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Coming straight from my kitchen to yours, here is a list of kitchen tips and tricks that I swear by and use so often. Isn’t it all about getting creative and enjoying your time in the space you spend a lot of time in? So here are a few more ideas to make life easier….. and what better place to start than our kitchen!
Cleaning Ideas
1.Use lemon/lime to get rid of garlic’s smell
Hands down this is the best solution to get rid of garlic’s smell from your cutting board, mixer jar, or any other container. Just rub a slice of lime or lemon on the surface and voila! It smells fresh again.
2.Use a bottle brush to clean blender jars with blades
Cleaning the blender jars especially the large ones with blades at the bottom is always a hassle. Using a bottle brush makes it easier and safe (no injuries pls!). It cleans the difficult-to-reach areas well. So try it next time you use your blender.
3.Use baking soda paste to clean the kitchen sink
Baking soda has earned its name as a non-toxic cleaner. It also works as a mild deodorant, stain-remover, abrasive and baking ingredient.
You can make the paste by mixing equal amounts of baking soda and water (1:1). Spread the paste generously on the surface of your sink. Let it sit for 5 mins. Scrub the sink well and clean with water. Your sink will look clean and sparkly.
4.Clean the garbage disposal with ice cubes
Drop some ice cubes in the garbage disposal (in your sink) and turn it on. As the cubes grind they scrub the insides of the disposal and sharpen the blades. Repeat every month to maintain your garbage disposal. It’s that simple!
Health
5.Add freshly grated ginger over your food
Ginger is known for its medicinal properties. It’s a good idea to add ginger to your meals for its health benefits. You can use it fresh or cook it with your food. However, I prefer using fresh ginger. WHY?
Fresh ginger not only has more nutritious value than cooked ginger but also gives a zesty punch to your dish. Add grated ginger to curries, salad dressings, soups, dal, sauteed veggies, etc., and see the difference it makes to the taste.
Good read: 11 Proven Health Benefits of Ginger by Healthline
6.Add flax seeds to your meals
Flax seeds are called superfoods for a reason. According to healthline.com, just 1 tablespoon provides a good amount of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as some vitamins and minerals.
Though consuming it whole is the best way to get its nutrients, using it in milled or powdered form is very beneficial too. You can include it in doughs for different kinds of bread, smoothies, pancake batter, curries and gravies, soups, salads, cake and muffins, Indian foods like dosa, idli, roti/chapati/naan, etc.
You can replace egg with flax meal. Just add 3 tablespoons of water to 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds. Let it rest in the fridge for 15 mins and use it as a substitute for 1 egg.
Good read: Flaxseed: Little Seed, Big Benefits by Cleveland Clinic
Linking the one I use.
7.Add psyllium husks when baking/cooking
Psyllium husk is a plant-based source of fiber which is a natural remedy for digestive and gut health, diabetes and helps in weight loss. Due to its high content of fiber (around 4 grams/tablespoon), it is a great way to increase fiber in your diet.
You can consume it by mixing it with water. As it soaks water it turns into jelly-like consistency which is not very easy to consume. Hence, I disguise it in my soups, dals, smoothies, recipes with all-purpose flour for easier consumption. It has worked wonders on my health (so thankful!).
If you are introducing psyllium husk to your diet for the first time, you may want to start with 1 tablespoon a day and watch for any side effects.
*This recommendation is based on my personal experience. I am not a medical expert. You may want to consult your physician before consuming it.
Time saving ideas
8.Proof your dough in halftime using Instant pot
Why wait for 2 hrs when you can proof your dough in halftime with Instant Pot by using ‘Yogurt mode’. Check out a detailed post on Can you proof your dough in Instant Pot? by Spices n Flavors
9.Smash the garlic clove for easy skin peeling
Place the garlic clove on the cutting board and press down on it using the flat side of a knife and your palm. The skin breaks open and the garlic comes right out saving you time and hassle!
10.Use a spoon to scrape out squash seeds
Don’t struggle the next time you want to deseed a squash or pumpkin. Just remember to pull out a spoon and scoop everything out in a jiffy. It is sooo much better than using a knife.
Cooking tips
11.Use tomato paste to enhance the color of your dish
Add 1- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to give that beautiful reddish-brown color to your gravy, soup, sauce, stews, etc. It also enhances the flavor of the dish immensely. Add it to the pan/pot while sauteing other ingredients to bring out the best of its color and taste.
