TipsPage : 2 Manohar Tips for Puddings • Add a tsp. of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chilli, along with salt to make it last longer and taste fresher. •

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Tips

Gunti Manohar

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Tips for Puddings • Add a tsp. of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chilli,

along with salt to make it last longer and taste fresher. • Blend all ingredients together and keep overnight in a cool place. Use

with any savoury dishes like pastas, minestrones, bakes, etc. • Always sprinkle gelatine over the water. Never put in dry pan, then add

water and heat. Never boil gelatine. Only warm to dissolve. Safest is to heat the container over a hot griddle (tawa). Stir always.

• While whipping cream never overdo it or butter will form . Always whip over a tray of iced water or ice cubes. Whip in sharp upward strokes till soft peaks form. Keep in refrigerator till used.

• Puddings (at least of my kind) are a no hassles beauty. No hard and fast rules about ingredients. Don't grimace if any of the ingredients is missing. Just substitute, compromise and eureka! You'll come up with an original. Just stick to general norms for mixing of jellies, gelatine, whipped cream etc. You cannot go wrong.

• You can top with any sauce of your choice, if you like while serving or accompany it and let the guests pour to their liking. Ideal sauces may be chocolate, custard, orange, grape, caramel or just basic coloured sauce.

• Cadbury's nutties & gems, gluced cherries, whipped cream, crumbled biscuits, dry fruits used inside, coloured sugar etc. make excellent deco-rations for party puddings.

• Day old bread slices can be substituted for cake if cake is not available at hand.

Tips for Naans & Rotis • A good thing about most rotis is that you can half roast and pile them

and do the final roast just before serving • Many variations can be got from the basic roti receipes by using your

own imagination • Eg. layered roti can be made with a filling or dry masalas mixeds, or

kasoori methi or paneer or thick spicy chutney. This must be spread be-fore folding the roti and after applying the ghee. All triangles may be prepared first but sprinkle dry flour over each before piling. Roll and shallow-fry as required.

• Puri may be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead. Fry before serving.

More Tips.... • Watermelons can be slices thinly, to expose high seed areas, from

which seeds can easily be dropped down with a fruit fork or knife tip. Or

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• Use cornflakes as a substitute for sev or papdis. It is available every-where and give the same crunchiness to a dish, eg. bhel.

• Add a few methi (fenugreek) seeds to toor dal while pressure cooking. This makes the dal easier to digest.

• To avoid fingernails getting grimy and gritty during messy work, apply some petroleum jelly or vaseline generously all over the hands.

• Place candles in a dish of water while burning. They will last longer. • Lime peels dipped in salt can be used to make coppers-bottoms spar-

kle. Rub with salt dipped peel. Leave for a minute. Scub with soap and wash.

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• To get rid of dandruff, mix juice of 1 lime in 1 tbsp. curd (yoghurt) and 1 tsp. coconut oil. Apply to the scalp and hair 1 hour before shampooing. Do this at least once a week for dandruff-free hair

• Any extra water in which vegetables have been boiled can be saved and used as stock for soups. Stock prepared in large quantities can be frozen in icecube trays and stored in a plastic bag as cubes. Use as required.

• Add a few drops of limejuice and a tsp. of ghee to rice before boiling to separate each grain.

• When the sewing machine gets stuck on a thick, coarse cloth, rub the area on which you wish to run the machine with a candle.

• Rub powdered borax on fruit stains, then pour boiling water through the fab-ric before washing it.

• Synthetic fibres stick to the bottom of the iron. Cool the iron, then rub the affected surface with nail polish remover to get rid of the stickly matter

• To make samosas crisper add some cornflour to the maida for dough. • Rain spots on satin, felt or similar fabrics will disappear if you brush them in

a circular motion, using a soft ball of tissue paper. • Soak a few (4-5) tablets of camphor in your hairoil (coconut) to keep away

dandruff and lice. • Do not throw away any excess water used in boiling dal. Just keep it in the

fridge and use as stock for soups, when required. Will keep in fridge for a day.

• Soak used lime peels (20-25 at a time) in hot water for an hour or two. Squeeze peels inside the water. Strain. Mix 2-3 tsp of rose water. Mix this water in the last part of you bath water, for the tangy lemony-fresh luxury bath. At no extra cost !!.

• Rub your windscreen with a cut potato or apple to prevent misting or icing. • Dip your silvers (jewellery, cutlery, etc. ) in water used for boiling potatoes.

Wash with soap after an hour. This will bring back the sparkle. If you are busy just let them be soaked till you can wash them at your leisure. No harm.

• Apply toothpaste on both sides of an ink-stain on cloth. Wash after dry. • Add a little alum to the last rinse water for cleaner, whiter white clothes. • Mix spirit and milk to wipe away ballpen stains from foam leather. • If your cutlery is discoloured by egg stains, crumble a sheet of silver paper

and one teaspoon of salt in a glass of water. Put the spoons and forks in this and they will come out looking clean and shining in a few minutes.

• A little lime juice added to beetroot will make them a brilliant red colour. • A tsp. of ghee add to the dal before pressure cooking, will keep it from over-

flowing out of the container into the cooker. • To loosen a rusted bolt, apply a few drops of household ammonia or brake

fluid. • Rub brassware with tamarind and salt before washing with soap. It will

sparkle like new.

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cleverly handling a mixer for a few seconds, can separate seeds from fruit, like watermelon, custardapple, etc. The mixture when sieved will separate the seeds from the pulp.

• Do not throw away decorative wrappings and boxes you get from diwali, and other festive occasions. Use the good ones to pack your preparations creatively and attractively, by just adding a few ribbons or flowers.

• Never overheat butter if melted is required, or else it will curdle to turn to ghee, and will not give the same taste and texture as required in any recipe.

• Dried peels of almonds, can be powdered fine, sieve and mixed with gram-flour to use as a scrub. Mix 1 cup gramflour to 1 tbsp. Almond peel powder. Store in airtight container. For one bath, take on heaped tbsp. Mixture with 1 tsp. Curds or cream, scrub over body, instead of soap.

• Take a teaspoonful of sesame seeds, just pop into mouth, chew on them, consume. This helps significant reduction in hairfall. But do not expect over-night results.

• A good and fast way to skin charred or grilled veggies, is to place them in-side a closed polythene bag for a few minutes, then remove and rub skin off easily.

• Chop apples, pears, etc. into a bowl of chilled salted water, drain, pat on clean kitchen towel, to keep them from discolouring for a longer period.

• Though salads taste best fresh and crunchy, one may prepare dressing ahead of time, and chop nondiscolouring or wasting ingredients, like or-anges, sweetlimes, veggies, etc. hours ahead and finish off in a jiffy at the time required.

• Chill whole those fruit which discolour, and then cut when required in rec-ipe, so they are chilled yet not discolour.

• Any leftover thick kheer may be further boiled to thicken more, oversweeten a bit, cool and set kulfi in kulfi moulds or icecube trays.

• Just sprinkling three-four threads of saffron on the kheer,after pouring into individual bowls, makes all the difference, in the kheer looking rich and invit-ing.

• Just bury a sweet potato which has 'eyelike' growths at nodes, in a pot of soil. Water regularly, and you have a lovely bright green creeper growing beautifully in your sill! Below the soil,small potatoes will be taking shape. Don't harvest your sweet potato, until after season is over, and the leaves tend to turn yellow and fall off.

• To prevent falling hair - take a thick succulent leaf of the aloe plant. Make a slit on one side, lengthwise, fill the slit with 2 tsp. fenugreek seeds. Tie with twine, keep aside for 24 hours. Grind the leaf, the sprouted fenugreek in-side, and 400 ml. coconut oil.together. Apply this mixture on hair and scalp overnight, tie with cloth. Wash off with mild shampoo or shikakai next day. Repeat every week for 6-8 weeks.

• If preparation of kheer in advance is desired, then boil milk, add sugar, and complete the time consuming steps a few hours ahead of time. Heat milk,

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finish off additions and final steps just before serving. • When kheer is served in small earthen teacups available in many parts of

India in many shapes, they give add a wonderful earthy preparation to the dish, as also make unique cups to serve in. They are small containers, marked by the absence of handles, since they do not heat due to the hot liquid poured in them.

• Leftover kheer may be further boiled and used to make goodies like kulfi, rabdi, etc.Use the liquid part, by spooning out the rice/sago/vermicelli/etc. These may be ground to a paste in the mixie before adding back to the liq-uid.

• For the calori-conscious, you may use lowfat, skimmed milk to make kheers, instead of wholemilk.

• If fruit like peaches, apples, pear, pomegranate, etc. turn out to be sour, do not throw them away. Dice, add chaat masala, sugar, salt, pepper and toss, adding cucumber, coriander, if desired. Will transform into a tingling, and interestingly refreshing salad.

• Place some camphor in your toolbox, to keep the tools from rusting. • Place a few empty toiled soap wrappers in you wardrobe: will give a pleas-

ant aroma, ward off insects and avoid musty smell. • Add a pinch of salt to hot water, to retain its heat for a longer period. • Remove crayon marks by rubbing cigarette ash over them. • Dip incense sticks in baygon liquid spray and then light, when dried. Will

keep away the mosquitoes. • Clean door and window screens with kerosene dipped cloth, to remove rust

and even keep mosquitoes from sitting on them. • If making a variety of lebanese dishes, then it would do well to soak and boil

a large amount of garbanzo beans. Pressurecook till they are soft to touch. This is approx. 5-6 whistles. Drain and refrigerate. Remove as and when required, washing with fresh water before adding to dish, or following in a recipe.

• Coriander, parsley and other such strong smelling herbs must be refriger-ated in plastic bags after wrapping in brownpaper or newsprint. This way, they will not get soggy or dry, and their aromas will not permeate into the fridge and other refrigerated items.

• Place portable light citrus juicer over a folded hankie or other cloth to pre-vent from slipping and sliding all over.

• Soak new brightly coloured clothes in half a bucket of water, to which half a cup of salt has been added and dissolved. Wring out after half an hour, without rinsing in other water. Dry, iron and use. Next time you wash these clothes, their colour will not fade soon, as also it will not bleed onto other fabrics.

• Save a teaspoonful of urad dal while grinding for idli, before adding salt. Rub this dal between palms, apply on face and rub gently. Add a few drops of olive oil if desired. Keep for 5 minutes, wash Off with running tap water,

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• Dehydrate the residue of coconut used for coconut milk by drying the sun. This dried flaked coconut can be used in dry chutneys, sweets, masalas, etc.

• Add a few drops of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. ghee while steaming long grain rice (basmati) to make the it whiter and keep the grain unbroken.

• Mix in 15-20 cloves to a kilogram of dal, while storing. This will keep the dal from getting attacked by insects. The same cloves can be reused.

• To a cupful of leftover dal,add 2 leftover chappaties and a dash of leftover rice if desired, and further add some water, coriander leaves, and boil in a saucepan. Add any spices and salt if required. Garnish with a tsp. of fresh ghee. You have a tasty hot wholesome breakfast.

• To get rid of dandruff, add one part water to one part vinegar and apply to scalp. Wash after half an hour. Repeat this weekly for good results.

• Mix spirit and milk in equal quantities, and wipe paint or ball pen stains from foam leather, like sofas, purses, etc., with ease.

• Put the container for setting curds in a large hot case to make the curds set faster and better.

• Make a potpourri of dried roses, lavender, jasmine, mintleaves, oatmeal and a handful of coarse gram flour. Tie in a strong but not too thick cloth. Soak for 10 minutes in bathwater and rub youaelf with the pouch while bathing for a fresh, fragrant and clean, clean bath.

• Clean embedded dirt from gold or silver jewellery by giving them a brisk brushing with some toothpaste and an old toothbrush.Then wash with wa-ter. Just like you brush your teeth! The effect is sparkling!

• Place dried neem leaves (folded between two pieces of newspaper) in stored grains, eg. wheat to avoid from being attacked by worms and in-sects.

• Add a tsp. each, of salt and vinegar to soap water for washing crystals and crockery to make them crystal clean and sparkling.

• Bring the shine back on jari work of a saree by rubbing alum powder on the work with a small soft brush. Dust off and wipe.

• To make whiter and crisper potato wafers add some alum crystals and salt to the water in which you drop the wafers for soaking.

• To clean musty insides of a thermosflask kept closed for long, put in some tiny shreds of old newspaper and fill with warm water. Wash with soap wa-ter after 8-10 hours. The flask will sparkle as new and have no stale odours left.

• Use the water used for washing dals and rice to water the plants. This water is very rich in nutrients and acts as a fertilizer.

• Remove yellow food stains from tablemats, etc. by applying a paste of de-tergent and water to the stained areas and keep in the sun for an hour. Wash like your other laundry.

• Apply transparent nailpolish to your trinkets and junk jewellery to make their lustre last much longer, and also protect them from moisture and sweat.

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• Immerse rusty curtain rings in hot vinegar for two hours. Wash off with wa-ter and wipe dry. The rings will look new.

• Pot-plants - The next time you boil eggs, use the cooled water, which is now filled with minerals from the eggs, to give your pot-plants a good, nour-ishing drink.

• Garden hint - When sowing carrots, mix the seeds with two tablespoons of Epsom salts before placing them in the ground. The carrots will grow free from blight as a result.

• Better rhubarb - Add flavour to rhubarb by cooking it with left over juice syrup from canned fruit, such as peaches, pears, and apricots.

• Cleaning inside an iron - Turn the iron on, pour vinegar in the water hole, and fill it up. Once the iron is hot, push the stream button four or five times. All built-up grit and grime will then be removed. Finally, empty the vinegar from the iron and rinse well with water.

• Oil substitute - If you don't have any oil at hand when doors and hinges be-gin to squeak, you will find that a smear of butter or margarine is a good substitute.

• Dirty collars - Brush shampoo into a dirty shirt-collar before running it through the washing machine. Well worth the extra effort.

• If you write your own labels for kitchen or storage containers, cover the lables with transparent cellotape so that do not smudge.

• When cleaning the yard, gather sticks, twigs and leaves into paper bags. When you need kindling for a fire one bag will do the trick.

• Small cracks in plastic can be repaired by running a hot (not red-hot) scres-driver lightly along the crack.

• To remove rain spots from suede shoes, rub with an emery board. • Stains can be removed from brown leather shoes by rubbing them with the

inner side of a banana skin. Then wipe with a clean cloth and polish. • Do not use soap when cleaning a mirror because it streaks the glass. All

you need to do in cleaning a mirror is to wipt it with a cloth moistened with water in which a little vinegar or ammonia has been added, and then wipe the mirror dry with a soft cloth that is lint free.

• Do not wash eggs when you store them. There is a "coating" on eggs that helps in keeping odours and bacteria from entering.

• For a painful scald, try this home-made remedy. Place a crushed onion on the affected part, with a bandage over it. It really works and brings relief. Another good remedy for burns and scalds, is to smear the parts immedi-ately with the white of an egg. In half an hour there will be no sign of the burn, and no soreness. Works like magic!

• To improve the colour of brown shoes, rub with the inside of a banana skin, then dry and polish with a soft cloth.

• For those who do not care for a spicy taste, you can sprinkle some grated cheese on the dosa while shallowfrying. Eat with sauce instead of chutney. This will suit the taste of those who are used to bland foods.

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dab dry. Leaves you face clean, and flowerfresh. • To give a spicy indianised taste to any bland (non-cream based) soup, add

a dash of either malakapudi or andhrapudi, while it is being cooked. • Flavoured mayonnaise may be made by adding crushed dried desired

herbs. Or even fresh, very finely chopped ones will do. But make sure to refrigerate always, and use of some fresh herbs will decrease the life of the mayonnaise.

• Thin slices of brinjal, may be rubbed with salt and a dash of turmeric, the water which oozes discarded, and then dried on a mesh in hot direct sunlight till dry and brittle. These may be crushed an used in raithas or sal-ads when brinjals are not in season.

• Do not discard water drained from tied curds (whey). Use to either knead chappati dough for softer, tastier chappatis. Or dip an old toothbrush in this liquid and give your blackened silvers, like anklets, chains, rings, etc. After brushing, wash with a milk detergent solution, wipe dry. Your silvers will shine like new.

• Try to store dishes like buttermilk, or its variations in ceramic, glass or earthen containers. This will keep them from souring fast, and will not taste rancid so quickly too. Pouring also becomes easier.

• Run the inner side of muskmelon skin, over face and neck. Allow to dry and keep for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with cold tap water. It will leave your skin feeling fresh, clean and taut.

• Excess tomato puree may be frozen in an icecube tray. Remove frozen cubes and store in a sealable freezer bag, using as and when required.

• Always keep a glass of very hot water and a large flat knife ready, if re-quired for finishing touches. When the knife is dipped in hot water, then the icing spreads very evenly and quickly.

• When sprinkling coloured sugars, granules, etc., in a partial area of icing, first pipe a rough outline to work as a guide. Highlight outline after the sprin-kling is over, by piping again exactly over it. This way your end result will be much more clean and accurate.

• To store sugar paste animals/flowers, etc. place carefully in compartmental-ised box with fitting lid, and refrigerated till required. This way the pieces won't get damaged due to one another.

• Always brush the top and sides of cakes before starting to ice them, with a food brush. This way the crumbs won't get embedded in the icing while

• Preferably make the cake previous night, soak with syrup or as per recipe, and ice it the next day, for a smoother, cleaner icing. Never ice a cake which has not cooled thoroughly, through and through.

• Never overbeat mixture for muffins, biscuits, cookies, etc. as lumpy batters turn out better textured products. Always handle the batter gently. Make sure to sieve all dry ingredients together 2-3 times for better blending, and even softness.

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• Deepfried sweet like pineapple triangles, karanjia, choorma ladoo, etc., taste as good as fresh, if placed on a tissue paper in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

• Clean sheets of plastic should not be discarded after use. Soak in warm soap suds, wash with clean warm water, followed by cold water, drain, wipe dry and use as and when required.

