Preservation Tips

[minisoji]

*Put lemons in a glass jar, fill it with water, and screw the lid tight. Refrigerate it. Change water every 3rd day. Lemons stored this way will keep good for almost a month.

* 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.

* Always store aamras and other such mango dishes in non-metal containers before serving. The ras may discolor in other metal containers.

* 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.
* Place jam bottles and other preserve jars in cupboards where air can circulate around, as no moisture leaks into jams. If caps are also screw tight and airtight, then there is no reason for your preserves to go bad for months. Also when you 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.

*If large quantities are prepared, or more varieties are prepared, then sterilize a big batch of jars and keep ready in a large sterilized steel container or sealed (with sticking tape) in clean thermocol box.

*Wrap half cut raw mangoes in cling film before storing in refrigerator. The mango will stay fresh longer as also its odour will not permeate other products like milk and desserts.

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

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

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

* 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 have too many vegetables stocked in the refrigerator and are worried about them getting bad and wasted, prepare some fillings, stuffing's, gravies, as per available vegetables, and freeze them 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.

* Put a firm banana for company with still to ripen tomatoes, into a closed basket or a loose plastic bag. They will ripen much faster.

*If not using tea leafs for a long time, pour into clean zip lock 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.

* Store plain flour in clean zip lock bags in refrigerator, to keep insects from attacking it. This way the flour will stay fresh much longer.

* Wrap green leafy vegetables in old newspaper before putting in the vegetable bag or tray. This will make them last and keep fresh much longer.

* Do not throw away drained marinade liquid. Refrigerate and use to season stir fried veggies or steamed rice.
*Crusts removed from bread for making sandwiches, etc. can be sun dried or oven dried till brittle. Then run in a mixie, to form fine breadcrumbs. Refrigerate and use as required.

* 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.

* 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 powder that use coconut must be kept in the refrigerator.

* Always keep a couple of boiled potatoes, in their jackets, stocked in the refrigerator. 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.

* If curds are too sour tie for 10 minutes in a muslin cloth, to remove the sour. Use the residual curds to proceed after adding a little milk. Do not throw away the residue. Use to knead dough for parathas, or soak silver trinkets and brush with soap water to clean them. Or scrub copper of copper bottom vessels to make them sparkling clean.

[minisoji]

* Store nail polish bottles in the refrigerator to prevent the polish from drying up.

* 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 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.

* 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.

* 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.
* Store chopped vegetables in airtight plastic containers in the fridge to keep from browning and drying up.

* 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.
* 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.

[minisoji]

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

* 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 normally 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. -- Lakshmi Chicago

* 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.

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

* 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.

* 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 microwave after cutting or grating. Store in an airtight jar.

* To make things easier, prepare enough to to make some tacos, some enchiladas, and even nacho chips. Store separately as shown in recipes and use as desired.
* 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 polybags. Use cubes as required in recipes.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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 kilogram of tamarind. Store in airtight plastic or glass container.

* 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.

* 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.

* Store chopped vegetables in airtight plastic containers in the fridge to keep from browning and drying up.

* 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 gravies 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.

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

* 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.