Untold Kitchen Tips

Collection of Kitchen and Cooking tips from various sources and using them to make cooking interesting and easy is a never ending and ever learning  process. Every time I browse or Interact or Read, I get new tips. I am  happy to share those with you as Smart Samayal Tips:

1. Milk, while being boiled, frequently sticks to the pan. To prevent this, rinse the pan in hot water before using. Place your chopping board over a damp cloth, to prevent it from moving around when you are chopping/slicing.
2. A corner cut from an envelope and pierced at the point makes a good funnel for filling salt and pepper shakers.
3. Keep a small handled-strainer in tool crock next to the stove so that you can quickly cut a lemon or lime in half and squeeze it directly through the strainer into the pot. Much easier than picking out seeds afterwards!
4. Always have a garbage bowl near your work station to save time.
5. The best peelers must be obviously, sharp, with a big gap between the two blades and a head that swivels easily.
6. Microplane graters are great for taking zest off of citrus fruit. They’re also great for grating ginger. They’re great for grating garlic. They’re great for creating a blanket of grated cheese over your pasta or pizza.
7. To bring out the flavor in  old spices , try heating them in a frying pan first (no oil or other ingredients added).
8. When frying with butter, don’t cook with high heat since butter has a low smoking/burning point.
9. Potato water, when used in making gravies, greatly improves the flavor.
10. To thin a small portion of peanut butter, use orange juice. It makes it spread much easier and adds taste appeal.
11. Gravy thickening, sauces, etc., can be made smooth by using a small jar with a tight lid. Put the mixture of milk or water and flour into the jar and shake well until all lumps disappear.