• If kitchen platform is too small to roll icehalwa, it would be more convenient to use the dining or other large table top for placing the sheets to roll.

• To keep the cornflour paste melted, keep it near the stove, so it does not solidify in the process of using, since ghee tends to set very fast.

• Fresh drumstick flowers and leaves may be used as an excellent garnish for curries, veggies, and even rices, etc. They can also be boiled in vegeta-bles for vegetable stock to give an unusual flavour to soups, etc.

• Veggies, kormas,curries, dals, etc. to which onions and garlic have not been added will keep good for much long hours. Also reheating veggies too many

• Dry masala veggies like drumstick aloo sabzi can easily be converted to thin gravy curries, by adding enough water with the ground masalas to make a thinner curry, to be eaten with steamed rice, etc. But make sure to alter salt, and other spices as per resulting taste change.

• Cheese will stay fresh longer if wrapped in clingfilm once seal is broken. Take care to refrigerate in the chiller tray section of the fridge, to keep if good for days.

• Scrape, cut and store drumsticks in clean ziplock or freezer bags, make a few small holes, and the drumsticks will stay fresh for 8-10 days in the re-frigerator.

• Drumstick leaves were used for cleaning vessels in earlier days, mixed with very fine dryriverbed sand. The thick roots have medicinal value, and be-noil: extracted from the drumstick seeds, is used in cosmetic and cooking purposes.

• One may add bundled lemon grass leaves to give the tea a different zest. Make sure to reduce the quantity of ginger used, if adding lemon grass leaves.

• Thai food is more authentic, when garnished with small flowers made of fresh chillies, spring onion, scallion flowers and crisp deepfried basil leaves, rather than just chopped coriander or mint leaves. Cheese are generally not used, except for grated tofu, that too sparingly as a garnish.

• Lemon grass, peeled and chopped finely may be frozen in clean freezer bags for further use. Make sure to thaw properly, before adding to the dish.

• Coat skewered veggies, beancurd chunks etc. with chilli flavoured oil, be-fore roasting on a barbque, to give a better flavour and finish to the chunks and pieces.

• A teeny bit of thai pastes of sauces added to regular dips and barbque marinades will enhance their flavours a great deal.

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then kill. This technique can even immobilise a reptile. • Shoes often lose their shine when old. Rub with slices of raw potato and

polish. They will look almost as good as new. • To charge a used pencil battery, place its negative end near a candle flame

and warm for five minutes. The battery will be as good new. • Black and blue cloured clothes which have faded, look new if dipped in con-

centrated aquamarine blue solution. • Smear your hands with a little tamarind juice while collecting butter from

churned cream. The butter will not stick to the hands. • While cooking onions or garlic, place an open bowl of vinegar by the stove.

The smell will not pervade the house or kitchen. • For a quick chaat, fry leftover pieces of bread in ghee till crisp. Arrange the

pieces in a plate. Pour curds, salt, red chilli and cumin powders, coriander leaves and green chillies on them. Top with tamarind and jaggery chutney.

• To remove the stains of citrous fruit juices, especially of lemons from the floor, smear the stain with coconut oil and rub well. The stain will vanish within a few days.

• For a children's party, make coloured ice-cubes by adding food colour to the water. Children love ice-crem, but it's quite expensive bought from the parlour. Instead, buy cones and make creamy inexpensive ice-cream at home (do not freeze fully). Fill in the cones and top with a cherry or grated chocolate.

• Try to stick to one style of cooking during any party. Many people mix In-dian food with Chinese or continental dishes which spoil individual taste. For example, Russian salad and pulao or chow-mein and chicken korma do not go together.

• If fried snacks or titbits are served with the drinks, preceding dinner, ar-range small paper napkins along with the tray. Messy fingers are embarras-ing for both the guests and the hostess.

• Once the menu is decided for any party, write down the ingredients needed, next to each recipe. It avoids a lot of last minute shopping and running around.

• When there is party, prepare a menu well in advance. Introduce a new rec-ipe only if tried, at least, once.

• To keep your sesame oil fresh for a few months without being spoilt, add a lump of jaggery to the oil.

• During the rainly season, apply mustered oil on the inner side of your shoes. No fungus will form.

• Do not throw away the skin of ripe lemons after extracting their juice. Dry in the sun and use as insect repellants in cupboards, etc.

• Do not throw away cucumber peels. Place in drawers and strategic corners to keep cockroaches away.

• Combs can be cleaned by dipping them for a while in a solution of washing soda and warm water.

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box instead of biscuits, junk food like fries, etc. • Always keep a couple of boiled potatoes (skins intact) handy in the fridge.

They are very useful when in a hurry. Either bake them, or make a quick curry, or fry them. Eat them in a sandwich, or just plain with salt and pep-per. Stir fry and add spices or make a quick paratha.

• Use a pizza cutter to cut rounds into strips for fried noodles, instead of a knife. It is faster and less messy.

• Use chilli oil ( given in tips and hints) instead of the ordinary oil, if you want to make the dish spicier.

• When grinding udad dal for dosas, keep aside 2 tsp. for applying to hair. Keep on for 15 minutes, wash with shampoo as normally. Gives body and lustre to hair.

• If your griddle is large enough make many teeny weeny dosas instead of one big one. Top them with a bit of chutney and sandwich them. Kids enjoy these and eat them much less messily.

• Make dosas a little less crisp. Roll in any desired filling like a frankie. Add chutney or jam if desired. Make very tasty rolls for your kids' lunch box, with change from the routine sandwich too!!

• Add some soaked and ground poha to the leftover dosa batter to make tasty uthappams. Top with chopped onions, tomatoes and green chillies.

• Keep a piece of chalk with your daughter's costume jewellery. It will not get tarnished but look new even after months!

• Stick a strip of medicated plaster under the sole of your child's new shoes. He will not slip on a slippery floor.

• Apply a little furniture wax onto the inside of ash-trays. In this way, the trays can be washed easily.

• If you happen to put excess salt in the curry, cut a raw potato into about 10 pieces and drop them into the curry & leave for 15 min. They will absorb the excess salt. Remove the pieces before serving.

• To make thick gravy for mutton, chicken or vegetables, grate the onions, squeeze out their juice and brown the onions and the masala. Add the juice as stock, after the onions are brown. The onion flavour is not lost and you don't have to add water to make the gravy.

• To avoid stains and smudges on costly cookbooks while following recipes, slip them, open page up, into a transparent plastic bag.

• Sour buttermilk obtained after churning cream into butter can be used for preparing instant dosas. Warm a little fine semolina and maida and add to the buttermilk and prepare dosa batter. Keep it aside for half an hour and fry the dosas. You can add salt, chopped onions, green chillies and corian-der leaves.

• While cutting tomatoes into slices, use a bread sknife instead of an ordinary knife. The skin remains intact - also the task is executed faster.

• If insects like scorpions or centipedes enter the house, don't panic. Pour some kerosene on their faces as they advance. They will be immobilised,

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• Warm dry spices ever so lightly, over a heated griddle, to lighten them so crushing is much easier and faster. Also the aromas exuded will be much richer.

• Wear surgical gloves or use scissors to cut green or fresh chillies, since the oils in them tend to burn the hands long after cutting. So save tears by us-ing scissors and gloves.

• If you will be using apples a while after chopping, dip in some water to which salt and lemon juice have been added. Keep for 5 minutes, drain and keep in colander till required, to prevent from discolouring.

• To get a smooth cream from top malai of milk, run in a small mixie for just 4-5 seconds, before chilling. This will give a smooth texture cream which may be used exactly like commercial fresh cream.

• Mix extra pastry dough, to the breadcrumb stage, and store in airtight con-tainer in refrigerator. Use as and when required, for simple and quick re-sults. Same dough may be used in a number of tarts, pies, cookies and puddings.

• To get a neat finish of tart or pie moulds, always roll a wider round than the circumference of the mould, so that it will fit right to edge after pressing into the mould. Flute edge by pinching and lifting, to give a wave design if de-sired. But make sure you work on a cold surface, like marble, granite, etc.

• Good apple peels can be included in a salad or eaten as is, since they are storehouses of vitamins and fibre.

• Powder vermicelli or sago and roll patties or croquettes in this powder be-fore frying, to get a crisp crunchy cover. At the same time, much less oil will be absorbed while frying.

• Have an invigorating bath by finishing off with a bucketful of water to which 3 tbsp. of white vinegar, 2 tbsp. rose water and a few drops of your favour-ite flowery essence has been added. The vinegar makes skin supple and avoids the dryness and scaliness of skin.

• Rub brinjals with a little salted oil after slicing to avoid discolouration. • Wash, grind and apply a mixture of drumstick leaves and jaggery as a

poltice over wounds, and add a tsp. or so of turmeric if wound is septic, for quick and gentle healing of wounds.

• To brown rice evenly while raw, wash, drain in a colander, keep aside for 10 minutes. Heat some Ghee in a pan, fry rice till it is first dry, then brown gen-tly stirring. Proceed as required for recipe.

• Grind a cupful of fried onions (fried to a light brown) to a paste and keep handy to add body and flavour to a dish, when you do not have time to chop onions for one.

• Stuffed veggies like bittergourds and potatoes, etc. can be stored in freezer bags, and thawed as required. Make sure to thaw completely before pro-ceeding to cook it. Or else it will crumble easily.

• Any pickle will last much more longer if a little care is taken to avoid mois-ture contact at any stage, and jars, bowls, ingredients used, etc. are wiped

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dry with a clean dry kitchen cloth, which does not have lint fibres. • Strained fresh bittergourd juice is applied over wounds to heal quickly. Even

a poltice of grated Bittergourd tied over the wound works wonders. • Juice extracted from raw grated bittergourd can be mixed with a helping of

honey and Salt, and add some plain water. Drink this extract to rid of small home ailments and give A general feeling of goodwill.

• Collect clean scrapings of bitter gourd. Tie in a thin clean muslin cloth and use as a facial and body loofah to scrub out dead cells.

• Salads can be made very very decorative, by using normally discarded skins of apples, peas, cucumbers,etc.

• Never discard nutritious skins of apples, when peeling. Eat them or add them to a chopped salad, raitha.

• To get a light and better taste as a variation, dry roast ingredients like rice, dal, on low till aroma exudes. Then proceed as per recipe.

• For a tasty nutty sandwich fillingin a hurry, mix together prepared green chutney, some tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, chopped onion and tomato, and a few crushed peanuts or walnuts.Butter slices apply mixture thickly inside, and your sandwich is ready. You cak refrigerate this mixture without onions and tomatoes, for almost a week.

• When ginger, garlic, etc. are crushed in a mixie, it gets tedious try to re-move all of it, from under the blade, etc. Once crushed and removed, run a little water in the mixie, and pour into the batter, The mixie will get cleaned as well as ingredients will be used economically. In case of fritters, use the cornwater itself.

• Always handle messy mixtures like that of fudges, chocolates, etc. with hand dusted with cornflour, it will be much easier to handle.

• Making a note of what you are going to make a few minutes before going to bed. That will save a lot of searching and fumbling and thinking and swear-ing, to begin the next day with.

• Make many variations of basic recipes like chutney parathas, by adding ajwain/veggies/mint,etc. One may use red coconut chutney too. Just make sure, no chutney is running, but very stiff.

• If one doesn't have an oven, then place a dosa griddle on gas, place a stand (metal) on it, put a metal mesh over stand and keep the dish over this, eg. stuffed potatoes. Cover with an inverted vessel, and allow to brown on slow fire. Or use a gas tandoor instead.

• Open and clean the spring and insides of your gas lighter, every month, to make it last doubly longer. Just clean insides with a soft clean cloth and twig or skewer.

• One may make pancake and other batter much ahead of time, but take care to add soda bicarb only before making. This way the pancakes will still turn out crisp and light.

• Once a month soak all your plastic equipment like cutting board, tea strain-ers, colanders, etc. in a weak solution (50ml. to a 15 litre bucket of water) of

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• Make a decoction of tea leaves, mint, a bit of ginger. Mix in a dash of honey, sip hot to give relief from chest congestion.

• Rub the point of a bee-bite with soft mud and salt made into a paste. The swelling will subside soon, as also the poison will not spread further.

• A tsp. each of ginger juice and honey to be warmed and taken just before sleeping, to bring relief from severe cough. Repeat every night for a week.

• Sprinkle a mixture of powdered cardomom and rock sugar (misri) over the tongue, gums and inner cheeks to get relief from mouth sores and ulcers. Repeat 3-4 times a day.

• A clove and a cardamom kept in the mouth while travelling, brings relief to those suffering from motion sickness.

• A drop or two of eucalyptus oil add to water for steam inhalation gives ex-cellent relief in common colds.

• Use the whey (water) from tied curds to make softer chappati, paratha and naans. Use this water instead of plain water to knead the dough.

• Always use a clean pair of kitchen scissors to trim edges of bread. Much neater and less messy edges as compared to those trimmed with a knife.

• Use a large semiboiled potato to make a quick flower arrangement if a flower holder is not available. Push sturdy stalks of flowers into the potato at the required angles. Do not keep for more than 2 days. Immerse in water to which an aspirin is added.

• Use the water strained from the curdled milk (paneer) to soak your dull sil-vers for 15-20 minutes. Wash well. They will shine like new.

• Use clean skins of boiled potatoes to place as a soothing pack over eyes to refresh and reduce their puffiness.

• If there is a lot of leftover paneer crummbs, dry in a warm oven. Fry till crisp and store in the fridge. Soften in boiling water, drain and add to thicken gra-vies of any vegetables and curries.

• Make tomato puree in bulk. Transfer to ice cube trays and freeze. Put the frozen cubes in a thick polythene bag. Store in the freezer and use reddy puree cubes as required. Will keep for over 3 weeks in the freezer.

• Give a nice big bright star on your kiddies' room calender every day that he cleans out his lunch box fully!! See his enthusiasm soar.

• Use minimal of wrappers, foils, etc. which they may litter or make messy if wrongly handled.

• Replace sweets and candy with a few dry fruits like almonds, etc. for after lunch munching. So much healthier.

• Try substituting kids' lunch bag with lemonade instead of water once or twice a week. They'll be thrilled.

• Rub a piece of lime (used) inside the lunch box to get rid of strong odours (like garlic) before rinsing off.

• If a lunch box tends of leak from cover, seal with scotch tape. Teach kid to remove tape before eating.

• Grated paneer, carrot, beetroot etc. is a good accompaniment in a lunch

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• If there is a lot of leftover paneer crumbs, dry in a warm oven. Fry till crisp and store in the fridge. Soften in boiling water, drain and add to thicken gra-vies of any vegetables and curries.








• Grated paneer, carrot, beetroot etc. is a good accompaniment in a lunch box instead of biscuits, junk food like fries, etc.

• If bhajias, fritters, pakodas are soaking too much oil, or are not as crisp as should be, add some hot oil to the batter. (3/4 tbsp. to a cup of batter). Their texture will improve remarkably.

• Pour a capful of liquid bleach in a stained commode. Keep for 1/2 hour. Add soap powder and brush, for a sparkle.

• If gloves are inconvenient wear 2 old washed socks while doing chores which are rude on the hands, like carwashing, dish-washing, scrubbing, etc.

• Save old toothbrushes for quick cleaning of those corner and grooves which are difficult to clean with larger brushes. eg. bottles, bathroom corners, tile joints, engraving on metals, etc.

• Place a tsp. of soda bicarb in a corner of the fridge in a small crucible. This will keep smells of foods in the fridge from permeating each other.

• Use the water drained from curdle milk to knead chappati dough. They will turn out softer and whiter.

• Soak jewellery (eg. silver, copper, gold) in the water drained from curdled milk for 15 mins. wash them with soap afterwards. Get back the sparkle in them to look new.

• Apply tamarind paste and salt for greasy, or copped bottomed or brass ves-sels, and wash. They come out much cleaner, and more easily.

• Dissolve a 1/2 tsp. of turmeric powder in hald a cup of hot sweetened milk and drink for relief from cough and cold. Repeat morning and night for a week.

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domestic bleach and water for 1 or 2 hours. Then wash with a mild deter-gent and scrubber to be rid of accumulated dirt, food particles,etc.

• One may save batter of dosas, idlis, paddus, etc. and make pankis as a variation from leftovers. Or vice versa. Take care to refrigerate the batter before it becomes sour, and also place a piece of banana leaf in the base of vessel before pouring batter, and on top of it. This will keep it from getting sour.

• Usually greens contain some amount of soil and have to be washed thor-oughly before cooking. Put chopped leaves in plenty of water, keep for 5 minutes, allowing the mud to settle at the bottom. Then with open palm lift out all the leaves from the top of the water. Gradually pour out leftover greens into a colander, to let the water drain. Take care not to disturb the muddly deposit at the bottom of the vessel.

• Leftover fried snacks like kothmir vadi, or moothiyas can be crumbled and used as a thickener. For spicy gravies. 2-3 pieces will suffice to thicken about 3 cups gravy.

• If you have boiled spinach etc. in excess water, do not throw away this liq-uid so full of health.Just stir in some salt or sugar and drink up, to you well being. Make this a habit, and drink up the vitamins and minerals, with a smile!

• Leftover spring onion vegetable, can be further cooked to dry out water, or add a tsp. of flour to absorb water. Then place on a piece of bread, cover with another slice, and toast in a sandwich toaster o a griller, to make a sandwich.

• Chop stalks of greens like spinach, radish, beetroot, etc. along with leaf, if still tender. They not only add body to the dish, they also have a wonderful additional flavour and lots of fibre.

• Whenever adding tempering to any dish, which required chopped/whole green chillies, hold the chillies down with the back of a spoon, or else they may splutter or burst dangerously.

• The soft chenna ( or residue of drained freshly curdled milk) can be used as an excellent thickener in many dishes. It can also make milder any extra spicy vegetable of dish.

• When using fenugreek leaves raw, try to purchase the small leaves, thinner stalked variety.The hybrid thick stalked and larger leaved, big bunches tend to be more bitter than the former.

