Weekend Plus Desk :
While eating may very well be one of your favourite pastimes, spending long hours in hot kitchens that involve cooking, cleaning and a lot of planning may not be. That apart, kitchen management – from keeping vegetables from rotting to updating your stock – can be an ordeal.
But do not fret, there are some tricks to avoid all the hard work. The next time you are unhappy with your culinary skills or do not know how to tweak your kitchen disasters, take a look at these tips.
Save fresh herbs for later use
Use an ice-cube tray or muffin tin to freeze fresh chopped herbs in water, olive oil, and stock for later use as a seasoning agent. That way, if you want, you can save your herbs longer.
Separate yolks from whites
Separate eggs by gently squeezing a plastic water bottle over a cracked egg. When the bottle refills with air, it will scoop the yolk right up.
Peel garlic the fuss-free way
Remove all cloves from the bulb, then whack each clove with the side of a chef’s knife. The skin will fall right off. You can save your hands from smelling like garlic all day.
Slow down rotting of tomatoes
Store tomatoes with the stem end facing down to keep them from spoiling. Another trick is to store them at room temperature rather than in the fridge to make them last longer.
Make eggshell removal even easier
Add baking soda or vinegar to the water when boiling eggs. This will help in easier removal of the egg shells. Both substances permeate the eggshells and help the egg whites separate from the shell.
Keep birthday cake fresh for days
Leftover cakes may dry out and there can be nothing worse than not preserving cakes well. Save your leftover cake from drying out by securing a slice of bread to the exposed portions with toothpicks. The bread holds in the cake’s moisture.
De-skin potatoes without a peeler
Peeling a potato can be quite a task! But you can now peel a potato in a snap by boiling it and then giving it an ice bath. The skin will separate in no time and you can pick it up from there.
Reheat pizza and other baked goods without drying them out
When reheating pizza or baked goods, place a cup of water in the microwave with it to add moisture to the air and keep the food from drying out.
While eating may very well be one of your favourite pastimes, spending long hours in hot kitchens that involve cooking, cleaning and a lot of planning may not be. That apart, kitchen management – from keeping vegetables from rotting to updating your stock – can be an ordeal.
But do not fret, there are some tricks to avoid all the hard work. The next time you are unhappy with your culinary skills or do not know how to tweak your kitchen disasters, take a look at these tips.
Save fresh herbs for later use
Use an ice-cube tray or muffin tin to freeze fresh chopped herbs in water, olive oil, and stock for later use as a seasoning agent. That way, if you want, you can save your herbs longer.
Separate yolks from whites
Separate eggs by gently squeezing a plastic water bottle over a cracked egg. When the bottle refills with air, it will scoop the yolk right up.
Peel garlic the fuss-free way
Remove all cloves from the bulb, then whack each clove with the side of a chef’s knife. The skin will fall right off. You can save your hands from smelling like garlic all day.
Slow down rotting of tomatoes
Store tomatoes with the stem end facing down to keep them from spoiling. Another trick is to store them at room temperature rather than in the fridge to make them last longer.
Make eggshell removal even easier
Add baking soda or vinegar to the water when boiling eggs. This will help in easier removal of the egg shells. Both substances permeate the eggshells and help the egg whites separate from the shell.
Keep birthday cake fresh for days
Leftover cakes may dry out and there can be nothing worse than not preserving cakes well. Save your leftover cake from drying out by securing a slice of bread to the exposed portions with toothpicks. The bread holds in the cake’s moisture.
De-skin potatoes without a peeler
Peeling a potato can be quite a task! But you can now peel a potato in a snap by boiling it and then giving it an ice bath. The skin will separate in no time and you can pick it up from there.
Reheat pizza and other baked goods without drying them out
When reheating pizza or baked goods, place a cup of water in the microwave with it to add moisture to the air and keep the food from drying out.
