginger : Peeling or scraping ginger with the back of spoon is an easy way to
peel ginger. Scrape the ginger with the inside of a spoon, getting the edge of the spoon into the
crevices of the ginger. The skin will come off with a gentle scrape.

BANANA

After bananas have ripened, store in the refrigerator to help slow down ripening.

The skin will turn dark brown, but this does not damage the fruit inside.

To ripen bananas quickly keep them wrapped in a paper bag in a dark place.
Store banana leaves like a roll, wrapped in a moist muslin cloth, then placed n a

polythene bag. They will stay fresh for a week, if refrigerated this way.

MINT, CORIANDER

Dry fifty grams of mint leaves, powder them and add to ten kilograms of rice. Not only will the
mint leaves keep insects at bay, they will also impart a delicious flavour to the rice when cooked.
Coriander leaves will stay fresh if placed in a polythene bag and stored in the fridge. Cut off the
roots and pack fresh coriander leaves in two to three sheets of newspaper and refrigerate. In this
way they remain fresh up to a week or two.

POTATO

When boiling potatoes for cutlets add the salt to the water itself as potatoes

absorb salt better this way.

Potatoes rot quickly if stored near onions therefore store them separately.
Remedy for Salty Curry : Wash a potato. Cut into two. Place a the two halves of

the raw potato in the curry and it will absorb the extra salt.

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.
If you have peeled extra potatoes, keep them dipped in water and store in the refrigerator. They
will remain for a couple of days.

Stale bread should not be discarded, instead toast the bread and powder it in
a mixer. Store these bread crumbs in an airtight container. It can be used for
coating food items that are deep-fried to give a crisp outer covering.
Sandwiches will keep fresh and moist if put in a polyethylene bag or wrapped
in waxed paper or in aluminum foil.
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.

MEAT

When putting meat joint in the fridge cover it with foil to prevent it from drying.
Skinning a Chicken with Ease Have you tried skinning a chicken? Well, always peel off a little part
of the skin to start with and hold it tightly with a paper towel. The skin latches on to the paper
towel and skinning the chicken...even the tough skin on the chicken legs becomes a breeze ! Try it.
To reduce fat in the chicken by about 10 grams per serving, remove the skin before marinating it.
Sprinkle a bit of salt in the frying pan before adding chicken. It will cut down on the amount of
grease splattering.
If fish is to be stored for more than a day, clean it thoroughly, rub it with salt and turmeric powder
before freezing. You can also use vinegar if you like its flavour.
Store eggs in a carton and place in the refrigerator itself rather than on the door.
The egg shell is covered with a protective coating that aids in maintaining the

freshness of the egg by covering the many small holes in the shell, if this mucin
layer is removed by washing or buffing, the holes are exposed for bacterial
penetration and dehydration, thus hastening deterioration of quality. So don’t
wash the eggs for storing

Do not waste egg whites if you have recipes which call for yolks only. They freeze very well and
can be stored in batches of 3 or 4 egg whites at a time. In fact when thawed, frozen egg whites
make much better foam.

Always store aamras and other mango desserts in non-metal containers,
because when stored in metal containers they may get discoloured.
Wrap half-cut raw mangoes in cling film before storing in refrigerator. The
mango will stay fresh longer
One may cut and keep vegetables, beans, carrots, etc. previous night for an
early meal next day. But put them in a bowl, not tightly packed and slip the bowl
into a polythene bag, knotting the mouth loosely. This way the chopped
vegetables will stay crisp and fresh till used.

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CLOVES

Put two to three cloves in the sugar to keep ants at bay.
Mix in fifteen to twenty cloves with every kilogram of dal while storing to prevent

it from being attacked by insects. The same cloves can be reused.

Ready To Use Masalas Indian cooking requires a lot of pre-preparation. Make wet

and or dry the masalas ahead of time making extra portions. Divide the masala into
the desired portions according to the recipe. Place the portions in Ziploc Freezer bags and freeze till the
next time. A great time saver....for next time you make the same recipe !

All ground, dry spices should be stored in a dark place as they tend to lose their flavour in the

light.

Before storing spices like coriander, cumin, chilli powder, keep them in the strong sun for few

hours or lightly roast them in a frying pan.

To increase the shelf life of dry masalas store them in airtight containers with a cube of asafoetida.

BUTTER

Butter is best kept in the refrigerator, but as it easily absorbs other flavours, it

should be well wrapped and kept away from strong smelling foods.

Butter is best kept in the refrigerator, but as it easily absorbs other flavours, it

should be well wrapped and kept away from strong.

When storing cheese in the fridge remove from tin, wrap in cellophane or foil

and place in covered container to prevent it from hardening.