• Always use citric acid dissolved (1/2 tsp. in 175ml water) in water to add to milk, this will make the paneer softer; if too little water is used the paneer will be hard and rubbery.

• Use the drained water in which channa was boiled as stock in soups or in-stead of water in veggies.

• To soak channa better in cold seasons, add 3-4 pinches fruit salt or eno to it, when soaking, to a cup of channa.

• Channa can be used as a base for stuffings, instead of potatoes, for those

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who do not eat, eg.jains. • Place a couple of bayleaves with channa to give it a better flavour after

cooking. • Flatten excess boiled channa with a mallet or pestle, sundry till brittle. Store

in airtight glass jar. Deepfry in hot oil when required, to use as an accompa-niment with soups or salads.

• Allowing a kid too many options confuses him. Don't ask him what he likes or doesn't like. Give him something which will catch his attention and taste, in the first place! Keeping the phrase "don't like" out of his food vocabulary is the parents' task, and once achieved will simplify so much of food eating habits and truama in later years.

• Hold kiddie surprises: For example tie a chappati into a pouch with a stuffed baby potato half inside. Tie using a stem of spring onion as a string!

• Involve the kid in safe jobs like mixing batter, folding paper napkin to be used, etc. so that he/she get a feeling of having made part of the meal and have more interest in it, and is fun too, for both parent and child. Besides the kid is under your eyes, and not in some other part of the house, pulling down an an objectd - art or stuffing from a curious sofa or chair!

• Use the hard skins of pistachios to make handicraft items for decoration, like photoframes, tablelamps, facetissue holders, napkin holders, mirror edges, table tops, and many more, with other trinkles like shells, pebbles,etc. Varnish or paint as desired, and they will last a long long time.

• If you have some batter of each coloured pancake leftover, you can make a multicoloured pancake too!!

• Using a cloth below and above a pile of chappatis, kept in a closed con-tainer, will keep them form `sweating' and getting soggy, as well as keep them from becoming too dry, also.

• Dry almond peels, grind to a fine powder, include in any homemade face-packs, to rejuvenate skin, and make the pack more effective.

• Grind pumpkin seeds and mushy centre to a fine paste in mixie, add curds and some orangepeel powder, make a paste and apply a soothing, refresh-ing face pack.

• To help simplify cleaning jobs on diwali, discard what you have not used in a year, use what you had bought last year, and is still new. Buy only that which is over, but you know you will require soon.Otherwise DONOT shop just for the heck of it, or that its diwali!!!

• Soak stained teacups by pouring in some water in which some black vine-gar and salt (1/2 cup to a litre, and 1 tsp.) have been dissolved for 30 min-utes. Then scrub lightly,wash off with a mild soapy solution and clean water.

• Scrub bathroom walls with a scrubber filled in vinegar and soap, then wipe with a cloth dipped in a solution of vinegar and water 100 ml. to 1 litre wa-ter.

• Hard gulab jamoons will soften by pressure cooking briefly, less than one whistle is fine.

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stead of tedious cleaning, just dicard and replace with fresh ones. Cheap and quick.





• Use the water drained from curdle milk to knead chappati dough. They will turn out softer and whiter.

• Soak jewellery (eg. silver, copper, gold) in the water drained from curdled milk for 15 mins. wash them with soap afterwards. Get back the sparkle in them to look new.













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many places, eg. crevices in tiles, inlaid furniture, grooves in vessels, sieves, meshes, waffle irons, etc.

• Do not throw away unused chillies in vinegar while making a chinese course. Blend, bottle and use to spice up soups, rices, etc.

• Wipe mirrors first with pieces of moist newspaper and then with dry newpa-per toget a clean, spotless mirror.

• Keep is whole cardamom or clove in the mouth to subside the sensation of vomitting.

• To remove cellotape stuck on walls, etc ( eg. for posters) without removing the paint, hold a warm iron over it for a few seconds, then peel off slowly.

• Put a handful of salt in the rinsing water for glass and crockery for a cleaner, crystal clear wash.

• Add a cupful of soaked poha to 5 cupfuls of rice soaked for idlis and grind with the rice for softer and lighter idlis.

• Make bread crumbs from toasts and store some in the fridge. They come in very hand for thickening gravies, especially if you've landed up making them extra watery!!!

• Always keep some readymade gingerpaste and garlic paste in the freezer. Comes in handy and enhances the flavor of most dishes in a jiffy.

• This may sound funny, but when cutting lots of onions, to avoid burning of the eyes, if you have swimming goggles then wear them and cut. This will prevent the eyes from watering.

• Keep an extra potato or two handy. Boil in their jacket, drain dry and keep in the fridge. Use in a jiffy when you to tired to make tedious things. Either season with salt and pepper or put slices in bread sandwiches or fry and season or make a quick stir fried vegetable. The potatoes will stay good in a refrigerator for 2-3 days.

• When cutting hard vegetables like potatoes, beetroots or carrots, put them in the microwave oven before cutting them into slices. They will be much easier to cut.

• Using earthen or stone ware for setting curds will result in firmer and better quality curd. Since they are porous they absorb the excess moisture.

• Just dip a small clean rag in a teeny bit of any oil (edible too) and rub on creaky hinges. You will experience quiet doors and windows in a jiffy!!!

• To break open the coconuts easily (the brown ones..), place them in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. This would seperate the shell easily.

• Rinse white clothes in water to which some alum powder is added, for bet-ter whites.

• To allow free flow of sauce from a sauce bottle to a pourer, insert a drinking straw half way, into the bottle and hold it there lightly with one hand while pouring with the other.

• Always add a tbsp. of oil to plenty of water while boiling pasta of any kind. It will keep them from sticking to each other.

• Line the bottoms of your kitchen cabinet shelves with old newspapers. In-

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• Cover pudding containers kept in freeezer compartments with cling film or pastic sheet, to protect from water, and crystal formation in the dish.

• Powdered dry poha may be used for coating cutlets, croquettes, etc. before frying to give a wonderfully crisp crust.

• Dump together all leftover pizza gravy, au gratin, with some baked beans, and any adjusted flavouring of garlic, ginger, chillies, salt, as desired. Heat to blend well. Scour insides of plain buns, make crumbs of the insides, mix in mixture. Fill this into hollowbuns, put back top and sprinkle cheese, grill till cheese melts, serve hot.

• Pep up salads, by sprinkling some crushed ganthias, sev, golgappa puris or even papdi over the salad just before serving and toss. It will give a crunchi-ness to the salad.

• Crush excess katlis in a dry mixer, and refrigerate crumbs in a tight lidded jar. Add a tablespoonful to gravy vegetables to give a mughlai touch to the vegetable.

• Use water in which vegetables are boiled to make soups, doughs, etc. in-stead of wasting this Nutrient rich liquid.

• Making a note of what you are going to make a few minutes before going to bed. That will save a lot of searching and fumbling and thinking and swear-ing, to begin the next day with.

• Make many variations of basic recipes like chutney parathas, by adding ajwain/veggies/mint,etc. One may use red coconut chutney too. Just make sure, no chutney is running, but very stiff.

• If one doesn't have an oven, then place a dosa griddle on gas, place a stand (metal) on it, put a metal mesh over stand and keep the dish over this, eg. stuffed potatoes. Cover with an inverted vessel, and allow to brown on slow fire. Or use a gas tandoor instead.

• Add a couple of chopped basil leave to your morning cup of tea or milk, for relief from dry or Phlegmatic cough. Regular use is also very good for gen-eral well being.

• Make crumbs of day old chapathis, dry for 2-3 hours in a wide plate, bottle and refrigerate. Use later like breadcrumbs or as required, will keep for 4-5 days in refrigerator.

• Open and clean the spring and insides of your gas lighter, every month, to make it last doubly longer. Just clean insides with a soft clean cloth and twig or skewer.

• One may cut and keep vegetables like cabbage, beans, carrots, etc. previ-ous 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.

• Keep a little powdered cashew handy in a bottle to thicken gravies, milk, etc. in a hurry.

• Add leftover of overly old chutneys etc. to vegetable dishes to enhance their flavour, instead of discarding it after waiting for it to get bad.

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• Instant noodles, when crushed and deepfried, make an excellent topping for soups, salads, etc.

• Supplement every meal with a fruit at the end, this will fill up gaps in appe-tite as well as provide Fibre and nutrition to each meal. Vary fruit as per season, so your body's multiple nutrition requirement will be fulfilled.

• Store banana leaves like a roll, wrapped in a moist muslin cloth, then placed in a polythene bag. They will stay fresh for a week, if refrigerated this way.

• The peel of unpeeled bananas will turn black on steaming, but the bananas inside will acquire a light honey colour.

• Warm cardamom pods very lightly, cool and deseed. These seeds will pow-der more easily.

• Bake any leftover spicy pinapple with alternate layer of noodles, white sauce and pineapple, to make a wonderful baked casserole.

• Curry leaves may be liberally added to seasoning of most dishes, since this is a very asian flavour adding an aroma to any dish.

• Use old shaving brush to clean out bamboo steamers, but brush in the crev-ices. Any food particles will come loose easily.

• Do not throw away discarded cucumber seeds. Either apply on eyes to sooth tired eyes for 15 minutes, or grind to a fine paste, combine with gram-flour, honey and rose water, and apply as a pack.

• To clean burnt woks with ease, boil a few onions peels in them. Scrub with a solution of vinegar and salt. Follow with a scouring powder or detergent.

• To remove skins of roasted peanuts easily, put into a clean cloth bag, tie the mouth. Rub the nuts in the bag from the top, and jingle the bag a few times, repeating the rubbing. Empty contents in a large plate, blow away the skins. To crush peanuts easily - Roll either a filled glass bottle, or heavy rolling pin, or cylindrical grinding stone over it back and forth, on the nuts in the bag as above.

• Rub chopping board and knives with lemon halves dipped in salt, to clean, after chopping large amounts of chillies, to avoid its flavour creeping into other things cut on the board. Follow with a regular washing with scrubber and soap.

• Always defrost your fridge and then put the setting to maximum half an hour before placing in the icecream for setting it, to get best results. If it is not a frostfree refrigerator, then wipe out all the defrosted moisture before placing the freezer trays.

• Always soften the puddings a bit by removing from freezer to refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving.

• Apply a poltice of sitaphal flesh and some ground leaves of the same plant (if available) over wounds or absesses for quick relief. Tie the poltice in place with a clean cloth bandage.

• Always beat cream gently with small upward strokes. Never overbeat, be-cause the damage isIrreversible, the texture will not be the same again. Overbeating will turn it to butter at best.

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with an old newspaper before washing. This will remove all the extra grease and make the washing easier. You may even rub some flour instead.

• When carrying many food packets while travelling, use either transparent polythene bags or put a name sticker on each foil pack etc. so that guess-ing, opening and searching is avoided. When food is used up, use these bags to collect your litter on the way.

• Crush chikki coarsely and use as nougat over cakes and icecreams. Use nuts of your choice.

• Blanch green leafy vegetables ( fenugreek, spinach, etc.) in boiling water for 2 minutes. Hold under cold running water, press out excess water, store in freezer for about 2 weeks without spoiling.

• Shake the vegetables loose in the plastic bag before thawing, to distribute the heat evenly.

• Use tissue papers for reheating fried snacks. Eg. samosa, vada, kachori, bhajji, etc. The paper will absorb the excess oil and moisture and keep the snack crisp. Reheat on high for 1-1 1/2 minute.

• Place a large bowl half full of water, microwave on high till it comes to a boil. Remove and clean oven with a moist cloth, to remove grime and grease. Clean then as usual with warm soapy water dipped cloth.

• Round or oval containers will spread heat more evenly in a microwave oven than square, rectangular or odd shaped ones.

• To get the best out of saffron: Warm saffron before crushing (you may use microwave: 10 secs on maxi.). Add 1 tsp. warm milk and stir well.

• Make a lovely potpourri by drying your favourite flowers, herbs and leaves between layers of paper napkins. Make sure not do burn them. This may not last as long as the ones made by the long traditional process.

• For apt usage of a microwave, compliment microwave cooking with tradi-tional forms. Do the boiling, frying and seasoning part on a gas stove. While leaving the baking, sauteeing, cooking, melting, etc. to a microwave.

• Sometimes oil begins to foam on heating to deepfry and rises dangerously in the pan. To dissipate the foam add a marble sized ball of tamarind to the oil.

• To get rid of dandruff apply the following mixture of once or twice a week. Keep for 20-25 minutes before washing off with a mild soap or shampoo. Warm together, 1 tbsp. curds, 2 tsp. oil and 1 tsp. lemon juice.

• Soak burnt pans with a weak solution of domestic ammonia and water. Af-ter an hour rub with used lemon peels dipped in salt. Wash with soap for a clean, clean pan.

• If karanjias are used after too many days and feel stale, warm them for 1/2 to 1 minute in the microwave oven before serving. They will taste freshly fried.

• If you cannot get hold of diwali diyas (lamps), make your own by mould out of ordinary wheat flour dough, about a week ahead, dry well and paint.

• Don't throw away old toothbrushes. They form excellent scrubbers for so

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• If curds have become too sour to eat as is, tie as above for 3-4 hours, add milk and use in raitas, curd rice, etc.

• Blow out dirt from devices of electronic gadgets, carved furniture, etc., by blowing air in the following way. Use an empty soft-plastic sauce dispenser bottle with a nozzle. Press so that the air blowing out will blow the dirt away.

• Place some soda bicarb open in a small shallow dish in the fridge. This will disallow odours of one dish mixing into another. Eg. milk and guavas.

• Place a folded cloth under any vessel which you have to whip in. You will have a better grip of the vessel since it will not slip over the worksurface. This holds good while mixing cake batter, icings, whipping, etc.

• Rest assured that honey can never be adulterated. If warm water is added, it will ferment. If any type of sugar syrup is added it will solidify. Also, the older the better.

• Fix candle in a container. Fill half the container with water before lighting the candle. This way, the candle lasts longer and the overflowed wax is easier to remove from the water. The container becomes easy to clean too.

• Add contents of a capsule of b complex to the water in your vase to make the flowers last longer.

• To freeze stock of your choice, eg., tomato, mixed vegetable as above, spinach, etc., prepare thick stock and cool to room temperature. Transfer to icecube trays and freeze to make solid cubes. Remove cubes and transfer to a freezable polythene bag, with an airseal. Remove excess air, seal tight. Store in freezer and use cubes as required.

• Make a concentrated solution of bleaching powder and water. Apply on stained surfaces and wash basins in a bathroom (tiles, etc., not metallic), leave overnight. Wash clean with water next day. Will keep the bathroom sparkling.

• Clean unreachable places and crevices in ovens and waffle trays etc. by using old tootbrushes dipped in soda bi carb. Then wipe clean with a soft cloth.

• Place tomatoes in hot water for 5-7 minutes, before using for easier peeling and better taste in any recipe where tomatoes are required to be cooked.

• If pizza sauce (or gravies) has become very thin, thicken by adding 2 slices of dayold bread, run in a mixie to make very fine crumbs. Using too much cornflour may make the sauce taste pasty.

• If curd has turned sour, tie in cloth for a while (1/2-1 hour) remove in bowl add enough milk to get required consistency, beat well. The sourness will be gone. Use in raithas, rices, etc.

• Rub mustard oil on palms and soles to bring warmth to a shivering body. Also use as massage oil for aching joints and muscles. However, the smell may be a bit repulsive, so add a few drops of perfume if desired.

• Add a pinch of turmeric powder to the oil before adding green vegetables. The vegetables will retain their greenness better even after cooking.

• Rub used lemon halves dipped in salt over greasy pans, and wipe clean

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• Use ground sugar to make thick shakes etc. so that the sugar dissolves quickly and completely in The cold milk.

• Use glass bowls for chilling fruit rabdis in the fridge, they will not discolour. • Cover freezer trays with a sheet of plastic held in place with a large rubber

band to avoid crystal formation in the icecream • Mix flour and salt in leftover chawli or other dry sabzi after mashing it.

Knead into dough, and make soft tasty masala rotis of the same. • For those beans requiring soaking overnight, eg. Kidney beans, soya

beans, one may add (2-3 pinches to a cup of dry beans) soda bicarb to the beans and water, while pressurecooking. This way they will cook faster and soften to the core.

• After boiling moong, matki, chawli, etc. check for any hard ones by straining them into a colander in a rotatory slow motion, wherein the hard, heavy ones will stay at the bottom of your pouring container. These may, if in-cluded in the dish, harm you teeth filling and cavities, if inadvertantly bitten.

• Use a salt shaker filled with wheat flour to sprinkle over dishes, while cook-ing. When stirred it won't become lumpy. This is used to thicken watery gra-vies.

• Never mix tea and milk strainers. The residual smell of tea will creep into milk. The strainer will also stain, with tea. To clean stains from plastic nylon strainers, however, dip in a very weak solution (20 ml. to 5 litres ) of water and cleaning acid. Wash with soap and brush after 2 hours. Do not use this method for metal strainer, as the acid will corrode the strainer.

• For those who co not mind the calories, and like malai, can top hot milk of any type with a dollop of malai. It enhances the taste of your hot cup of whatever milk, with taste and richness.

• Slide clean poybags into jars for storing drinking chocolate, cocoa, icing sugar and such items. Line the jar, keep top edge out of jar. Pour contents from refill pack, twist mouth of polybag, screw lid tightly. This will keep the contents from becoming soggy or lumpy. Also always use very dry spoons while removing.

• Rinse milk bags with a small amount of warm water before giving away to recycling. Add this back to the milk, there is no harm. Hang dry the bags, too. This will keep not only your storing space (for the bags) hygenic, it help environment and community eventually. Soiled bags encourage mosqui-toes, bad smells, and finally disease.

• A recipe to fresh ready to serve rotis is: Roast the Roti, apply a little butter and wrap it in a Bounty Paper. When serving just put it in the microwave for 30 sec. with the wrapping. And the rotis will taste like freshly cooked rotis.