12.Make perfect vegetable curries with roasted veggies
Vegetable curries are easy to make, healthy, and go well with many kinds of bread like naan, roti, pita bread, tortillas. When I am preparing the gravy on my stove, I toss some seasoned veggies in the air fryer. Then all you need to do is combine the two together to make a crunchy, saucy, and flavorful dish.
Roast your veggies in Airfryer (Recipe by Spend With Pennies)
Roast your veggies in the Oven (Recipe by Diethood)
13.Fix excessive salt in your food
A quick fix to balance the salt in your dish would be by adding one or a combination of these options
- Yogurt
- Lime or lemon juice
- Vinegar
- Boiled potatoes
- Milk /sour cream/heavy cream/half-and-half
Water or stock - Sugar/honey/maple syrup
Based on what and how much you are cooking, choose the ingredient and quantity to reduce the intensity of salt.
14.Add heavy cream to milk when making yogurt
Remember this trick to make the creamiest yogurt at home. Though there is not really a right quantity but 1 tbsp for 1 cup of milk can be a good estimate.
Add the cream when boiling milk. Let cool and stir in the yogurt starter. That creamy delicious yogurt is just a few hours away.
Preserve food
15.Freeze spinach to use later
Wondering what to do with the big bag of spinach. Just freeze it and use it as and when required. No need to rush into finding ways to finish it before it goes bad. No need to thaw before use. Just grab as much as you want and chop it.
Frozen spinach can be used in recipes that call for cooking or blanching it.
16.Store herbs in an airtight container
Air-dry the herbs for 15-20 mins letting extra moisture dry out. Line the air-tight container with a paper towel or thin cotton cloth and place the herbs inside it. Close the lid. It will stay good for 2 weeks.
17.Remove chili’s stem for longer shelf life
Pull out the stem of chilies you bought or harvested before popping them in the fridge. It increases the shelf life by at least more than a week. It stays best when stored in an airtight container with a paper towel in it.
Reduce wastage
18.Peel ginger skin with a spoon
You have to try this! Using a spoon makes peeling ginger so easy and definitely reduces wastage. Hold the ginger firmly in your hand. Scrape the surface of the ginger holding the spoon upside down. You will be amazed how conveniently it maneuvers over ginger’s bumpy surface.
19.Add used coffee grounds /tea powder to the soil
My heart breaks when I have to throw out coffee grounds or tea powder. So I just mix it with the soil in my backyard (especially during summer). It is a great addition to compost and garden soil.
20.Make bread crumbs in air fryer using bread crusts and end slices
Ever since I started making bread crumbs in my air fryer, I have forgotten how store-bought bread crumbs taste. What’s better than getting perfect bread crumbs from parts of bread you would have trashed. Do try this recipe once.
21.Use Rice water for watering plants
Save the water you have used to wash rice and water your plants with that rice water. It is rich in essential minerals and vitamins which provides nutrition to plants and acts as a fertilizer.
Make the most of your Appliances
22.Use the Instant Pot to make yogurt, ferment batters, sprout lentils
Instant pot is so much more than an electric pressure cooker. It is the most used equipment in my kitchen. Though I use ‘pressure cook’ setting the most, I use ‘yogurt setting’ to make yogurt, ferment dosa/idli batter (to make rice and lentil crepes and dumplings), and sprout lentils. You must give it a try too.
by Damn Delicious
by Cook with Manali
by Piping Pot Curry
22.Make fresh salsa with your immersion blender in 10 mins
An Immersion blender is such a blessing in the kitchen. One of my favorite things to make with it is fresh salsa. Nothing can beat the taste of fresh ingredients.
You will need:
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1/2 Jalapeno
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- Few sprigs of cilantro
- Salt to taste
- A pinch of Sugar
Roughly chop the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Add all the ingredients to a deep container to avoid spills. Immerse the blender well below the surface of the ingredients. Pulse for 5 seconds each time with 2-3 intervals till you get the desired consistency.
Don’t have an immersion blender? Don’t worry, You can make it in your food processor too.
24.Air fryer is your new best friend
If you are a fan of your air fryer like me, I don’t need to say much. If you are new to air frying then you really need to explore these 13 ways to use your air fryer and the 33 recipes in this article.
If you are debating whether to buy one or not… I would say just go for it. You will not regret it. It is quick, compact, and versatile. Check out How to Choose an Air Fryer by Two Sleevers to help you with your decision.
Last few words of wisdom (Pun intended!)
Make life simple one step at a time and make your kitchen your happy place. Hope you liked these tips and tricks and use them in your kitchen.
Do take some time to share your tips &tricks in the comments section. We would love to try them out.
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Very useful indeed!!