USE FULL—HANDY TIPS                     

To mend a broken lipstick, join both the broken ends with a toothpick and store in the refrigerator for some time.  
For bringing back the shine to leather goods, rub a little Vaseline on them and wipe with cotton wool.
Warm garlic flakes a little either in a microwave or on griddle before peeling, to make the skin come off easily.

To keep chappatis warm longer, cover the pile with two piece of clean cloth above and below in a tight steel container. Leave on a griddle that has been warmed first.
If the lemon seems to dry out, or the skin is too stiff, either soak in hot water for 10 minutes or microwave for 30 seconds, before cutting. You will be able to extract maximum juice this way.
Mix in some mashed rice in the thick starch water. Blend to a thick batter. Add salt and chat masala for taste. Spoon out thin small papads on a greased plastic sheet. Use the backof a ladle. Sun-dry till brittle. Store in airtight container. Deep fry as a tasty snack.
To unmould chilled dishes quickly, dip container halfway into hot water for a few seconds and then unmould. 
For simple but extravagant looking topping, take 2-3 healthy strawberries. Make incisions vertically from tip to base, to form slices. But do not cut fully. Stop just below the base. Now press sideways gently, to form a fan shaped strawberry. Use as topping decor for cakes, icecreams, puddings, etc.
Never try to refreeze ice-cream which has melted completely due to reasons like electricity breakdown. The result will taste disastrous. Instead, add you favourite flavour or fruit and run in a mixie to make delicious milk shake.
Use aluminium containers instead of steel to set the icecream faster. Also, place a thick plactic sheet or spread some salt under the container to keep it from sticking to the floor of the freezer.
Always chill glasses before preparing the icecream in it. This way it will stay stiff longer.
Leftover parathas eaten cold with hot tea taste good.
Grease the grated on both sides with oil before grating sticky items like cheese or boiled potatoes, to allow for smoother grating.
Always mash potatoes when they are still quite hot. They mash more easily and can be finely mashed too.
Keep boondi unseasoned, just plain fried and use in boondi raita as required (refer raitas)
Air out the sago seeds in hot sun for half an hour before frying, to get very well-fried sago. Sometimes the centres which stay hard, can be avoided by doing this.
Removed side crusts of bread can be dried in oven till crisp, cooled and ground to use as bread bread crumbs. Use for rolling in patties, etc. before deep frying or as a thickener for gravies.
Fresh, clean and tender skins of ridge gourd need not be thrown out. Boil for 3-4 minutes in salted water. Drain and wash under cold running water. Wipe on towel, add green chillies, garlic, salt, coriander, tamarind and a little sugar. Grind to a chutney. The skins are full of nutrients.
Potatoes used with the jackets intact are definitely more nutritious than after peeling. Use a soft steel or plastic scrubber to scrub them before using.
Make croutons in a jiffy. Cut 2 slices day old bread in small cubes. Heat a tbsp. of butter in a heavy pan, add cubes, and stir fry till they are crisp and golden brown.
Line the bottom of your salt jar with 2 layers of blotting paper before pouring it in. The salt will not become moist even in humid climate.
To retain the heat of hot water for a longer time, add a pinch or two of salt to it.
If buns are too soft to be stuffed for any recipe, bake them blind in a hot oven for 4-5 minutes. Cool, and they will be much more easy to handle while proceeding with the recipe.
Dry roast any extra crumbs that are got while scraping buns. These can be used to thick gravies, etc. They can also be added to bhajia batters for making crisper bhajias.
If you have jasmines growing in your garden, pluck a few fresh flowers, wash well, drop into your pot of drinking water. Strain as and when required to drink, transfer back the flowers to the pot. Change after 8-10 hours. The water gets a light lovely sweet flavour.
To chill any water based drink (like thandai, juices) use chilled water or crushed icecubes while making, so that chilling time can be drastically reduced.
Do not sieve wheat flour with a very fine sieve, as all the bran and subsequently the fibre Will be lost.
Test to check if bread has been done completely. Invert and knock the base lightly with your Knuckles. It is done if the sound is hollow. If base is soggy, then more baking is required.
Cut off roots of fresh Dhania(coriander)leaves and pack in two to three sheets of news paper and refrigerate. Keeps upto a week or two fresh.
Soyabean granules are a highly nutritional product, which may be used to thick gravies, soups, Etc. with ease. Soak a little in water beforehand. Crush to make smooth texture. Add as required.
Make a savoury hot snack out of leftover or staled khakhras, seasoning as for chappati kava .
Sprinkle a couple of pinches of cocoa powder over the frothy top of a cup of Coffee for that extra flavour and garnish
To refesh old ladoos, place in a microwave for 30 seconds. The ladoo will taste as good and fresh as just made.
Wherever brinjals are required to be griddled, fried, or burnt, one can butter it up and cook it in the microwave too. Though a little different in texture, it will be equally good in taste.
To serve piping hot fresh biryani, pulaos, or rices, you can prepare completely, upto the stage when cooker is closed and whistles have to be counted after putting on heat. This stage can be done just a half hour before sitting to a meal, so that the cooker is done, as well as cooled enough to open and serve, in time.
Always garnish a dish just before it is ready to serve. If you are preparing any vegetable few hours ahead, then reheat and refresh before pouring into serving dish. Then garnish to give that attractive just-made look and taste.
Keep grated potatoes in cold water to keep them from discolouring, till used. When required, drain, press out excess water, and dab on a clean kitchen towel. Use immediately.
If just a few drops of lemon juice are required do not cut whole lemon. Roll lemon on a hard surface to soften the skin, prick a hole with a cocktail or skewer. Press out required drops. Leave a toothpick in the hole or wrap it in a piece of foil. This will keep it from drying out.
Add a tbsp. of honey to a cup of whipping cream to keep it better in the refrigerator.
To keep ripe bananas fresh, wrap in a wet cloth and keep in a plastic bag.
If you have excessive stock of green chillies, do not waste them. Boil in hot salted water, till white. Drain and sun dry till brittle. Crush or store whole and use as required in any dish requiring chillies, without Changing the colour of the dish.
To prevent lumps while adding flour to any liquids, eg. Water, buttermilk,etc. first mix the flour in a little bit of the Liquid to form a smooth paste. Add this to the remaining liquid and stir well.
One way to test if the mango is rip enough to cut, is to smell the point where the mango was attached to the tree. Nip off any remaining stalk, smell. If the mango is right, it will exude a luscious sweet fragrant aroma.

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