• To keep sweets especially Burfis as fresh as ever: Store then in a stainless Steel airtight container and put a wet muslin cloth over them. This way the sweets will be fresh for atleast 2 weeks

• For a hot healing cuppa: Add 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp. sugar to

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100 ml. boiling hot milk. Stir till well blended, drink up first thing in the morn-ing and last thing in the night. A great cure for monsoon related fevers, coughs, colds, chest congestion, etc. Take for at least 5-6 days, for full re-sults.

• Swirl a few gulps of chilled milk in the mouth, and then swallow, if you have burnt your tongue or mouth while eating something too hot. This will give instant relief from the burning sensation.Repeat a couple of times every 15 minutes of so, if burning persists.

• Store milk mixture to be beaten at a later stage, in tall, firm containers, which allow the handblender to move freely inisde. This will reduce the number of containers to be used, as well as the container to be beaten in, is very cold, and the shake won't warm.

• If pouring out colours,etc. turns out to be a messy job, use a clean ink drop-per, used only for this purpose. Wash clean before changing essence or colour.

• Rub a mixture of 1 tsp. each of milk top cream and lemon juice, all over face and neck. Wash off after 10 minutes. Use regularly to rid skin of blem-ishes, blackheads, and other such problems.

• To avoid a layer form on any thick liquid preparation while cooling (for eg. Basundi, tamarind chutney, custard etc.),spinkle some granules of sugar over the surface of the dish.

• Lightly roast garlic flakes, rub between the folds of a piece of cloth. The skins will come off easily.

• Pine nuts may be roasted prior in large quantity, if used often, and packed in a freezer proof bag. These can be kept in the freezer for months without losing flavour. Do not allow moisture to touch nuts.

• One may marinate the vegetables prior in some vinegar, garlic and chilli if desired. This will give a more piquant taste to the stew.

• Add a tbsp. of honey to a cup of whipping cream to keep it better in the re-frigerator.

• Do not discard leftover mojo sauce. Add as a seasoning to clear and tomato or other similar soups.

• Add a few drops of lemon juice to rice, while it is cooking. This will keep the grain from breaking easily.

• To clean a paellera pan or other nonstick pan easily, without scraping, dump a few onion peels in it, add 1 tsp. vinegar, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and leave aside for 10 minutes, wash pan all over with this liq-uid, then wash with a mild detergent and sponge. Wipe clean and dry.

• Add lemon peel to a jar of castor sugar and close lid tightly. The sugar will have a beautiful mild lemony taste and smell to be used in pastries, cakes, puddings, etc.

• If just a few drops of lemon juice are required do not cut whole lemon. Roll lemon on a hard surface to soften the skin, prick a hole with a cocktail or skewer. Press out required drops. Leave a toothpick in the hole or wrap it in

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• If an onion is too sharp in taste, wash, drain and toss into some beaten curd. Add a dash of salt and pepper, it becomes a tasty raitha.

• To bake potatoes crisp and brown, soak the peeled potatoes in hot water for a while, pat dry and pierce all over with a fork before placing them in hot fat along with the roast.

• If fish is to be stored for more than a day, clean it, rub with salt, turmeric and if liked, a dash of vinegar before freezing.

• If dried herbs are used in a recipe, crush them first to release their fra-grance.

• Save the peel of apples, cucumbers and peaches. Grind them and add to the ingredients of a green chutney (coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger, coconut, salt and sugar). It makes a tasty and nutritious chutney and when mixed with curd makes an unusual raita.

• Never scrape burnt leftovers from casseroles. Soak in a weak solution of vinegar, salt and soapy warm water for an hour or so. The stuck particles will come off very easily, without scratching the dish.

• Always soak cauliflower in warm salted water for some time to get rid of the tiny insects sometimes present deep inside the florets and not visible to the eye.

• Adding a little dry rice to sugar while grinding it, will keep it from becoming lumpy.

• Easiest way to chop raisins. Sprinkle some flour over them so they don't stick. Cut with a small kitchen scissors as required.

• Add a few pinches of turmeric, a small spoon of ghee, to dal before pres-sure cooking. This will impart a better flavour to the dal.

• Rub the soles of new footwear (leather soled) with some sandpaper to keep from slipping on polished floors.

• Cut a small piece of the base of flower stalks each day, and add a capsule contents of B complex to the vase water, to make cut flowers last longer.

• Use a knife dipped in hot water to smoothen the icing surface and sides. Repeat the action till the whole icing is smoothened.

• Use varied coloured doughs like green one above, to make shapes (leaves, cherries, braids, etc.) and deep fry on low till done. Decorate a variety of festive dishes like baked casseroles, au gratins, pulaos, etc. with them. Store in airtight containers for 2-3 days.

• Add a pinch of soda bicarb to the water to boil peas etc. faster and also to retain their bright green colour.

• Use a mixture of lemon juice and glycerine in equal parts to dip nails which are brittle and bruised to make them stronger and shinier. Repeat process regularly if the case is extreme.

• 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.

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• Grind cardamom along with skins to make powder. Pass through sieve. While getting more quantity and becoming economical the flavour is also enhanced. Mix the residue in tea leave or tea masala for beautifully aro-matic tea.

• Rub outside of halved coconut shells with sandpaper to smoothen surface. Apply varnish. Use as containers to grow small cactii and other plants for decorative effect.

• To get crystal clear ice cubes boil the water before pouring in icecubes. Those made with plain water are usually foggy or opaque

• Always use the back of a perforated spoon to make the frying puris puff up. Use the non-puffed ones to make chaat, bhel, etc.

• Add some citric acid to cleaning powder for cleaning brass and copper ware. They will come out much cleaner.

• When your perfume bottle gets used up, place open bottle in wardrobe. A light whiff of your favourite perfume will envelope your clothes and cup-board for quite some time.

• Wipe the blades of greasy knives with a peeled lemon . Wash under run-ning water. The greasiness will disappear.

• Make small quantities of many types of butters, so that with very little extra effort, you can provide yourself or family with a wide choice and variety to cater to many tastes.

• Always rinse greasy vessels in hot water before hand washing or putting in a dish washer. They come out cleaner and leave dishes grimeless.

• Do not throw away almond peels. Sun dry and drygrind fine. Mix with gram-flour, curd and use as a face wash.

• Add a few pinches of salt to cauliflower while boiling. Add a small blob of butter to the drained cauliflower and mix. This will enhance the flavour of the cauliflower in your recipe.

• Soak almonds in water overnight if you want to remove skin. The skin will come off much faster than that soaked in hot water for a short time. The almonds will not discolour also. Any extras may be sundried till crisp and stored for months in airtight jars.

• If gum dries up, add a little vinegar and stir. • Store nail polish bottles in the refrigerator to prevent the polish from drying

up. • To get a dry sketch pen working again, pour three or four drops of hot water

into the sponge tube inside and wait a while. • If grilled doors or windows start getting rusty, scrape off the rust carefully

and paint the area immediately. You can also use a metal primer instead of paint.

• To remove mud stains from clothes, soak and wash them in water collected after boiling potatoes.

• To make aluminium vessels look good again, rub them with emery paper. Mere washing can't remove the black stains.

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a piece of foil. This will keep it from drying out. • Put lemons in a glass jar, fill it with water, screw lid tight. Refrigerate.

Change water every 3rd day. Lemons stored this way will keep good for almost a month.

• Soak squeezed lemon peels and some mint leaves in a mug of hot water for at least 1 hour. Squeeze out the peels and leaves, add water to remain-ing bath water for a refreshing bath.

• If the lemon seems to dry out, or the skin is too stiff, either soak in hot water for 10 minutes or microwave for 30 seconds, before cutting. You will be able to extract maximum juice this way.

• Peel long strips of lemon with knife, pith and all, hang to dry, use in a bou-quet garni.

• Squeezed out, lemon can be used to rub the hands, nails, and fingers. Rub till peel and hands turn dry. Wash after 15 minutes. Best done leisurely, while relaxing as in watching TV, etc.

• Lemon and orange peels, dried and powdered and mixed with gram flour can be used as an excellent exfoliant. When required add 1 tsp. curds to 1 tbsp. flour mixture. Rub face gently with mixture for 5 minutes, wash with ordinary tap water for a clean, clean, feel. This can also be used as a bath scrub for body, daily.

• Lemon juice when added to fruit like apples, bananas after cutting, and tossed lightly will prevent them from turning blackish immediately. This job can be simplified by using a small spray bottle spray the fruit.

• A tsp. lemon juice, mixed with 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. ginger juice, will reduce phlegmatic cough.

• A slice of cut lemon rubbed immediately over a paan stain, and then washed, will leave the fabric free of all traces of the stain.

• A glass of warm water, to which the juice of 1 lemon, and a tsp. of honey has been added, help in weight loss if taken first thing in the morning, regu-larly.

• Choose the smaller, flat, thin skinned tomatoes, for making sauces. They will not only give better quality sauce, flavour will also be better. Even the residue to get puree will be much lesser.

• To ease the pouring of sauces in narrow necked bottles, use a funnel, hold-ing it just above the top, stem inside, but not resting on the bottle. This way the air inside the bottle will easily pass out, while the suace is flowing in. It will not cause blockages and choking of the funnel. If bottom of funnel stem is so narrow as to block flow, snip off a small portion.

• Use a pair of kitchen scissors to chop chillies, etc. fine. It will keep hands from burning, and the job is done much faster too.

• Always take care to cover vessel with a loose lid, while boiling chillies, garlic and other such pungent condiments. The smell tends to permeate the house. Keep the kitchen exhaust on and windows wide open, as an added precaution.

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• People with kidney problems and other digestive system ailments should use products with preservatives, high salt content, and tomatoes sparingly. Such persons can make sauces in small quantities without preservatives and enjoy them too.

• If large quantities are prepared, or more varieties are prepared, then steril-ise a big batch of jars and keep ready in a large sterilised steel container or sealed (with sticking tape) clean thermocol box.

• Always rinse containers in which sauces have been made, with some vine-gar and hot water, to alleviate the sauce odours before using for another dish.

• Place jam and other preserve jars in cupboards where air can circulate around, as also no moisture leaks into jams. If caps are also screwtight and airtight, there there is no reason you preserves should go bad for months. Also while place them there, line shelf with newspaper under which anti-insect powder has been sprinkled. This way ants,etc. will not find their way to your sweet delights.!

• Wash ring bag, with contents intact, under running water to clean out com-pletely. Then add it to your hot tub and bubble bath, run in contents in wa-ter, using sachet as a scrubber and letting lemony flavours into you bath water for invigorating and fresh feeling.

• Instead of discarding extra roses from bouquets dry them and prepare a bouquet garni, a pot pourri of fragrance in a net sachet. Or dry, grind and mix powder with gramflour, store in a jar. For a refreshing bath scrub, to 1 tsp. mixture, add 1 tsp. curds, 1/2 tsp.honey. Scrub and wash. Use daily for a glowing skin.

• An easy way to scrape out pith from the insides of citrus fruit peels, is to use the blunt side of a knife. To peel fruit segments of oranges, etc. easily, pop into hot water and immediately into cold cold water. The skins will come off easily.

• Always powder citric acid crystals before adding to any preserve or mu-rabba, etc. It will blend into the recipe much better and faster.

• To preserve amla murabba better, tilt jar around each day, to keep all amla coated with syrup. This way the upper ones won't dry out.

• Always crush icecubes well before putting under an electrical hand mixer for Blending. Using whole cubes, can result in the mixer head breaking and flying To pieces.

• Soak stiff starchy new cottons in a solution of 1/2 cup milk to 7 water. Soak for at least 1 or 2 hours. Wash off with regular detergents. This will soften the cloth removing undesired stiffness of the starch.

• Dry almond skins in sun till brittle. Powder, mix with gram flour, turmeric and store. Add curds and honey to a Tablespoonful of mixture and use to rub skin clean while bathing. Making and excellent cleaning agent for the Body and face.

• Always store aamras and other such mango dishes in non-metal containers

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long thin strips) since more can be sizzled in one round. Or supplement this dish with the patties, etc. of the veg. sizzler.

• Line the bottom of the charcoal bowl with a foil, shining side down, to heat coals better and ease in emptying out the bowl.

• Run the sizzler tray with a piece of lemon peel dipped in salt to remove the grime easily. Continue with regular wash.

• Colour code similar keys around the house (set of cabinets, etc) by using 2 sets of of plain multicoloured bindis. Stick one on the key head and the other of the same colour on the door of the corresponding closet. Use for fevicol or glue for lasting effect.

• Drain and keep any extra channa dal aside after cooking. Chill and then add chopped onions, chutneys, coriander, salt, chopped cucumber and to-matoes. Serve chilled as bhel with cups of steaming hot tea.

• Wipe clean, glass of showcases, cars, windows etc. with a soft cloth dipped in the following: A strong solution of salt made by dissolving 2 tbsp. salt in 1 cup warm water.

• To bring a sparkle to metal fittings in bathrooms, taps, etc., apply a thin vim paste all over, keep for 1 hour and wash off with warm soapy water and scrubber. Finally wash with plain water and wipe dry with a clean absorbent cloth.

• If batter of any bhajias tends to become too thin, wet a slice or two of bread, press out all excess water, and mash it into the batter. This will help greatly in thickening the batter.

• Do not dry wet leather shoes by putting in a warm place (like, before a fire) since they may dry faster but will become stiff and wear fast. Instead, stuff them with old absorbent cloth (cotton ) and allow to dry .

• To make bhakris of flours like maize, bajra (millet), jowar etc. always make dough as required. Making too much hours ahead with make the dough gooey and impossible to roll or pat.

• Use a plastic scrubber (round ball type) to scrub potatoes, beets, carrots etc. of mud, dirt, etc. from the crevices and curves easily. Keep the scrub-ber exclusively for this purpose only, for obvious reasons of hygiene.

• Paneer crumbs, bread crumbs and some melted butter, tossed together form an excellent topping if you run short of cheese, for any baked dishes.

• Rub face with the peel of papaya, (inner side) keep for fifteen minutes. Wash with cool water, for a fresh clean feel.

• To keep the green colour of peas bright, put in boiling water and boil on high till done. Drain, pour very cold water over them, drain again. Use as required.

• Always wipe dry steel bathroom taps after using to keep the shine intact. Water left to dry on metal taps leave stains which over a period become difficult to remove.

• Add a handful of well soaked dal to any salad to throw in that extra require-ment of protien in your diet.

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• Wet burnt pans/vessels with water till burnt portion if fully moist and place the pan/vessel upside down for 10-15 minutes - tilt and clean normally.

• Lot of Housewives complain about the time taken in the kitchen as they are chased by the clock. The Tip is you can do the cleaning of kitchen and utensils while waiting for boiling, heating and lot of other activities over the stove. This will save lot of time and extra efforts.

• Add some citric acid to cleaning powder for cleaning brass and copper ware. They will come out much cleaner.

• When your perfume bottle gets used up, place open bottle in wardrobe. A light whiff of your favourite perfume will envelope your clothes and cup-board for quite some time.

• Wipe the blades of greasy knives with a peeled lemon . Wash under run-ning water. The greasiness will disappear.

• Make small quantities of many types of butters, so that with very little extra effort, you can provide yourself or family with a wide choice and variety to cater to many tastes.

• Always rinse greasy vessels in hot water before hand washing or putting in a dish washer. They come out cleaner and leave dishes grimeless.

• Pour some diluted liquid bleach into tea stained cups. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. Wash with soap. The tea stains will come off easily.

• A traditional Gujarati way of keeping teeth strong and shipshape. Chew on a twig of the neem tree daily, before brushing!! In gujarati villages this is still the main form of a teeth cleanser.

• To pep leftover farsan which is not getting over, add finely chopped onions, coriander, green chilli and salt, lemon juice, chaat masala. Toss and serve with afternoon tea as a spicy muchy.

• Save the stems of colocasia leaves. Peel outer skin and chop fine. Add as garnish to a salad or stirfry and add to clear soup.

• Rub the peel of ripe papaya, (inner side) on skin of face and hands, after peeing fruit. Keep for 15 minutes and wash off with cool water, for a fresh clean feel.

• To get crystal clear ice cubes boil the water before pouring in icecubes. Those made with plain water are usually foggy or opaque.

• Repeatedly rub wax on the insides of new shoes or sandals, for the first few days of wearing, to avoid shoe bites.

• Use a pair of scissors instead of a knife for cutting hot vegetables like chil-lies and also leafy greens like spinach, celery, coriander, etc. Your work will get done much faster. Take care to use a clean, non-rusty pair used only for kitchen purposes.

• Wrap potatoes etc. which you may want to bake in the coals, in foil, to re-tain moisture and also to avoid becoming sooty black.

• Use day old slices of bread to hold better in the skewer. If the still slip, fas-ten with toothpick vertically inserted along the sides, to support the skewer.

• When a large serving is required use the julien recipe ( veggies cut into inch

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before serving. The ras may discolour in other metal containers. • Try recipes of mangoes with different varieties, to get a variation in flavours,

taste as well as colour, since they range from pale yellow (malgoba) to the deep orange (kesari and dusseri) varieties.

• Ripen raw mangoes in cardboard boxes lined with old newspapers and lay-ered with dry straw. This way it is easier to pile the fruit without spoiling as well as they will ripen faster and more evenly.

• Heat used lemon peels in heavy iron skillets with some water and salt. Cover and allow to stand for an hour, before scouring gently with a soft steel scrubber and some dishwashinh soap. The skillet will come out very clean.

• Wrap half cut raw mangoes in clingfilm before storing in refrigerator. The mango will stay fresh longer as also its odour will not permeate other prod-ucts like milk and desserts.

• Boil peelings of raw mango, in containers like pressure cookers, aluminium skillets, etc. to make them come out clean and shiny.

• One way to test if the mango is rip enough to cut, is to smell the point where the mango was attached to the tree. Nip off any remaining stalk, smell. If the mango is right, it will exude a luscious sweet fragrant aroma.

