Shelf Help

10 handy tips to help save time in the kitchen as well as in and around the house:

1. BAKING TIPS 

   Dip nuts in milk before placing them on top of the cakes or biscuits to prevent them from falling off while baking.

   Similarly coat raisins or other chopped dry fruits with dry flour before adding them to the batter of cakes or puddings. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking.

2. LIGHT AS AIR 

   Air bubbles in cake batter can be avoided by pouring the batter into the tin with the help of a slotted spoon.

3. EASY TO UNMOULD 

   Muffins will slide right out of their tins easily if the hot pan is first placed on a wet towel.

4. GREASE WITH COCOA 

   To prevent your chocolate cake from having white streaks on the brown crusts, dust greased cake pans with cocoa instead of flour.

5. JUICY LEMONS 

   Keep lemons in hot water for twenty minutes before squeezing. They will yield more juice.

6. HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM 

   Add one teaspoon of lemon juice to every half pint of fresh cream and stir. Let it stand for ten minutes before use. Homemade sour cream is ready.

7. INSTANT FRESH VEGGIES 

   If the vegetables are not fresh, soak them in cold water to which a little lemon juice has been added. They will become fresh again.

8. GOLDEN CORN 

   To retain the colour of corn while cooking add one teaspoon of lemon juice to the cooking water just about a minute before removing from heat.

9. EASY CHOPPING 

   You use kitchen scissors to chop coriander leaves, mint leaves and chillies to avoid any kind of a mess.

10. BRIGHT GREEN WONDER 

    Add a pinch of soda-bicarbonate to spinach while blanching to retain its bright green colour.

Archana Shenoy is an editorial consultant working for several publication houses in India. She presently handles independent projects for Hi!Blitz and Cafe Chronicle.