Cheese will stay fresh longer if wrapped in Clingfilm once seal is broken. Take care torefrigerate
in the chiller tray section of the fridge to keep it good for days.
If leaving white sauce to stand for an hour or two, spread melted butter on the surface so that
it forms a thin film thereby preventing formation of skin.
To keep cottage cheese fresh, wrap it in a muslin cloth that has been dipped in lemon water. For
a sweet and spicy flavour, place a small piece of star anise in the cavity of the chicken or duck
before roasting or braising.
Fresh yeast should be stored in the refrigerator or should be frozen or else it will lose its
effectiveness with age. Sender Padmalatha, NJ

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COCONUT

To prevent fresh coconut milk from turning rancid add a pinch of salt to it. This
will help preserve it for a few hours.
Alternative to Fresh Coconut Ever try to break open a fresh coconut for
making Indian chutney?

Well, here is a great alternative. Out here in the US look for UNSWEETENED dry grated
coconut. Make sure it is not the sweet kind. Add just enough water so that the
coconut is covered with water. Use as directed in the recipe instead of freshly grated
coconut. Making chutneys will be a breeze.

Tip for making soft chappati dough: While making paneer from milk, don't throw

away the paneer water. This nutritious water can be used for making soft dough for
chapatis or can be used to cook dals.

Keep roasted chapattis wrapped in a cloth in a closed container. This will help

keep them from sweating or getting soggy or getting dry. They will remain soft for a
long time.

To retain the crispiness of leftover fried poppadums while refrigerating, keep

them in a plastic polythene bag.

Store leftover fried papads in a polythene bag. They will remain crisp.
Put chips and biscuits in a polythene bag and store them in a refrigerator to keep them fresh for
a long time.
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.
For Crispier Puris Add a teaspoon of Semolina / Rava and 1 teaspoon of Rice flour to the wheat
flour while kneading.
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.

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To increase shelf life of coffee powder, store it in an air-tight container and place it in the
refrigerator.
Avoiding over-spilling milk when boiling : Before pouring milk into a pot for boiling rub butter
along the top edge and inside lip of the pot. When the milk foams up, it will stop over spilling
when it hits the butter.
You can use the leftover royal icing to pipe clusters and stars. Put them on a sheet of waxed
paper to dry and then store them for use when required.
Salad dressings should always be kept at room temperature and not in the
refrigerator as chilling deadens its flavour.
To make vinegar last twice as much, divide the vinegar in two bottles and add water, which has
been boiled. After a week it will come up to full strength again.
When chilling puddings in the refrigerator, cover the containers with cling film or plastic sheet
to protect from water and crystal formation in the dish.
If instant coffee kept in a bottle hardens due to humidity, pour some hot water to dissolve it.
Cool and refrigerate. Use as desired but not keep for too many weeks, as it may ferment.
To prevent insects from forming in plain flour store it in clean zip lock bags in a refrigerator. This
way the flour will stay fresh much longer.
Moisture causes baking powder to deteriorate faster. To prevent this store baking powder in
airtight containers. Anyway it should not be stored for too long as it loses strength over time.
Fresh soft dates should be kept in plastic bags in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for weeks.
Put leftover soup or soup stock in ice cube trays and freeze. The frozen soup cubes can be
wrapped and stored in the freezer. This makes it possible to serve small amounts of soup or use
the entire batch for another meal.
A pinch of salt added to ginger-garlic paste will help increase its shelf life though it should be
stored in the refrigerator.
Add a teaspoon of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chilli, along with salt
to make them last longer and taste fresher.
Storing flour in an airtight container and refrigerating it doubles their storage time.
Place green fruits in a perforated plastic bag. The holes will allow air to circulate while retaining
the ethylene gas that fruits produce during ripening.
Olive oil oxidizes easily, which results in the loss of its delicate flavours. It should therefore be
stored in tinted glass bottles or in tins or cans to protect it from light and air.
Stuffed veggies like bittergourds and potatoes, etc can be stored in freezer bags, and thawed
as required. Make sure to thaw completely before proceeding to cook it. Or else it will crumble
easily.
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.
Add a little oil and turmeric powder to the dal before placing it in the cooker. It will get done in
ten minutes flat.
A pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon full of ghee added to dal before pressure-cooking it
will give it a better flavour.
Adding a cupful of grated carrot or beetroot to the coconut while making coconut burfi will
give you natural colouring and nutritional benefits.
To keep carrots fresh for longer, cut the tops off and place them in a plastic bag in the
vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.
Adding a spoonful of curd to ladyfingers while cooking will ensure that they do not stick to the
vessel or turn black.
Always add salt to the water while boiling vegetables. This enhances their natural flavour and
diminishes the need to add salt at the table.
To preserve the white colour in cauliflower and cabbage, add a teaspoon of milk or milk
powder while cooking.
Add a pinch of salt to the oil while frying "pakodas" or "koftas" and you will use up less oil.
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.
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.