• If you have excessive stock of green chillies, do not waste them. Boil in hot salted water, till white. Drain and sun dry till brittle. Crush or store whole and use as required in any dish requiring chillies, without Changing the col-our of the dish.

• To prevent lumps while adding flour to any liquids, eg. Water, buttermilk,etc. first mix the flour in a little bit of the Liquid to form a smooth paste. Add this to the remaining liquid and stir well.

• Do not throw away Starch water strained from boiled rice. Use either to starch your dupattas and other clothes, as also to knead dough, in soups, or to make more rice.

• Pour a little water (about 1 cup for a 3 litre vessel) in vessel in which you would boil milk. Then, pour in the milk. Heat container and bring milk to boil, without stirring. This way the milk will not scald at the bottom of the Con-tainer. Take care to rinse vessel with clean water before using.

• Instead of folding and hanging delicate organzas and tissue sarees, request you dhobi to roll them on a textile roll Wooden stick. This way they will not cut or tear at the folded creases for long unused sarees.

• Try applying salt on the greased part of the non stick vessels and then try cleaning them it works easier and faster.

• Avoid cooking sour dishes (like tamirind based dishes) in non stick pans coz the sourness will remove coating faster.

• If oil is by chance spilt on the non stick vessel while making dosa or chapatti then wipe it immediately using a paper napkin before it can settle on the edges of the non stick pan.

• Never store pastes in open bowls or jars. The smell will permeate milk, but-

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ter, cheese, veggies, Fruit, other dishes and even icecubes, and the dam-age will be irreversible. This is because of High content of garlic in many pastes.

• Never make a paste of raw onions if you want to keep it for any amount of time. It will turn Bitter. Always fry them in a little oil, and then grind.

• Grind thick masala pastes on a stone grinder if possible. Since you would be using lesser water. The taste and texture would also be much better.

• Chop chillies, etc. either with a steel knife or steel scissors. Do not use iron knives, etc. since the Pastes will tend to turn blackish later on.

• Always wear plastic gloves or slip hands into 2 transparent plastic bags while handling and Cutting chillies, to avoid hands from burning sensations.

• Tamarind tends to get very thick on grinding. So save some water to add to the last churning, or To run in mixie, after having emptied it by inverting into container. The stuck paste will dilute Easily, when machine is run for a few seconds. Therefore cleaning is simplified and wastage Minimised.

• While making dosas or chapattis pour oil 1 inch inside the outer border of the dosa or chapatti so that the oil does not flow out and spoil the non stick coating.

• To roast large brinjals on an electric stove top, slice vertically into half right through the stem. Make shallow criss-cross cuts on the cut surface, then apply a light film of oil on all surfaces. Roast both halves together on me-dium heat (turning now and then) for about 20 minutes. Then raise to high heat and roast for a few more minutes, till soft and limp and both sides are black. Cool thoroughly, then carefully peel the skins off both sides.(Wipe over with damp fingers to clean). Mash and use as required.

• Rub slices of onion on dosa tawa (griddle) before spreading dosas. This will avoid the dosa from stubbornly sticking to the griddle or tawa.

• Rub cut onion on insides of a new kadai or saucepan, and heat a little. Then pour oil and proceed. The pan will not burn contents easily. You need not do this for used pans.

• To chop onions without tears, slit a clean transparent plastic bag from base, so that both sides are open. Place board, and hands inside this and chop onions with the bag forming a loose out casing.

• Peel onions easily by dropping them into boiling water and covering. 3 min-utes for small varieties, and 5 minutes for the large varieties. Cut a small cross in the root base for larger ones, to prevent from bursting in the water.

• Rub chopping board with a slice of lemon vigorously, after cutting onions, garlic, etc. This will ensure that all odours of such vegetables is rid, then wash thoroughly with washing soap.

• To give abetter flavour to pureed onion, pierce onion with a long fork. Roast over direct flame turning all around, till out 2 layers are burnt. Wash burnt layers under running water, chop and puree onion.

• To serve piping hot fresh biryani, pulaos, or rices, you can prepare com-pletely, upto the stage when cooker is closed and whistles have to be

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not last as long as the ones made by the long traditional process. • For apt usage of a microwave, compliment microwave cooking with tradi-

tional forms. Do the boiling, frying and seasoning part on a gas stove. While leaving the baking, sauteeing, cooking, melting, etc. to a microwave.

• Sometimes oil begins to foam on heating to deepfry and rises dangerously in the pan. To dissipate the foam add a marble sized ball of tamarind to the oil.

• To get rid of dandruff apply the following mixture of once or twice a week. Keep for 20-25 minutes before washing off with a mild soap or shampoo. Warm together, 1 tbsp. curds, 2 tsp. oil and 1 tsp. lemon juice.

• Soak burnt pans with a weak solution of domestic ammonia and water. Af-ter an hour rub with used lemon peels dipped in salt. Wash with soap for a clean, clean pan.

• If karanjias are used after too many days and feel stale, warm them for 1/2 to 1 minute in the microwave oven before serving. They will taste freshly fried.

• If you cannot get hold of diwali diyas (lamps), make your own by mould out of ordinary wheat flour dough, about a week ahead, dry well and paint.

• Don't throw away old toothbrushes. They form excellent scrubbers for so many places, eg. crevices in tiles, inlaid furniture, grooves in vessels, sieves, meshes, waffle irons, etc.

• Sun dry lemon peels till brittle. Powder and use for scrubbing the face clean.

• Feel like gorging on chocolates and cannot resist. Pick a nice firm ripe to-mato, and just sink your teeth into it. Allow the juice to overtake the crav-ings. Once into the habit, you will love munching tomatoes instead of chips!!! Juicy tomatoes eaten just as they are, are great tasters.

• For a cool clean feeling, rub the inner side of papaya peel all over face. Wash off with water after 15-20 minutes.

• Add a leaf or two of fresh chopped mint to a glass of any mocktail to liven it up and add the minty zing to it.

• Preboiling fruit like grapes, tomato, before making the juice, will keep the juice and water separating in the glass after pouring. The colour is also en-hanced.

• Quickest way to extract pure ginger juice, is to either pound or grate fresh ginger, sprinkle a wee bit of water, and put in a clean muslin cloth. Press out juice with thumb and fingers till only fibre remains.

• Make a pack of raw potato peels, by folding in a wet gauze. Place two such packs over eyes for 15-20 minutes. Regularly used, this helps in reducing puffiness under the eyes and dark circles.

• To get crystal clear ice cubes boil the water before pouring in icecubes. Those made with plain water are usually foggy or opaque

• Always use the back of a perforated spoon to make the frying puris puff up. Use the non-puffed ones to make chaat, bhel, etc.

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• If there is a lot of leftover paneer crumbs, dry in a warm oven. Fry till crisp and store in the fridge. Soften in boiling water, drain and add to thicken gra-vies of any vegetables and curries.








• Grated paneer, carrot, beetroot etc. is a good accompaniment in a lunch box instead of biscuits, junk food like fries, etc.

• Shake the vegetables loose in the plastic bag before thawing, to distribute the heat evenly.

• Use tissue papers for reheating fried snacks. Eg. samosa, vada, kachori, bhajji, etc. The paper will absorb the excess oil and moisture and keep the snack crisp. Reheat on high for 1-1 1/2 minute.

• Place a large bowl half full of water, microwave on high till it comes to a boil. Remove and clean oven with a moist cloth, to remove grime and grease. Clean then as usual with warm soapy water dipped cloth.

• Round or oval containers will spread heat more evenly in a microwave oven than square, rectangular or odd shaped ones.

• To get the best out of saffron: Warm saffron before crushing (you may use microwave: 10 secs on maxi.). Add 1 tsp. warm milk and stir well.

• Make a lovely potpourri by drying your favourite flowers, herbs and leaves between layers of paper napkins. Make sure not do burn them. This may

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counted after putting on heat. This stage can be done just a half hour be-fore sitting to a meal, so that the cooker is done, as well as cooled enough to open and serve, in time.

• Wherever brinjals are required to be griddled, fried, or burnt, one can butter it up and cook it in the microwave too. Though a little different in texture, it will be equally good in taste.

• Keep pan in which any vegetables are cooked, covered, after taking off fire, aside, for a few minutes. This will help the vegetable absorb the juices in. This also allow the hot vessel to blend the flavours slowly, to make the veg-table better, generally.

• Place teabags soaked in chilled water over closed eyes to relieve tired and strained eyes. Regular use will bring the sparkle and smile back to your eyes.

• Freeze puree of grilled and mashed brinjals, and add to gravy vegetables to add that typical brinjal flavour or even thicken a gravy, in a jiffy. Add a little salt, lemon juice and turmeric to the puree before freezing.

• Always keep slit or chopped brinjals in salted water, till required. Remove and use as per recipe, when required. This will keep them from turning black, which happens when they are kept otherwise, in a matter of minutes.

• Always garnish a dish just before it is ready to serve. If you are preparing any vegtable few hours ahead, then reheat and refresh before pouring into serving dish. Then garnish to give that attractive just-made look and taste.

• Add a lemon and onion to the vessel in which potatoes are boiled, add some water and boil a few minutes. Drain and wash with dishwashing soap. Will keep the vessel from discolouring.

• Keep grated potatoes in cold water to keep them from discolouring, till used. When required, drain, press out excess water, and dab on a clean kitchen towel. Use immediately.

• Place cotton pads soaked in potato juice (grated and extracted from raw potato) over eyes, to remove puffiness. Regular use will reduce dark circles from under eyes.

• Smash half a boiled potato, add a bit of water, and convert to a smooth paste (use a small mixie for convenience) and add to any soup to thicken and add body, if you have run out of cornflour.

• Keep silvers immersed in water in which potatoes were boiled. Remove af-ter an hour and wash regularly with soap. Will come out sparkling like new.

• Put tiny pieces of nonglossy newpaper into stale smelling bottle with narrow necks. Pour 1/3 full of detergent and water mixture. Soak for 2-3 hours. Shake well and wash clean with a bottle brush. The smell would have van-ished!

• Use a thick firm bayleaf to spread the batter, instead of the back of a spoon, to give that milk Sweetsmelling flavour of bay leaves.

• To refesh old ladoos, place in a microwave for 30 seconds. The ladoo will taste as good and fresh as just made.

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• Always plan your lunches or dinners, even regular ones ahead. A little time spent on that is worth a lot saved through haphazard planning, searching for ingredients you have and don't have, and even simulating dishes to work on more than one dish. This was you save a lot, lot more time than you spend on planning ahead. It will in the long run, help reduce your stress, keep you enough time and energy for other things and hobbies, and generally keep you smiling.

• Always add a teaspoon (at least, if recipe does not call for more) of wheat flour to the fat while popping gum crystals, to ensure their even popping of the crystals. They will also not stick together.

• Roast saffron very slightly before crushing into milk or water, for better ab-sorption and colour.

• Dip fingers in warm olive oil every alternate day for 7-8 minutes. Remove and rub the oil that stays over till the hands absorb it. Reuse the same oil cup to keep fingers and hands soft and free from winter dryness.

• Wash hands and feet before sleeping. Apply petroleum jelly generously. Wear woollen or cotton socks and mittens. This will not only keep you warm and decrease chances of catching colds, it will keep your hands and feet, soft and supple through the winter.

• If you are economizing, thoroughly wash used shampoo bottle with lid and pourer to dispense phenyl, detergent, oil and even liquid soap easily and without any waste.

• Soak brass or silver items in water drained from curdled milk. Allow to soak in the hot water for 10 minutes. Remove and wash with regular washing soap. They will sparkle like new.

• One tsp. soyaflour, with 3-4 pinches salt, 1/2 tsp. cream and 1/2 tsp. olive oil, mixed together and rubbed gently on skin make an excellent exfoliator for skin. Apply on face, rub with slow gentle strokes till you feel the skin tin-gling. Wash off with running water, and dab dry with soft towel.

• Use leftover salads in making a nice hot pulao. Steam rice, add a few spices, masalas, salad, cheese if desired, salt and toss well. Cover and simmer till very hot.

• Put tiny pieces of nonglossy newpaper into stale smelling bottle with narrow necks. Pour 1/3 full of detergent and water mixture. Soak for 2-3 hours. Shake well and wash clean with a bottle brush. The smell would have van-ished!

• Addition of lemon juice to dals and leafy vegetables make them more com-patible for absorbing Nutrients by the body.

• Never add pineapple as is, to jellies, etc. since it will not set well and taste bitter too. Always Boil in a little sweetened water, and drain, or use canned fruit (if you must).

• Use a wooden spatula to stir dishes like halwa, etc. while cooking, to avoid scratching of Utensils, and ease on the hands too.

• If you are economizing, thoroughly wash used shampoo bottle with lid and

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turn out softer and whiter. • Soak jewellery (eg. silver, copper, gold) in the water drained from curdled

milk for 15 mins. wash them with soap afterwards. Get back the sparkle in them to look new.









• If curd has turned sour, tie in cloth for a while (1/2-1 hour) remove in bowl add enough milk to get required consistency, beat well. The sourness will be gone. Use in raithas, rices, etc.

• Rub mustard oil on palms and soles to bring warmth to a shivering body. Also use as massage oil for aching joints and muscles. However, the smell may be a bit repulsive, so add a few drops of perfume if desired.

• Add a pinch of turmeric powder to the oil before adding green vegetables. The vegetables will retain their greenness better even after cooking.

• Rub used lemon halves dipped in salt over greasy pans, and wipe clean with an old newspaper before washing. This will remove all the extra grease and make the washing easier. You may even rub some flour instead.

• When carrying many food packets while travelling, use either transparent polythene bags or put a name sticker on each foil pack etc. so that guess-ing, opening and searching is avoided. When food is used up, use these bags to collect your litter on the way.

• Crush chikki coarsely and use as nougat over cakes and icecreams. Use nuts of your choice.

• Blanch green leafy vegetables ( fenugreek, spinach, etc.) in boiling water for 2 minutes. Hold under cold running water, press out excess water, store in freezer for about 2 weeks without spoiling.


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blowing air in the following way. Use an empty soft-plastic sauce dispenser bottle with a nozzle. Press so that the air blowing out will blow the dirt away.

• Place some soda bicarb open in a small shallow dish in the fridge. This will disallow odours of one dish mixing into another. Eg. milk and guavas.

• Place a folded cloth under any vessel which you have to whip in. You will have a better grip of the vessel since it will not slip over the worksurface. This holds good while mixing cake batter, icings, whipping, etc.

• Rest assured that honey can never be adulterated. If warm water is added, it will ferment. If any type of sugar syrup is added it will solidify. Also, the older the better.

• Fix candle in a container. Fill half the container with water before lighting the candle. This way, the candle lasts longer and the overflowed wax is easier to remove from the water. The container becomes easy to clean too.

• Add contents of a capsule of b complex to the water in your vase to make the flowers last longer.

• To freeze stock of your choice, eg., tomato, mixed vegetable as above, spinach, etc., prepare thick stock and cool to room temperature. Transfer to icecube trays and freeze to make solid cubes. Remove cubes and transfer to a freezable polythene bag, with an airseal. Remove excess air, seal tight. Store in freezer and use cubes as required.

• Make a concentrated solution of bleaching powder and water. Apply on stained surfaces and wash basins in a bathroom (tiles, etc., not metallic), leave overnight. Wash clean with water next day. Will keep the bathroom sparkling.

• Clean unreachable places and crevices in ovens and waffle trays etc. by using old tootbrushes dipped in soda bi carb. Then wipe clean with a soft cloth.

• Blend all ingredients together and keep overnight in a cool place. Use with any savoury dishes like pastas, minestrones, bakes, etc.

• Place tomatoes in hot water for 5-7 minutes, before using for easier peeling and better taste in any recipe where tomatoes are required to be cooked.

• If pizza sauce (or gravies) has become very thin, thicken by adding 2 slices of dayold bread, run in a mixie to make very fine crumbs. Using too much cornflour may make the sauce taste pasty.





• Use the water drained from curdle milk to knead chappati dough. They will

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pourer to dispense phenyl, detergent, oil and even liquid soap easily and without any waste.

• Soak brass or silver items in water drained from curdled milk. Allow to soak in the hot water for 10 minutes. Remove and wash with regular washing soap. They will sparkle like new.

• One tsp. soyaflour, with 3-4 pinches salt, 1/2 tsp. cream and 1/2 tsp. olive oil, mixed together and rubbed gently on skin make an excellent exfoliator for skin. Apply on face, rub with slow gentle strokes till you feel the skin tin-gling. Wash off with running water, and dab dry with soft towel.

• Use leftover salads in making a nice hot pulao. Steam rice, add a few spices, masalas, salad, cheese if desired, salt and toss well. Cover and simmer till very hot.

• To crush chillies fine, run in a small electric grinder with a pinch of salt. This will Remove with a rubber spatula. This will save a lot of time on chopping, as also it will Keep the hands safe from handling chillies. Even one or two chillies can be done Easily this way.

• To get rid of ants, apply a solution of tobacco and water, to the cracks, holes, and grooves Where the ants are coming from.

• Make a smooth paste of fresh tender green gram (1 tsp.), curds (2 tsp.), turmeric (2-3 pinches) spread smoothly over face. Wash after 15-20 min-utes for that fresh cool feeling.

• Shell very fresh tender green gram, fill into freezer bags, remove trapped air, freeze. The gram will be fresh for 2-3 weeks. Thaw to room temperature before using.

• If a grater is not handy, cut ginger or garlic into small bits. Crush with the back of a steel or wooden ladle. It will easily crush.

• To quicken the process of making any vegetable where the vegetable needs to be cooked for long, wash, drain sprinkle a little salt, and micro-wave covered, till done. Simultaneously, proceed on stove, to make the re-maining recipe. Add the microwaved vegetable and finish off cooking. This way, the vegetable is cooked with minimum water, in its own juices, and reduces cooking time considerably. But take care to add lesser water to masala, since the vegetable will not be cooked for so long.

