1)Homemade Exfoliator-Make a face-pack-cum-exfoliator paste with ingredients from your own kitchen.
For oily skin: Mix 2 tablespoons of bengal gram flour with lime juice and 2 pinches of salt and make a thick paste.

For dry or normal skin: Mix 2 tablespoons of bengal gram flour with full cream milk and 1 teaspoon of honey and make a thick paste.

Apply the above paste (as per your skin) generously on your face. Leave on for 5 minutes and gently rub off in circular motions. Wash the remaining off with cool water and pat your face dry



2)To peel garlic easily and quickly, prep it either by roasting it a little on a griddle or microwaving it for 1 minute on the 'High' setting. The skin will peel off without any trouble. Another solution is to soak the cloves in a bowl of water for 2 minutes and then peel

3)If you've ever bought green leafy veggies like spinach, dill and fenugreek and had them wilt before you could get around to using them, this one's for you.

Trim roots and thicker stems and wash well. Boil a large pot of water and dip the leafy greens in it for 30 seconds and remove. Drain and press out all the excess water. Freeze and use within 2-3 weeks


4)Removing Turmeric Stains
If you cook Indian food, you are bound to get turmeric stains on your clothes at one time or another. The good news is they're really easy to take out. Wash the stained clothes/kitchen linen immedeately in cool water and soap. Dry in the sun and the stain will fade to a very pale pink. Wash the article again and the stain will be gone!


5)Lighter, fluffier Bhajias/Pakoras
If your Bhajias/Pakoras have been turning out like rocks, don't worry. Help is at hand. Measure out the amount of bengal gram flour you intend to use for the bhajias. Add a 1/4 of this amount, of pressed rice (called Poha in Hindi) to the batter. First soak the pressed rice in warm water till soft. Rinse, drain the water and then add the puffed rice to the Bhajia/Pakora batter. Mix well and proceed as the Bhajia/Pakora recipe suggests.

6)Quick Chapatis, Parathas and Pooris (Indian flatbreads)
Roll out a large batch of chapatis/ parathas/ pooris ahead of time and stack with a layer of cling wrap between each (uncooked) chapati paratha/ poori. Divide into portions as required and store in large, date labelled Ziploc bags in the freezer. When you are ready to eat them, heat a skillet and roast (for Chapatis), or pan-fry (for Parathas) or deep-fry (for Pooris). Do not thaw before cooking.

7)Keep homemade pastes fresh for longer
If you make your own ginger, garlic and fresh chilli pastes at home, ensure a longer life by adding a tablespoon of hot vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil to them and mixing well. Refrigerate and use as required.

8)Getting the most out of limes and lemons
Always buy limes and lemons that have thin skin - they are juicier than those with a thicker skin. To get more juice, roll a lime or lemon on the counter, pressing down on it, before you cut and squeeze. Another way to get maximum juice out of most citrus fruits is to microwave them for 30-40 seconds, wait for a minute and then cut and squeeze!

9)Making Soft Chapatis (Indian flatbread)
There's almost nothing to beat soft chapatis as an accompaniment to Indian food.
To get really soft chapatis, the trick lies in the kneading. Use fresh yoghurt or milk instead of water! When you're done kneading the dough and it is smooth, wet your hand with water and run it all over the surface of the ball of dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for half an hour before using.

10)Too much salt?!
How to save a curry that got too salty!
If you misfired with the seasoning (and we all do that sometime!) and your curry is saltier than you like, don't throw it out. All you need to do is peel and cut a large potato in half and add it to your curry. It will absorb the extra salt!