Tip of the day
15 October 2005
Sisters' Sound
1. Prevent onions from burning, frying
Add a little milk to onions while frying, this will help retain a rich colour and prevent them from burning.
2. Cook pulses like chana etc.
Even if you have forgotten to soak them overnight. Just put the chana in a flask full of boiling water for an hour. They are ready for cooking.
3. To remove excess oil in any fried vegetables
Sprinkle a little gramflour over the vegetables. Gramflour absorbs the excess oil and makes the vegetable tastier.
4. Avoid sticky rice
Add a few drops of lemon juice & a pinch of sugar to the rice while cooking.
5. Brown onions faster
Onions will brown faster if 1/2 teaspoon of salt is added to the onions while frying.
6. Crisp pakora's
Add a little cornflour to the gramflour while mixing the dough.
7. Almond skin removal
Almonds skin comes off easily if the almonds are warmed in water in microwave a little before peeling.
8. Prevent egg smell in cakes
To get rid of the smell of eggs in the cakes, add one tablespoon honey to the cake batter while beating it.
9. Removing fat from soups
Fat can be easily removed from hot soup by floating a large lettuce leaf on the surface.
10. Salty soup fix
Place a raw potato in the bowl & it will absorb the extra salt.
11. Cleaning tea strainer
If your tea strainer has gone black due to heavy use, then just switch on the stove and just keep the strainer on it on a distance of 6-7 inches and just move the strainer over the heat or flame for 4-5 minutes and wash it with mild dish washing soap. You strainer will turn out to brand new.
12. Ant repellant
To keep ants out of the house, find where the ants are entering the house and sprinkle a "barrier" of cinnamon or any type of ground pepper to block their way. The spices are too hot for the ants to cross. Cucumber peels have the same effect.
13. Carpet stains
Baby wipes are miracle-workers on carpet stains, from motor oil to blood, they remove almost anything!
14. Candle holders
To prevent the wax from melting and sticking to the inside of a votive candle holder, pour a bit of water in the holder, then place the candle on top. If you forgot the water and there's wax stuck to your candle holder, pop it in the freezer for an hour. The wax will chip right off.
15. Candle wax
To remove wax from carpeting or other fabric, first scrape away any excess. Then, place a brown paper bag over the wax and run a warm iron over the bag. The wax will melt right into the bag! Continue moving the bag around as you pick up the wax so you are always using a clean section. If a little grease stain remains on carpet, sprinkle with baking soda and allow to sit overnight before vacuuming, which will remove the grease residue. If colored wax leaves a stain on carpet, blot with spot remover or carpet cleaner, following label directions.
16. Microwave filth
Food splatters all over the inside of your microwave and cooks itself on after time. To easily remove this mess, place a sponge soaked in water in the microwave. Cook on high heat for 2 minutes, then allow it to sit without opening the microwave door, for 5 minutes. The filth is now ready to be wiped right off - no scrubbing - and your sponge is right there!
17. Photos stuck together
With a hair dryer on low, slowly melt them apart.
18. Smashed down carpet
To make the carpet stand back up after moving a piece of furniture, place an ice cube on the spot. As it melts, the piles will go back up.
19. Smelly cooking hands
Simply rub your hands over a stainless steel utensil under running water. This works especially well for the odor of garlic, onions or fish.
20. Stains in plastic storage containers
Place container outside on a nice sunny day and the sun actually bleaches the stain out.
21. Stickers, decals and glue
To remove them from furniture, glass, plastic, etc. saturate with vegetable oil and rub off.
22. Burnt stuff on iron
Rub iron with aluminum foil to remove burnt on starch, etc.
23. Is your egg fresh?
To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh, but if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
24. Can't open that jar?
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
25. Remove a hem crease
To remove a hem crease, sponge the material with white vinegar and press with a warm iron.
26. Drain de-clogger
1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup vinegar. Pour baking soda down drain first then follow with the vinegar. Close drain and let sit until bubbling has stopped then follow with a bucket of hot boiling water.
27. Potatoes
To keep them from budding, place an apple in the bag with potatoes.
28. Fried food odours
Next time you fry foods, try placing a small cup of bleach nearby. The bleach absorbs much of the "fried" odor (that would otherwise linger for days!) Be sure to clearly mark the cup and keep it out of the reach of children.
29. Lining pans means no scrubbing!
Line baking pans with aluminum foil before you cook to avoid scrubbing pans afterwards. To line pans easily, turn pan upside down and press a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil around it. Remove foil. Flip the pan over and drop foil inside. Crimp edges of foil to rim of pan.
30. Straight and beautiful hair
You put some milk in a sprits bottle and spray your hair while it's damp. Then let it set for 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo. It will make your hair straight and beautiful.
Static Free - Put a dab of lotion in the palm of your hand and then rub it through your hair but not at the roots, just at the ends of your hair. It makes it so your hair doesn't get all staticky.
Frizz Free - If you have curly hair and don't want it to frizz, but still want it to be shiny and not frizzy, apply some Aloe Vera through hair.