• To make last minute cooking faster, roast the parathas, without oil, cool a little, then pile, cover with cloth and keep aside. When and as required, heat griddle, proceed with the shallow frying stage, and finish off. Serve them sizzling hot and crisp, yet fast!!!

• Rub slices of fresh cut raw potato over mud stains, allow to dry, then wash with detergent to remove effectively.

• Scrub iron griddle with a piece of silver warpping sheet of medicines. When rubbed with this along with the regular soap, the burnt and scarred remains will come off easily.

• Keep rolled puries in the fridge,for 10 minutes. It will consume less oil,and puries will crisper.Before frying onions soak them in milk for 10 minutes.The

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onions will fry fast and have a uniform colour and will be more crisper. Store chapathi dough after applying some milk ,it will not turn black.

• Remove lipstick stains from fabrics, by first rubbing with Vaseline. Then sponge with soap suds and wash with warm water.

• Place chopped veggies for salads in a large bowl of icecold water, before preparing salad, to give that fresh, crisp, crunchy feel.

• Remove grease stains: Put a few drops of methylated spirit on cottonwool and rub stain. If fresh, keep stained portion between layers of blotting pa-per, and rub gentlyl with hot iron, so it absorbs the grease. Then wash with warm soapy water.

• Sprinkle a couple of pinches of cocoa powder over the frothy top of a cup of Coffee for that extra flavour and garnish

• Remove coffee stains from fabrics, sponge stained area with borax solution, And wash off with warm soap suds. If stain is old and dried, loosen first with Glycerine solution.

• For fresh ghee take a slab of unsalted butter place in a heavy bottomed pan and mlet on very slow flame. Remove the froth as it forms with a slotted spoon. Dont the let it burn. When the oil is clear and stops frothing add a few methi (fenugreek) seeds to it and switch off the flame.

• To make soft puris and chappatis, the dough should be mixed properly and rested for atleast 20 minutes. Measure 1 cup atta to 1/2 cup boiling water. In a shallow dish, pour 1/2 cup water and 2-3 drops of oil and salt to taste.. Sprinkle the atta over it, stirring gently with the end of a ladle or serving spoon, till a mass is formed. After a minute, knead with your hand to make a soft ball. Cover for 20 minutes, then use as required.

• Chicken becomes especially tender if you marinate it for and hour in curd (raw yoghurt) mized in with some of whtever spices your recipe calls for and salt. Half teaspoon of sugar is also an excellent tenderiser.

• Dear friends, When many chapatis are left over you can turn it into a very tasty dish.Crumble the chapatis into fine pieces by putting it in the dry grinder.Heat oil as required depending on the no of chapatis left.add mus-tard seds hing haldipowder and groundnuts.Then add onions thathave been sliced lengthwise.Add the crumbled chapatis, salt and chillipowder to taste.Mi x properly for a few minutes and remove from fire.Sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice and coriander leaves finely chopped./serve hot.

• Use, if possible earthenware vessels to enhance the flavour of Rajasthani dals and curries.

• If frying almonds, cashews, etc. at the same time, first fry the cashews, then almonds, as the Almonds will discolour the frying medium.

• To fry chillies safely, especially when deep frying, lower them in the oil in slotted spoon, and Hold them down, with the back of another flat wide spoon.

• For easier rolling of masala rotis, parathas, etc. which tend to stick to you wooden rolling board, Slip board into a clean smooth plastic bag and pull

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an effective and refreshing pack. • To make an easy muslin pouch: Take 2 consecutive corners of a rectangu-

lar piece of cloth and knot together tightly. Repeat for other 2 ends. Hold like a hammock shape, pour in the curd and use the knots to hang the pouch. Halfway, close the opening with a plain clothesline clip. Hand on a hook or tap easily.

• Colour code similar keys around the house (set of cabinets, etc) by using 2 sets of of plain multicoloured bindis. Stick one on the key head and the other of the same colour on the door of the corresponding closet. Use for fevicol or glue for lasting effect.

• Drain and keep any extra channa dal aside after cooking. Chill and then add chopped onions, chutneys, coriander, salt, chopped cucumber and to-matoes. Serve chilled as bhel with cups of steaming hot tea.

• Wipe clean, glass of showcases, cars, windows etc. with a soft cloth dipped in the following: A strong solution of salt made by dissolving 2 tbsp. salt in 1 cup warm water.

• To bring a sparkle to metal fittings in bathrooms, taps, etc., apply a thin vim paste all over, keep for 1 hour and wash off with warm soapy water and scrubber. Finally wash with plain water and wipe dry with a clean absorbent cloth.

• If batter of any bhajias tends to become too thin, wet a slice or two of bread, press out all excess water, and mash it into the batter. This will help greatly in thickening the batter.

• Do not dry wet leather shoes by putting in a warm place (like, before a fire) since they may dry faster but will become stiff and wear fast. Instead, stuff them with old absorbent cloth (cotton ) and allow to dry .

• To make bhakris of flours like maize, bajra (millet), jowar etc. always make dough as required. Making too much hours ahead with make the dough gooey and impossible to roll or pat.

• Use a plastic scrubber (round ball type) to scrub potatoes, beets, carrots etc. of mud, dirt, etc. from the crevices and curves easily. Keep the scrub-ber exclusively for this purpose only, for obvious reasons of hygiene.

• Paneer crumbs, bread crumbs and some melted butter, tossed together form an excellent topping if you run short of cheese, for any baked dishes.

• Use a mixture of lemon juice and glycerine in equal parts to dip nails which are brittle and bruised to make them stronger and shinier. Repeat process regularly if the case is extreme.

• 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.

• If curds have become too sour to eat as is, tie as above for 3-4 hours, add milk and use in raitas, curd rice, etc.

• Blow out dirt from crevices of electronic gadgets, carved furniture, etc., by

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polybags. Use cubes as required in recipes. • Grate cucumber before soiling your hands with any other ingredients, like

chillies. Save the extracted water and apply on face with a clean cotton ball. Wash off after 30-40 minutes for a clean, cool, feel.

• Throw in a handful of soaked beans or sprouts to give the added nourish-ment, as a combination in any raitha.

• Stitch oval muslin bags with a loop to hang curds, paneer, etc. easily. Do not use them for other purposes to keep them clean and odourless.

• Use the residue of tamarind to wash brass vessels to bring back the shine. Add in a dash of salt and soap powder.

• To make creamier raithas, add half a cup of fresh cream to one recipe of raitha. Makes the dish much more rich, though.

• Roast cumin seeds on a warm griddle before dry grinding. They will give a better flavour and grind faster.

• Dip silver ornaments like toerings, payals, etc., in the curd whey got from hanging sour curds. Wash with soap after an hour or two, for a clean spar-kling look.

• 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.

• 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.

• To access bindis easily, put them in a small photo album, like photographs. They will be not fall about and can be located very fast.

• To save time, boil extra channa drain, freeze in freezable polybags, thaw to room temperature before using. Proceed as for freshly boiled channa. Add a bayleaf or two while boiling lentils, gives a better flavour.

• 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.

• Always hold silver foil with edges, invert over the dish. Never attempt to hold with hand. It will stick to the fingers. If small bits are required, cut folded in paper and then apply as above. Smoothen out with the paper it-self.

• A shortcut method is to use cashew powder, soaked for 10 minutes in some milk. Then proceed as above. But the result may not be as smooth as the original recipe.

• Toast a few slices of bread till crisp. Grind into fine bread crumbs. Store in a tight glass jar. Use as a handy thickener for gravies, soups, etc., if they feel too watery.

• Save a tsp. of mashed dal from above. Mix in a tsp. each of fine oatmeal, rosewater and cream. Apply on face. Wash off after 15-20 minutes. Makes

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tight over surface. • Line the bottom of sink with a thin sheet of sponge or thick towel, while

washing delicate and Costly glassware and crockery. This will avoid any drastic mishaps of breakage.

• To get bushy eye brows, apply hair conditioner to eye brows at night every-day and leave overnight washoff in the morning. The nutrients in the condi-tioner work wonders.

• To cut any rolled rounds in desired shapes use a pizza cutter instead of a knife. You will get A better finish, and the round will not crease or pull with the knife.

• Pin a 4" x 4" square plastic near your dresser, or bathroom to hold your bin-dis while not in use. This way your dresser furniture and bathroom mirror will be free of bindi gum, left behind after Removing bindi from there. Re-place plastic after it gets gummy enough!!

• If frying oil tends foam, add a small ball of tamarind to it, and the foaming will gradually stop.

• Whenever we buy vermicelli or sooji, before storing if we fry them until it turns light brown colour, it can last longer. And whenever we want to cook them, it will be instantly ready to cook and less time cosuming.

• If short of space, wash machine dry curtains and hang them in their place without drying on a clothesline. They will solve your problem of an over-crowded clothesline and will reduce on step of the job. Pull them end to end to spread them fully and let the air dry them.

• If you find it hard to make diwali rangoli designs with hand, use a small noz-zled funnel, control the flow of the filled rangoli with thumb or middle finger, and make desired designs easily. Do not use pure colours without rangoli in this way because they will not fall through easily.

• Grind slightly warmed and cooled cardamom pods in a small dry mixie. Use a fine Sieve to get fine powder, repeat with the coarse residue till maximum powder is got. Store easily in a clean dry bottle, for months. This way even the flavour of the skin is utilized, more powder is obtained and it is Less dark, so the sweet does not get discoloured if white, etc. in colour.

• Scrape coconut shells clean with sand paper. Make their surfaces smooth by rubbing Sand paper, and make decorative bowls, ladles, etc. by painting, varnishing and Decorating with beads, shells, etc.

• Chill cucumber juice and apply pads soaked in them over tired and strained eyes, to release the tension and bring back freshness and sparkle. Repeat daily.

• Soak almonds, pistachios, etc. in water for and hour or two, to ease slicing them. Drain and dab dry with a thick kitchen towel or clean cloth, before cutting.

• To make a floral arti dish requirements are: rose pedals, cunco, adhesive tape, glitters

• Take your thali (plate) and border it with rose petals. Draw an "om" with the

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double side adhesive tape in the middle of thali. Sprinkle glitters on the ad-hesive tape. Take the cunco and put dots on the rose pedals.

• To chase away cockroaches from cupboards make the following balls, dry in a dry shaded Place, and keep inside the drawers, cupboards, shelves, etc. Only take care, not to keep them In wet places. Mix together boric pow-der, wheat flour, and ground sugar in 4:2:1 proportion. Sieve together, add enough cold milk to make a stiff dough. Make small marble sized balls These will stay effective for about 2 ½ to 3 months, after which they should be replaced with Fresh ones.

• Whenever boiling and straining tomatoes (eg. Soups), use the residue in any vegetable or Gravy instead of discarding it. Even the insides, when to-matoes are hulled, can be used in The same way.

• To skin whole tomatoes easily, put them in boiling water, cover and keep aside for a few Minutes. Remove and peel off the skin easily.

• Wipe cane furniture with a cloth soaked in extra warm water, to which salt has been added, to keep the firmness of the cane meshing intact. About 2 tbsp. to a bucket is ideal.

• Mix together a big pinch of salt in any cold cream or even plain white petro-leum jelly and Apply on face. Scrub smoothly with palms for about 3 min-utes, to exfoliate skin, and remove Dead cells. Wash off with mild soap, and warm water, to leave a fresh, clean, tinglin skin.

• Try removing ball pen ink stains with nailpolish remover. Dab over it and rub gently with cotton Soaked in remover. Wash after drying, with mild deter-gent.

• To slice vegetables with smooth skins like capsicum, tomatoes, remove a thin sliver of skin Vertically. Place knife over this strip while making the slices. This will cut much easier, neater, And quicker.

• For a shortcut method of making stuffed veggies fast, use a small pressure cooker instead of a Pan, proceed by adding oil, and working as you would in the pan. But once all ingredients are Added, and water, then shut cooker and allow one whistle. Usually the vegetable gets done just Right. One may required some trials as to amount of water required. Veggies like gherkins, Stuffed ridge gourds, brinjals, etc. can be made in this manner.

• To cut tamarind easily, do not use a knife. Cut with a sharp pair of kitchen scissors. This will Cut fast and to required sizes. Also, there will be not mess.

• If you have too many vegetables stocked in the refrigerator and are worried about them getting Bad and wasted, prepare some fillings, stuffings, gra-vies, as per available vegetables, and freeze In small containers, to use when required much later. This way you can even store up before You leave for a journey. On return, you will have precooked dishes, so meals can be prepared in A jiffy without too much effort.

• Soak tamarind in warm water for making fast and smooth paste. • Do not discord the water after boiling the vegetables. Collect the water in a

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kilogram of tamarind. Store in airtight plastic or glass container. • To keep chappatis warm longer, cover the pile with two piece of clean cloth

above and below in a tight steel container. Leave on a griddle that has been warmed first.

• To clean the surface of vegetables like potato, radish, sweetpotato, 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 pinch of soda bicarb to green vegetables while steaming or boiling or cooking in the microwave to retain the fresh green colour.

• Use thick short grained rice for dosa and idli batter where ordinary rice is asked for. This will give a netter texture than using long grained basmati rice.

• Spend 10 minutes each morning (even if it is in the bathroom), to make a list of work to be done with approx. time required. Pin it on your refrigerator door. Your work will get much more organised and you will find a lot of time saved at the end. Beside none of it will be left behind due to forgetting.

• Rub mirrors with first wet and then dry newpaper. Cursh into a loose ball and rub vigorously. The mirror will sparkle without leaving any wipe lines.

• If the idli sagoo tends to get too watery, add a tbsp. of fine breadcrumbs or 1 tsp. cornflour mixed in 1/4 cup water. Stir well till gravy thickens.

• Excess batter may be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days without turning sour. Do not add salt to that batter beforehand, and cover with a plaintain leaf. Add salt and mix a few hours before using.

• Add a handful of rice flour to bhajia batter for crisper and less oily bhajias. • Never beat idli batter too much just before spooning into moulds. Just

spoon as is. The air already incorporated while rising is lost and idlis may not be as soft as they should be.

• Grate excess fresh coconut, fill in clean freezer bags, and freeze. After thawing for use, wash with water 2-3 times, for coconut as good as fresh.

• Mix in some mashed rice in the thick starch water. Blend to a thick batter. Add salt and chat masala for taste. Spoon out thin small papads on a greased plastic sheet. Use the backof a ladle. Sun-dry till brittle. Store in airtight container. Deep fry as a tasty snack.

• Water plants with the water from cleaning rice, instead of throwing away. This water is like a diluted food for the plants.

• Dehydrate leftover rice in an oven or sundry, till brittle. Puff up some by deep frying as required, add to soups as rice crispies.

• Use starch water from rice to give a light starch to your cotton or silk scarves, dupattas, or sarees. Dilute before using.

• Pressurecook lots of tomatoes, with adding water to them. Make puree in blender. Strain, cool, freeze in icetrays. When set, remove and fill in freezer

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• To unmould chilled dishes quickly, dip container halfway into hot water for a few seconds and then unmould.

• For best effects of your decorative icecreams, sundaes, floats, etc., use plain transparent glasses with interesting shapes, like conical, balloon, stemmed, slender, etc. Opaque glasses will hide the essential decorative feature of these yummies.

• Always chill glasses before preparing the icecream in it. This way it will stay stiff longer.

• Use aluminium containers instead of steel to set the icecream faster. Also, place a thick plactic sheet or spread some salt under the container to keep it from sticking to the floor of the freezer.

• Never try to refreeze icecream which has melted completely due to reasons like electricity breakdown. The result will taste disastrous. Instead, add you favourite flavour or fruit and run in a mixie to make delicious milk shake.

• For simple but extravagant looking topping, take 2-3 healthy strawberries. Make incisions vertically from tip to base, to form slices. But do not cut fully. Stop just below the base. Now press sideways gently, to form a fan shaped strawberry. Use as topping decor for cakes, icecreams, puddings, etc.

• It is best to defrost the fridge before making icecream, so that the base of the container is not jammed, as also the icecream will set faster and better.

• Do not throw away the green tender stalks of cauliflower base. Chop fine and use in soups like other vegetables. You will be adding fibre to your soup.

• Store leftover dough and filling in freezer (properly packed) to make fresh parathas when required. Take care to thaw the ingredients before using.

• Clean stains from electronic items like tvs, computers, etc. with some cotton douzed in spirit. Follow with a soft clean moist cloth, and finally a dry flannel cloth.

• 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.

• Leftover parathas eaten cold with hot tea taste good. • Wear an old sock while doing dirty scrubbing and cleaning jobs to protect

your hands from abrasions. • Always mash potatoes when they are still quite hot. They mash more easily

and can be finely mashed too. • Grease the grated on both sides with oil before grating sticky items like

cheese or boiled potatoes, to allow for smoother grating. • 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

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container and store in the fridge. During the weekend you can use this as a base stew for any soup

• Paint brass napkin holders with transparent nailpaint to keep there shine intact for a long Time.

• Apply some transparent adhesive liquid over stitching of footwear, with a fine brush, to make Them last longer.

• To replant seeds of a good quality ripe papaya, take seeds, add some ashes of coal or wood. Mix Together and keep till completely dried. Now plant seeds in a planter, then transplant seedlings, When about 8-10 inches tall.

• Rub inner peel of ripe papaya over face and neck. Wash off with tap water, and wipe with A soft towel after 15 minutes. Apply a mild astringent if de-sired. This leaves a cool, fresh, Feel on the face for hours. Regular use, will make the skin soft and glowing.

• Always set puddings, jellies, etc. till very firm, but do not allow them to freeze hard. They will Lose their original lightness by doing so. Chill till well set in freezer, then transfer to chiller Or lower section of fridge. Return to freezer for just 10 minutes before serving.

• Keep rolled puris in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes before frying them,they will consume less oil,and be more crispy when fried after 10 minutes. --

• If you put more salt in curry (any) or you feel like you have put more salt then cut raw potato slices drop it in the curry dish and wait for half an hour. Potato slices will absorb all the excess salt -- from Pittsburgh

• To prevent overboiled milk from spilling out of the vessel,apply ghee or glycerene on the edges of the vessel. --

• Garnish casseroles after they are ready with decoratively cut vegetables like flowers from tomato skins, carrot curls, onions curls, etc.

