Desi Cooking Tips

A new tip every day. The "Tip of the day" on the homepage changes daily, and all the tips are collected here.

1. 1

   Brown onions on low heat. On high heat they burn outside and stay raw inside.

2. 2

   Cook the masala until the oil separates at the edges. That is the secret of a good curry.

3. 3

   Add garam masala at the end, or its aroma cooks away.

4. 4

   Soak daal for 30 minutes before cooking. It softens faster and uses less gas.

5. 5

   Soak chickpeas overnight. In the morning, 15 to 20 minutes in a pressure cooker is enough.

6. 6

   Whisk yogurt before adding it to curry and lower the heat so it doesn't split.

7. 7

   Always temper in properly hot oil or ghee so the cumin sizzles straight away.

8. 8

   Take meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly.

9. 9

   Marinating chicken in yogurt and salt for 30 minutes makes it tender and juicy.

10. 10

    Add a pinch of baking soda and 1 tbsp hot oil to pakora batter for crispier pakoras.

11. 11

    Brush each fold of a paratha with a little ghee and dry flour for flaky layers.

12. 12

    Wash okra and dry it fully before cutting. Wet okra turns slimy.

13. 13

    Add salt to okra at the end and cook it uncovered to reduce sliminess.

14. 14

    Don't overcook spinach. It stays green and keeps more of its goodness.

15. 15

    Start boiling potatoes in cold water so they cook evenly inside and out.

16. 16

    Boil biryani rice only 70 to 80 percent of the way. It finishes in the dum.

17. 17

    Put a clean cloth under the lid during dum so condensation doesn't drip onto the rice.

18. 18

    Dry-roast whole spices for 1 minute before grinding. The aroma doubles.

19. 19

    Keep ground spices airtight and away from the stove. Heat and moisture kill their flavour.

20. 20

    Add sugar to kheer only after the rice is soft, or the rice stays hard.

21. 21

    Boil the tea leaves in water first and add milk afterwards for better colour and taste.

22. 22

    Chill kabab mince for 30 minutes so the kababs don't break while shaping.

23. 23

    Drain fried food on tissue to remove excess oil.

24. 24

    Is the oil hot enough? Drop in a little batter. If it rises at once, the oil is ready.

25. 25

    Roast and grind cumin before making raita. Even plain raita becomes delicious.

26. 26

    Plan the week's menu first and shop to match it. You'll save food and money.

27. 27

    Keep older food at the front of the fridge and new food at the back so the old gets used first.

28. 28

    Use leftover curry within 2 days, and reheat only as much as you'll eat.

29. 29

    Refrigerate leftover rice and make fried rice the next day. Cold rice fries better.

30. 30

    Don't throw away overripe bananas. They make a great shake or banana halwa.

31. 31

    Toast stale bread and turn it into crumbs for coating kababs and cutlets.

32. 32

    An easy way to eat healthier: one spoon less oil, one handful more vegetables.

33. 33

    To add protein, include a boiled egg, daal or chickpeas with your curry or rice.

34. 34

    Salt salad just before eating. Salting early makes the vegetables release water.

35. 35

    Soak garlic in warm water for 10 minutes before peeling. The skins slip off easily.

36. 36

    Chill onions for 10 minutes before cutting so they sting your eyes less.

37. 37

    Keep your knife sharp. A sharp knife is easier and safer to use.

38. 38

    Use separate chopping boards for raw meat and vegetables.

39. 39

    Add salt little by little and keep tasting. Too much salt is hard to fix.

40. 40

    Carrots, peas and spinach are cheap in winter. Blanch them for 1 minute, cool and freeze them to use into summer.