• Always underboil the spaghetti a wee bit, so that it becomes well done by the time it cools and is baked. Never make it mushy.

• Use a soft baby toothbrush to clean nails while bathing. They come out clean And it is not harsh on the nails.

• Use a soft nylon cloth to wipe away dirt stains from walls, painted furniture Electronic gadgets like tv sets, computers, etc. Take care to keep the cloth Slightly moist.

• Always strain sugar or jaggery syrups before adding to sweets, so that the muddy grains do not Taste like grit in the sweet dishes. Allow the grit to set-tle below before straining.

• Make a savoury hot snack out of leftover or staled khakhras, seasoning as for chappati kava (as in index).

• Use, if possible earthenware vessels to enhance the flavour of Rajasthani dals and curries.

• Do not discard amchoor water. Use to wash copper vessels, silver, etc. to bring back a sparkle. You may even refrigerate and use as a souring agent in daals, etc.

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• To sour buttermilk if required for recipe, add about 1/8 tsp. citric acid to a cup of buttermilk.

• While cutting onions keep the water tap running to avoid watery eyes. -- (The Netherlands)

1. To make soft 'idlis' and 'dosas' add a handfull of Puffed rice or Poha 2. To prevent insects like silver fish from creeping into your cupboards and

damaging your clothes and books tie few Kalonji seeds in a muslin cloth and keep in the corner of the shelf.

• I have a quick way to polish ur furniture without buying costly furniture pol-ish from stores.

• Just take a tbl sp of vegetable oil in a bowl & add 1 tbl sp of lime juice to it mix them well & with a soft cloth apply it on your furniture & immediately wipe off with a dry soft cloth. your furniture will shine like new

• Caked mud should first be scraped off fabric with a blunt knife. Soak in warm soap suds, and Wash with a soft scrubber.

• Rub the inner side of a banana peel all over the face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes. Wash With tap water and dab with a soft towel thereafter. An easy instant natural treatment which Makes facial skin feel fresh and rejuve-nated.

• Use tops of carrots to make fabric prints or prints on handpaper etc. for decorative effect. One may carve seal impressions on them too before pressing them in paint and onto fabric.

• Serve tiny helpings of salads on small cracker biscuits (like monaco) or canape thins Topped with some grated cheese, or paneer. They make ex-cellent cocktail pickups. Take care to serve immediately.

• Use any of the leftover salads to make a filling for a tasty sandwich. Spread some green Chutney on the slices before putting the filling.

• Any leftover batter from dipped bhajias, need not be thrown Away. Hold a perforated (round even holes) large flat spoon, Over hot oil, pour batter through. The pearl shaped fries, can be Fried till crisp, but not browned, drained, and stored to use a `boondi' in boondi raitha. (refer recipe for raitha)

• Cover refrigerated bananas, or else its smell will permeate in milk Which may be stored in an open vessel in the same fridge.

• Inner peel of bananas can be rubber over skin, and washed off After 15 minutes, for that fresh, cool, glowing feeling.

• To get the best textured whipped cream, see that the container, in Which the cream is to be beaten is chilled, the cream itself is well Chilled and the sugar is powdered. Also place the container in a Plate of chilled water or ice, in hot climate.

• Put a firm banana for company with still to ripen tomatoes, into a closed basket or a loose Plastic bag. They will ripen very fast.

• Use Idly cooker for baking by using little water at the bottom and placing the dish above it.

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throw away the whey. Use to knead dough for paratbas, or soak silver trin-kets and brush with soap water to clean them. Or scrub copper of copper bottom vessels to make them sparkling clean.

• While sieving maize flour do not throw away the upper rough husk. Use this mixed with gram or urad or masoor dal flour as a scrub, by making a paste with some curds and rose water. Your face will feel clean, fresh and healthy.

• Rub soap cake over food stains on fabric. Dry in sun for 2-3 hours. Wash with regular detergent and see the stain clear or lighten to almost invisible.

• When garden saplings of palak, chilli, are attacked by sparrows cover with an old door or window mesh or spike up a tent of an old nylon mosquito net.

• Always warm dry spices like cuminseeds, cardamom, cloves, etc. on a grid-dle before powdering. The grinding will be done faster and powder will be finer.

• To invert casseroles in a plate, you must line the casserole with grease-proof paper, with the edge jutting just above the rim of the container. To invert, fold down the edge over rim of the container. Place the plate upside-down on the container. The paper should jut out. In a swift movement, in-vert the whole combination of plate, paper and container. Now the plate is right side up, the container upside down and the paper jutting out. Hole the paper down and carefully lift the casserole. Carefully remove paper.

• Never scrape burnt leftovers from casseroles. Soak in a weak solution of vinegar, salt and soapy warm water for an hour or so. The stuck particles will come off very easily, without scratching the dish.

• To soften the taste of any extra sharp vegetable eg. fenugreek leaves, rad-ish leaves, etc., Chop them, sprinkle some salt all over and keep aside for 10 minutes. Press out all the water and wash well 2-3 times in a colander.

• To make things easier, prepare enough to to make some tacos, some en-chiladas, and even nacho chips. Store separately as shown in recipes and use as desired.

• Always buy transparent (see through) containers for refrigerators, freezers, etc. These being see-through allow easy visibility of contents and eliminates searching, opening & checking or labelling of containers.

• When removing rind of oranges or lemons take care not to include the white pithy part, or the rind will taste bitter. To store, either air dry or dry in a mi-crowave after cutting or grating. Store in an airtight jar.

• Always keep dough covered with a moist cloth to avoid a dry crust from forming on it. Keep the cloth moist by rinsing in water every time it begins to feel dry.

• To remove tomato skin easily, blanch them in very hot water for 8-10 min-utes. Remove, peel and chop or mash as required.

• To make the task less tedious prepare the taco shells and salsa dip a day or two in advance, since the shells will stay fresh for even over a week if stored in an airtight container.

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• Always keep cut or slit brinjals soaking in salt water, to avoid their becoming discoloured.

• Cut bhindi an hour before frying or stuff to make stuffed okra and refrigerate at least for half an hour before making, to cook it fast and blend the taste well too.

• Wipe fungus covered leather garments and footwear with a clean wad of cloth soaked in kerosene.

• Soak petals of lots of roses in water overnight. Add water after passing through a colander, to the bath water. Makes and excellent luxury bath and puts all those bouquets you are stuck with after a function, to good use!! Add a handful of tulsi leaves too if you wish.

• Help puris to puff better by applying light pressure of the back of your perfo-rated spatula or flat spoon, and heat ghee very well.

• In US Tomato Juice is available in large cans. This is very convenient for making rasam and other dishes which require the usage of tomato. I nor-mally buy a large can pour it in the Ice cube containers in the freezer (normally used to make ice). I store these cubes in a ziplock bag and use them. They are very convenient and rasam and other dishes taste very good with these too. -- Chicago

• Boil neem leaves and tender stalks in lots of water, till a dark decoction is obtained. Cover keep overnight. Next day, strain and use decoction as a plant spray to keep them healthy and fit.

• Always iron hand painted fabrics from the wrong side. The paint will not spoil and will look brighter.

• To remove grease stains from fabrics. Soak stain in pure petrol. Allow to dry. Wash with soap and water as usual. Do not soak in soap.

• Make a paste of gramflour and honey, with a few drops of lime. Wash face, rub the used lemon vigorously all over face and neck. Apply paste. Keep for 10 minutes. Wash off with tap water. Feel your skin glowing and fresh.

• Use the silver foil wrappings of used medicines to scrub greasy utensils like tawas, pans, etc. Embed them at the base of plastic scrubbers for easy use and grip.

• Never take your cookbook to the kistchen. Always make a rough note of your recipe on a piece of paper, pin/magnetically stick it over your work-place at eye level. This way: You preserve you cookbooks better and your recipe is bang in front of your eyes so reference is easier with less chances of mistakes. Also, you've automatically gone through you recipe once be-fore proceeding to make it.

• Wrap woollens in newspaper while storing, since the ink in the newprint acts as an insect repellent.

• Do not throw away the drained water in which dal is boiled. Use it as stock for soup, dal or even a gravy vegetable.

• If curds is too sour tie for 10 minutes in a muslin cloth, to remove the sour whey. Use the residual curds to proceed after adding a little milk. Do not

Page : 27 Ratna

• Whenever lemon slices are added to any tea, make sure to remove every single seed, or the tea Will taste bitter.

• While tasting hot decoction, keep very sweet, since after cooling the sweet-ness reduces, as also The added icecubes will dilute the sweetness.

• If not using tea leaves for a long time, pour into clean ziplock bag, remove excess air, seal tight And place in an airtight container, to lock it freshness in. Especially so when you are going to Lock up home for a while.

• Rinse washed hair with a dilute decoction of tea in the last mugful, to add a lustre and bounce To your hair.

• Add cardamom peels to the tea canister, instead of discarding. It will lend a very subtle flavour Of cardamom to every cup of tea you brew!

• Apply decoction, got from boiling tea leaves in plain water and strained, to dark circles under The eyes. Cool the decocotion well before applying, Regular application will lighten them.

• Do not discard strained tea leaves. Add them to the soil of rose plants, to act as an excellent Manure. If you have many plants, feed one a day, in ro-tation.

• Warm the mixing bowl slightly, before kneading dough which contains yeast. This will result in A lighter fluffier dough, as the yeast will react better.

• Bake unused pizza bases partially and blind, in the oven, cool, cover in cling film or clean Airtight freezer bags, and refrigerate. Use as required, after thawing to room temperature. The base should get a bit stiff, but not browned.

• Place clean kitchen napkins above and below a pile of hot chappatis in the box, to keep the from Becoming soggy.

• Slip large photocorners on corners of valuable books to preserve them bet-ter and minimise their Wear and tear.

• Make a savoury hot snack out of leftover or staled khakhras, seasoning as for chappati kava (as in index).

• Crumble leftover bread, buns, etc. which may have become too dry or a bit stale, add green Chillies, salt, ginger, garlic, onion chopped, and a bit of water. Mix to form a sticky gooey Batter. Deepfry dumplings in hot oil, till golden and crisp. An excellent alternative to bhajias.

• If bread tends to feel too dry or stale, brush with some milk, cover in a foil, warm in a preheated Oven for 5 minutes. It will be fresh and soft again.

• Test to check if bread has been done completely. Invert and knock the base lightly with your Knuckles. It is done if the sound is hollow. If base is soggy, then more baking is required.

• Never reshape dough once it has been shaped and rested after punching. The risen dough must Not be disturbed or texture of the baked product may not turn out as it should.

• Never place breads on uppermost or lowermost racks of the oven, espe-cially the large ones, or the baking will not be even, and the insides might stay underbaked while the crust will become too dark and hard.

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• Soak all your brass lamps, vases curios etc.. in a bucket of water to which 3 inch diameter ball of tamarind chunk is added, for about 4 to 5 hours. Wash with JEF or any cream bathroom detergent. Dry thourougly and then apply brasso. This way it will retain the shine for more than 2 to 3 weeks!

• Wash your Diamonds with Toothpaste on an old toothbrush. Then wash in clean water. They will sparkle!!

• Cut off roots of fresh Dhania(coriander)leaves and pack in two to three sheets of news paper and refrigerate. Keeps upto a week or two fresh!

• When your shower curtian turns mouldy, soak it in a bucket of water with 1/4 cup of bleach to 10 litres of water overnight. Bingo!! All the mould out! wash as usual. (Singapore).

• To clean blender, mixer bowls easily, after emptying content, add a cupful of water, run for a few seconds. All clogged particles will easily get flushed out. Use this water to add to gravies, soups, etc.

• Soyabean granules are a highly nutritional product, which may be used to thick gravies, soups, Etc. with ease. Soak a little in water beforehand. Crush to make smooth texture. Add as required.

• Cover face with fresh clean peels of cucumber, potato, etc. (soaked in a little rosewater), relax For 15 minutes, remove peels and wash off with tap water. Pat dry with soft towel. Gives you a great fresh and rejuvenated feel-ing. You will almost feel your pores breathing back.

• Use old shaving brushes to clean insides of ovens, toaster, etc. to reach the difficult corners, Crevices, etc.

• For ease in rolling bhakris, etc. without soiling the rolling board, just slip the board into a Large polythene bag, and tuck the loose sides under the board, before placing it down. To roll other chappatis, just slip out the board from the bag.

• When you are cooking brinjal add a spoon of milk so that the brinjal retain its colour without becoming black.

• You can add same while cooking banana or any other vegetable to retain the colour and taste will remain good.

• Before putting the cake batter in the tin sprinkle some castor sugar then put the batter. It will give the cake an unusual sheen. from; -- , India

• You will get better results with mint pulao if you saute mint leaves in a tea-spoon of butter oil before cooking with rice. --

• Top a fresh plain buttered toast with a sprinkling of chaat masala, peanut chutney, andhra pudi, Malaga pudi, etc. to added a change in monotony of bread butter jam or chutney.

• To reduce bouts of cough, chew on dried pomegranate skins. • Do not sieve wheat flour with a very fine sieve, as all the bran and subse-

quently the fibre Will be lost. • Drop a capful of your favourite shower or bath gel into the water runnig into

the tub or bucket. It will make your bath a pleasure and leave a lingering fragrance on you and in the bathroom For a long time

Page : 37 Ratna

glass or plastic, for ease in locating, cleaning and keeping track of whats required to be refilled.

• If puffed rice is not crisp and crunchy, dry roast in a large heavy pan, stirring continuously, till quite hot. Cool back to room temperature. It will get back its crunchiness.

• While cutting onions, soak them in cold water for half hour and then cut. Your eyes will not water. Better still if you keep it in the fridge overnight be-fore cutting, eyes will not water. --

• Soak dirty jogging shoes overnight, drain out dirty water and run in the washing machine for a gentle wash using detergent. They will come out very clean.

• Keep a large black cardamom in the mouth, for relief from persistent cough.When it eventually softens, chew and swallow.

• Keep boondi unseasoned, just plain fried and use in boondi raita as re-quired (refer raitas)

• Cover jar labels, etc. with transparent scotchtape, to keep its ink from fad-ing, running, etc. and the label from tearing with use.

• Air out the sago seeds in hot sun for half an hour before frying, to get very well-fried sago. Sometimes the centres which stay hard, can be avoided by doing this.

• When frying a variety of things at a time, plan the order, keeping the lighter coloured ones first ones with chillies or darker ones towards the last. Since the oil will get coloured by frying the chillied things, then the lighter ones will discolour.

• Keep a good foodie kiddie chart for your kid in the dining room. Every time he eats well, add a colourful star or sticker of his/her favourite screen star, to give him a feeling of achievement. Works like magic with many kids.

• Removed side crusts of breadcan be dried in oven till crisp, cooled and ground to use as bread bread crumbs. Use for rolling in patties, etc. before deep frying or as a thickener for gravies.

• Use a woodhandled rubber kitchen spatula to scrape or empty any cooked dish or chutneys. This way, the vessels comes clean and washing is eased, and saving of soaps etc. is quite a bit.

• 1 tiny boiled potato given to the child at least 2-3 times a week is nutritious. Add seasoning or curds, but do not fry. Do a lot more good than fries.

• Use old soft bedspreads to make soft sleepons for infants (the filling being layers of the bedspread and not polycotton or heavy cotton which has to be lined with plastic to keep dry.) Hygienic, easy to machine wash, safe and soft, and economical too.

• To save time, dry ground powders can be made ahead, and stored in tight containers when you have more free time. Use when required. Masala pow-der that use coconut must be kept in the refrigerator.

• When coring whole jackfruit, handle with kitchen gloves or grease palms to avoid the resulting discolouration.

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OR. • Make croutons in a jiffy. Cut 2 slices day old bread in small cubes. Heat a

tbsp. of butter in a heavy pan, add cubes, and stir fry till they are crisp and golden brown.

• To make vegetable stock, boil veggies like carrots, cabbage, celery, potato, etc. in plenty of water. When cooked keep aside till cooled. Drain the water and use as stock, use veggies in dishes like pav bhaji, thick soups, gravies, kababs, etc. Or just a spicy tasty vegetable out them.

• Day old bread, blended in a dry mixie, to make fine crumbs, acts as an ex-cellent thickener in gravies, batters, soups, etc.

• Apply petroleum jelly all along the hairline, face and neck before applying dye to hair. This will avoid staining of the skin with dye that tends to run down.

• Add a pinch of sodabicarb to spinach while boiling to retain its bright green colour. Also never overcook greens as they will lose thier colour taste and vital nutrients too.

• Line the bottom of your salt jar with 2 layers of blotting paper before pouring it in. The salt will not become moist even in humid climate.

• Simply add water to curds (ratio of curds: water is 1:3 for thick and 1:4 for thin buttermilk. There is no need to buy it from stores, which is not economi-cal at all)

• Crush any leftover, broken puris, toss into a salad of chopped onions, cu-cumbers, tomatoes, Add seasoning of salt, crushed red chilli, crushed cumin, coriander, sugar and a dash of vinegar. Chill salad first, toss in thepuri just before serving.

• You can do the cleaning of kitchen and utensils while waiting for boiling, heating and lot of other activities over the stove. This will save lot of time and extra efforts. --

• Clean all your Silverware with toothpaste (You can use cotton for rubbing). They will sparkle like they were bought yesterday ! --

• Always keep a couple of boiled potatoes, in their jackets, stocked in the re-frigerator. They come in handy to make dishes in a jiffy, be a vegetable, chaat, pulao, or paratha. They keep good for 4-5 days if properly stored. Peel when required.

• Wrap hands in either plastic kitchen gloves or just plain plastic bags while handling chillies. These will keep the hands from the burning sensation later on. Rub ghee on palms if chillies cause burning hands. After the sensation cools, rub the peel of a used lemon for 2-3 minutes and wash off.

• Use tender stems of cauliflower leaves at its base to give body to vegetable stock. Or chop very fine. Stirfry and add to any soup. Give a distinct beauti-ful flavour.

• Any vada mixture should be beaten well with hand prior to frying, to incor-porate air in the batter and make it light, as also soft on frying.

• Always store kitchen ingredients in see through containers of either clear

Page : 29 Ratna

• If instant coffee has set in a bottle due due humidity. Pour some hot water over it, dissolve and Refrigerate. Use in liquid form, and add as desired. Do not keep for too many weeks, as it May ferment.

• Store plain flour in clean ziplock bags in refrigerator, to keep insects from attacking it. This way the flour will stay fresh much longer.

• While cooking veggies with less water, in their own moisture, cover pan with a deep lid, pour About 150 ml. water in lid. This will quicken the cooking process by returning the steam formed inside back into the vegetable, as also it will retain the nutrients better. Even the flavour of the vegetable is noticeably better.

• 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, proceed. Wherever day old bread is re-quired, and you have only soft fresh slices, put in the toaster for A few sec-onds, till it is slightly dry, but not browned. Remove and all to cool com-pletely before Using to crumble.

• Always use a standard set of measuring instruments for your cooking. This Will save a lot of time on approximations, and additions-deletions. Also it will avoid searching for measuring gadgets at the last moment.

• Place a kitchen towel under the legs of a rolling board, while making Chap-paties. The board will not slip, and allow faster rolling.

• If your oven glove is not protection enough and you hand still feels the heat, or if it is too large to fit you comfortably, line it with a few layers of newpa-per.

• Wipe rusted needles clean with kerosene or petrol. The rust will come off easily. Secure in a tiny pillow made of soft old material. This way they won t rust or get lost.

• The basic pathod can be made at once, and divided into the various forms as desired, to make Variety, as well as reduce time and work.

• Keeping a small lump of edible gum in the mouth, will bring relief to mouth boils and blisters.

• Roasted wheat flour can be used in small quantities to thicken gravies, etc. Or reduce the Sharpness of extra salt which may have been added.

• To pop gum crystals well, add a tsp. of wheat flour to the ghee in which it is popped. This way They pop better as also, they do not stick together or burn.

• Dry pomegrante skin, break into small pieces, chew these now and then to reduce coughing Spasms.

• Use any of the above leftover sabzis can be used to make masala para-thas. Add the sabzi to Some wheat flour, add any other veggies if desired, like grated gourd, or greens, or carrot, Or just dry masalas like chilli powder, salt, dhania powder, turmeric. Add some oil too. Knead To a soft dough, and make parathas or puris as desired.

• Cool and pour fenugreek water in any potted or other plant, it is nutritious

Page : 30 Manohar

for them. Do not Discard down the drain. • To get crystal clear icecubes use boiled water to make them. • If curds is too sour, drain for a while in a fine meshed colander to remove

the whey. Transfer to A container, add enough milk for desired thickness and beat well. The whey can be used to Knead dough for chappatis, etc. to make them softer.

• To avoid handi dishes from burning at the bottom, place a tawa (griddle) on the fire, heat, place Handi on the griddle, put the flame on lowest. This will ensure that the handi does not get any Excess heat, causing the contents to burn. Also choose a handi that has a heavy bottom.

• Rub tomato juice on moistened stain on fabric or garment. The stain will eventually disappear. Then wash with soap suds as usual. Hang out to dry.

• Use unpeeled potatoes wherever possible, the skin carries a lot of nutrition. Use peeled skins to Rub mirrors, and then wipe with soft moist cloth for a shine. Or place over face for a few minutes Like a pack, remove, wash with tap water for a fresh clean feel.

• You will get better results with mint pulao if you saute mint leaves in a tea-spoon of butter oil before cooking with rice. --

• To season a new earthen handi, pour oily water in it (from cooking, like that rinsed from kadai, Etc.) for some time, rinse with plain water, and keep aside. Repeat process for 2-3 days as many Times as possible. Then use to cook, so the raw smell will go, as well as getting sturdiness.

• Before cooking dal,pasta,rice etc.rub the sides of pot or cooker with little oil. This will prevent the water from boiling over in the pot or cooker -- from Denver

• To shine your brass artefacts, apply tamarind paste and scrub well with finely powdered dried mango leaves. Wash in cold water and scrub with soft and thin cotton cloth. For people abroad, you can jolly well carry a stock of dried mango leaf powder. -- from Bangalore, India.

• Use a dish cloth which has been wetted with rubbing alcohol, to rub away stains caused by water in stainless steel sinks.

• Rub cutting boards with 1/2 a lime, cut side down, to rid of garlic, onion and other veggies odours and light discolouration.

• Sprinkle some salt over the soapy scrubber before scrubbing greasy and grimy utensils. This will make it easier for the grease to come off.

• Cut extra bread into tiny cubes, bake croutons and store in airtight container in the Refrigerator. Crush and add to gravies, icecream servings, or soups as desired.

• To clean washbasins and sinks(non-metallic): Line the base and sides thickly with paper towels. Spray household bleach (dissolved in water) all over to wet towels completely. Allow to soak for 30-40 minutes. Remove towels, scrub lightly with some warm soap solution, rinse with water.

• Wet the inside of pan before putting milk for boiling. This will keep the pan from scalding the milk at the bottom of the pan. Also use a fairly heavy pan.

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• Do not throw away drained marinade liquid. Refrigerate and use to season stirfried veggies or steamed rice.

• Wrap green leafy vegetables in old newspaper before putting in the vegeta-ble bag or tray. This will make them last and keep fresh much longer.

• Add a few drops of salt water to banana chips, etc. while frying them, in the hot oil. This will turn out the chips crisper.

• To remove lint from coats, trousers, etc. Take strips of wide white medical sticking tape. Place over lint-covered area sticky side down, press evenly. Peel off with a jerk. The lint will stick to the adhesive. Repeat several time with the same tape in other areas, till stickiness is not left.

• Do not throw away cucumber peels. Place them in a moist cloth till you have the time. Place them inner peel touching skin, all over your face. Re-lax with closed eyes for 15 minutes. Splash face with tap water, pat dry, apply moisturiser. The peels should also be placed over eyes.

• Boil onion peels with a little water and vinegar in burnt and greasy pans. Simmer covered for 3-4 minutes. Wash with washing powder and scrubber. They will come out clean easily.

• Fresh, clean and tender skins of ridge gourd need not be thrown out. Boil for 3-4 minutes in salted water. Drain and wash under cold running water. Wipe on towel, add green chillies, garlic, salt, coriander, tamarind and a little sugar. Grind to a chutney. The skins are full of nutrients.

• Add a handful of puffed rice to leftover tomato vegetable. Mix well, heat a little, and serve as a tasty snack, after garnishing with chopped coriander.

• Potatoes used with the jackets intact are definitely more nutritious than after peeling. Use a soft steel or plastic scrubber to scrub them before using.

• Do not throw away water in which lentils, peas, etc. are cooked. Cool and water indoor or other plants with the same. This water acts as plant food.

• To assemble a steamer at home, just take a large deep vessel, a colander which fits on the rim of the vessel and a lid which when used inverted will fit well on the rim of the vessel. Place some water in the vessel, place the col-ander and add the contents. Cover with inverted lid and place a small weight over it to keep the lid firmly down. Use a metallic colander which has holes punched into it.

• Do not throw away the solid residue left after pressing out water from soaked tamarind. Mix in some salt and use to scrub copper and brassware to bring a shine. Follow with a normal soap wash.

• Add cardamom skins to the tea-leaves canister. The resulting aroma of the tea will be good and refreshing with a hint of cardamom.

• To give a novel taste to tea, add a piece of lemon peel to the water for tea decoction.

• Bread ground to a paste with some water, in a mixie, acts as a good thick-ening agent for soups if cornflour is not available.

• Tamarind paste and curd help reduce the burning sensation on the hands by chillies. Just rub the paste or curd onto your palms. -- from Portland,

Page : 34 Manohar

• Take 1/4 tsp. omum (ajwain, oregano) seeds in a clean hanky. Warm it by rubbing on a warm surface like a griddle, or a switched off iron, or a warm switched off hotplate. Press against sinus points, for relief from headache and cold. Repeat 5-6 times a day for 3-4 days. Use same hanky and seeds.

• Crusts removed from bread for making sanwiches, etc. can be sun or oven dried till brittle. Then run in a mixie, to form fine breadcrumbs. Refrigerate and use as required.

• One tsp. of plain flour mixed in 1/4 cup water boiled in a stock (2 cups) will lend body and enhance consistency of the soup.

• Run a spoonful of any sev, papdi, or farsan made of gram flour in a mixie. Add this powder to thicken gravies which have a watery consistency. Take care to use non-chilli sev for light coloured gravies.

• Use a mechanical or electrical chopper for chopping, semipureeing veggies, etc. since it cuts down making time drastically.

• Keep mosquitoes at bay by lighting the following: An incense stick dipped in baygon spray and dried.

• Rub cigarette ash (that doesn t mean YOU should smoke!!) over crayon stains on smooth surfaces. Wipe off the ash and the stain with it !!

• Place empty wrappers of fragrant toilet soaps in wardrobe corners to spread a cool aromatic feeling in the closet and the clothes.

• To clean stains from melamine cups and suacers, fill them with liquid bleach, leave aside for 2 hours, rinse with water. If you clean one piece at a time, the same bleach can be poured into all pieces one by one, and very little bleach will be required to clean many pieces of melamineware.

• Place sheets of thick papertowels at the bottom of a soiled sink. Pour di-luted bleach to soak them. Keep for 3-4 hour. Press out the liquid into the sink, remove towels, add very little detergent and scrub gently. The result will be a sparkling clean sink.

• Rub a little sesame oil on palms before applying 'mehendi' and a little mus-tard oil after applying it. This will bring out a better colour and make the me-hendi last longer.

• Half fill blender with water, add a few drop of mild detergent, and run the mixie for a few seconds. Rinse with water and wipe. This will clean the mixie of any residual particles stuck under the blades or in the grooves.

• Any mashed potato stuffings, etc. tend to have water crystals on thawing after removing from the freezer. After thawing take in a heavy pan, and cook on medium flame, stirring all the time, till the water evaporates. The texture, on cooling a bit will come back to the original.

• Dry roast any extra crumbs that are got while scraping buns. These can be used to thick gravies, etc. They can also be added to bhajia batters for mak-ing crisper bhajias.

• If buns are too soft to be stuffed for any recipe, bake them blind in a hot oven for 4-5 minutes. Cool, and they will be much more easy to handle while proceeding with the recipe.

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• Add 1 tbsp. vinegar to a litre of water in a blackened cooker. Cover and boil for a few minutes. Wash regularly. This will remove blackening of the cooker.

• After polishing brassware with brasso, apply tamarind paste to the vessel , rub and then wash. This will make the shine last longer.

• Soak almonds in warm water if time to soak is limited. That is 4-5 hours in-stead of overnight. However, very hot water, will discolour the almonds.

• To make the ghevar two toned (brown at bottom and light on top) then use more milk in the Batter and less water.

• Use a small plastic funnel to make rangoli designs, if you find it hard to do so with hand.

• To patch grazing stains on wood polished furniture, apply a similar shaded slightly darker shoe Polish to affected area, brush vigourously with a soft shoe brush. Finish off with polishing Flannel. If the stain is too old or obvi-ous, first scratch the area smooth with fine sand paper.

• Always invert items like cakes, jellies, etc. from moulds in the following way, instead of inverting mould over dish, in which case it may break while in-verting: Loosen cake from sides by running a knife carefully, or jelly from mould by dipping in hot water for a few seconds. Place serving dish, in-verted over mouth of mould. Invert quickly with a swift movement of both hands, holding mould and plate intact. Tap gently if any part is still stuck.

• Remove perspiration marks by rubbing with white vinegar, and then wash-ing off.

• Dip amul butter wrapping in hot water, dry out. Use as handy butter paper, when out of stock.

• To make quick chocolate curls: Melt a plain cadbury's chocolate slab (8 piece one), spread on a smooth, greased surface like marble or wood. Take a sharp knife, scrape out chocolate keeping the knife in an angular position. The resulting scraped chocolate will come out in the form of long curls. Re-frigerate carefully till required for use. Makes aprrox. 2 cups curls

• Pour milk along inner wall of slightly tilted glass in a thin stream, to avoid its mixing with the lower layers in the glass. Straighten the glass carefully. Also chill glasses well before using.

• Hang khus mats over windows, spray water from a spray bottle and keep moist, so that the breeze that comes in is automatically cooled. This is a natural, non-electricity dependent way of cooling room spaces, and cheap too!

• Prepare chillies for a garnish on spicy veggies as follows: Slit firm green long chillies. Squeeze some lemon juice over them. Dust a bit of salt too. Rub them a bit to coat properly. Before adding anything to hot oil in the ka-dai, fry these for a few seconds, holding them down the back of a spoon or spatula. To clean you hands of the sting chillies give, rub them with the skin of squeezed lemon and salt. Wash normally.

• To peel tomatoes easily, keep covered in boiling hot water for 5 minutes.

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Remove, make a careful 'X' at its bottom, peel off skin. Cool and chop as required.

• Collect tiny leftover pieces of bath soap. When sufficient quantity is col-lected, boil in a little water. Stir often, allowing all the bits to melt and form a thick solution. Cool, bottle and use as cleaning liquid.

• Add salt to a tsp. of lemon juice to make a paste. Apply all over teeth, brush to give a gentle massage, rinse. Makes teeth white. Repeat weekly for very yellow cases.

• Fix two small pieces of fine sandpaper onthe insides of pencilbox lids. This will allow the child to clean erasers in a jiffy.

• Dry lemon and orange peels till brittle. Powder them and sieve with a fine mesh. Rub teeth with powder and wash. This mixture acts as an excellent whitener for teeth, with continued use.

• Boil clothes soiled in holi colour in water (1/2 cup sugar added to a bucket-ful water), for a few minutes. Allow to cool, add detergent, continue as for normal wash.

• While washing fine and expensive china, place a towel at the bottom of the sink to act as a cushion. This will prevent the many chippings and cracks caused while washing.

• To clean dirty copper utensils: Fill a spray bottle with vinegar in which 3 tbsp. of salt has been added. Spray solution on utensil liberally. Set aside for a while. Rub clean with a soft cloth.

• Rinse glassware in a solution of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water after washing with soap. This will make the glassware gleam and clean.

• To clean the inside of a mixer or blender throroughly, fill it halfway with wa-ter. Add a few drops of detergent. Run machine for a few seconds. Rinse with water. Invert on a cloth till dry.

• Try a hot water bath, followed by a cup of warm milk half an hour before going to bed. This will help induce sleep for those having problems going to bed easily.

• In case rice tends to have excess water, wrap a thick cotton cloth tightly over the lid, and cover container. The napkin will soak the excess moisture, as the steam rises.

• Warm hair oil, before massaging into the hair. This way it will soak better at the roots and is more effective. Alternate hot and cold water soaked towels to turban the head 2-3 times before washing oiled hair.

• Place a small clean kitchen towel at the bottom of a pile of hot rotis, moong-dis, etc. so that the layer of moisture created with heat, is absorbed by it. Or else the lower ones will become moist and soggy. Remove towel when the rotis have cooled comepletely. For soft rotis, place in a tin, also place a napkin on top of the pile before placing lid. This will soak droplets formed inside the tin.

• While cooking vegetables which cook mostly in their own juices, cover with a deep dishlike lid. Pour water in this, and keep adding more as it evapo-

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rates. This way the vegetable can be cooked well, adding minimal amount of water.

• Apply colourless nail varnish to names on switches, jars, etc. to avoid there rubbing off with repeated use. Take care to apply a very thin even layer.

• If you have jasmines growing in your garden, pluck a few fresh flowers, wash well, drop into your pot of drinking water. Strain as and when required to drink, transfer back the flowers to the pot. Change after 8-10 hours. The water gets a light lovely sweet flavour.

• Rub surfaces lightly with sandpaper before applying a coat of paint. This will give the paint coat a much better finish.

• Polish leather shoes and bags with castor oil or petroleum jelly to prevent drying and cracking.

• Immerse nails in hot water for a while before nailing into the wall. This will keep the surrounding plaster from coming off.

• Make the life of new paintbrushes much longer, by soaking them in linseed oil for 10-12 hours before using. This will not only make them last longer, but will also ease cleaning later on.

• Cover hand with a single layer of thin silk or polyester scarf, before slipping through bangles, if they are tight fitting and there is fear of breaking them. They will slip through very easily. Or use the corner of you sari pallu of the same material.

• For a more decorative look frost the glasses as follows: Chill them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Pour some castor sugar in a plate. Dip the rim of each glass in this sugar. A frosty edge will form. Chill again for a few min-utes. Pour liquid in carefully while serving. Insert a thin lemon sliced round, on rim for special effect.

• To clean a blocked metal tea strainer, heat gently or place in a hot oven. When fully heated, the tea particles between the mesh will burn out. Scrub out particles now, with a stiff toothbrush or a metal bristle brush, and they will fall out easily. Wash with warm soap water and metal scrubber to finish off.

• To chill any water based drink (like thandai, juices) use chilled water or crushed icecubes while making, so that chilling time can be drastically re-duced.

• A regular warm shower just before going to bed, can work wonders for mild insomnia. Avoid late night teas and coffees.

• Let mehndi stay on hands for 8-9 hours (or overnight) after applying. Dab with cotton wool soaked in very sweet sugar water, every hour, till you take off the mehndi.

• To make mehndi come out brighter, rub a little sesame oil on palms before applying, and dab a swab of cotton soaked in mustard oil after applying. This way the mehndi will not fall off soon after drying up.

• To retain the heat of hot water for a longer time, add a pinch or two of salt to it.

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TipsPage : 2 Manohar Tips for Puddings • Add a tsp. of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chilli, along with salt to make it last longer and taste fresher. •