Being quick is not enough in today’s fast-paced world; efficiency is essential for better and sustainable living. While everyday life is easier to navigate, the kitchen space tends to be a daunting and time-consuming task, which becomes difficult to balance with other day-to-day activities. We at Sortizy understand the priorities and benefits enjoyed in a healthy balanced lifestyle, so we bring you a curated list of Kitchen Hacks to make your kitchen life slightly easier to deal with. Created by our home chefs, this list will soon be your go-to page for a kitchen crisis!
1. How to Reduce the Bitterness in Bitter-gourd
Bitter gourd or karela is a popular vegetable that was a personal enemy of most of us as children! However, refraining from eating a vegetable rich in antioxidants and flavonoids is similar to throwing away a precious treasure. PV Iyer’s kitchen on Sortizy suggests an excellent kitchen hack to remove the bitter flavour from the gourd, which will make the curries even more delicious.
A vital tip for selecting bitter gourds is to choose dark green and even-sized ones. Slightly scrape the outer peel, make a slit (don’t cut it end-to-end) and remove the seeds. Repeat the process till all the bases are removed. Then, cover the slits with adequate salt and let them rest for 30 minutes or overnight. Then, wash the gourds thoroughly once it’s done, and start cooking excellent curries and stir-fried delicacies!
2. Convert an old roti tawa to a non-stick dosa tawa
Sometimes due to minimal space and budget, we often miss out on investing in good quality non-stick cookware to satisfy our cravings. For example, if we plan to make dosas on a simple tawa, it ends in a messy disaster with a stuck or broken dosa. We at Sortizy understand your budget and lifestyle concerns, bringing you this fantastic hack by PV Iyer. Take an old roti tawa and put it on the stove. Add oil and rub a half onion/potato on the surface so that the entire pan is covered in oil. So your makeshift dosa pan is ready! Try out this hack now and make crispy dosas for your loved ones!
3. The perfect way to Cook Spinach for Palak Paneer
Palak Paneer is a classic recipe of Indian households eaten by the family with great relish. At Sortizy, we believe that your dishes shouldn’t just be good; they should be worth remembering. This kitchen hack by Sunera Kitchen ensures that you always get a perfect Palak Paneer. Take a large cooking pot and add some water to cook the spinach. Once it starts to boil, add one teaspoon of salt to it. Mix it well, and then add 500 grams of spinach. Cook the leaves for 5-6 minutes, and then transfer them to a bowl filled with cold water. After the spinach cools down, take the cooked vegetable to the blender and get a thick and rich gravy. Use it to make palak paneer or any other curry of your choice!
4. How to Cut a Whole Chicken with Regular Knife
Chicken is a versatile ingredient where we can use almost all portions for cooking some excellent delicacies. While ready-made chicken pieces might be available in the market for consumption purposes, sometimes situations may arise where a whole chicken is required for cooking. While special tools are available in the market, they are sometimes expensive and may not be used as regularly as other kitchen tools. For example, this kitchen hack from Sunera Kitchen on Sortizy saves you the extra cost by helping you cut chicken with a simple knife. The trick is to cut alongside the breastbone. Then, cut along the fat line to separate all the parts. Simple, but oh, so effective!
5. How to select the Perfect Rice for Biryani
Everyone loves biryani. With the perfect combination of salan and raita, biryani harmonises flavours that leave a lingering taste in your mouth. Biryani is a time-consuming recipe with high rewards. While the correct balance of spices is essential, the proper selection of Biryani rice is equally necessary to multiply the taste factor. This is why we at Sortizy bring you this fantastic kitchen hack by the_food_monk, which will make your biryani even better. The tip is to select long-grained basmati rice by Daawat, aged at least two years and is unpolished. While this variety is slightly on the pricier end, it is readily available and will make your dish more aromatic and tasty. Avoid using the regular, short-length rice for biryani preparations.
6. Keep Paneer fresh and soft for more prolonged use.
Paneer or cottage cheese is a staple in North Indian cuisine and is consumed in various ways. However, with a short shelf life, Paneer is a perishable food product that sometimes can be messy. We at Sortizy bring you a kitchen hack by the_food_monk, which will prolong the freshness of the paneer for more prolonged use. The trick is to take a bowl of lukewarm water and add some salt. Cut the paneer in small dice or any other desired shape of your choice and submerge it in the water. Cover the bowl with a lid for prolonged use and palace it in a refrigerator for the next day’s use. This hack is suitable for using paneer in raw, shallow frying or deep frying dishes.
7. Keep Rice fresh and Germ-Free for longer durations.
In India, we have diverse weather across all four corners of the subcontinent. Varied weather poses a considerable challenge to storing grains as they become a target for insect attacks, which will lead to food wastage. This organic and straightforward hack will ensure your rice is pest-free and fresh for longer durations! This hack is brought to you by My Kitchen Treasures on Sortizy.
8. How to re-Sharpen Blunt Mixer Blades
A typical kitchen problem faced by most Indian families is blunt mixer blades due to excessive use. Nikiceipe on Sortizy gives us a fantastic life hack for the same. To retain the sharpness of the blade, pour a large cup of salt (any variety of salt will work) and turn on the mixer. Take the salt from the mixer; the blade will be as sharp as a new one!
9. How to Store Spices for Longer durations
Spices, if not stored correctly, tend to spoil or get damp. To keep spices fresher for longer durations, arrange them in a storage basket so that the most common herbs are in front, whereas the sealed packs are at the back. Sonali's recipes gave this tip on Sortizy.
10. How to reduce salt in a Curry
Salt is the quintessential ingredient in the culinary world which can make or break a dish. Often, accidents can happen, and a dish can have excessive salt. Sonali Cooks, a super chef, is here to save your day with this fantastic tip! To reduce the saltiness in a Curry, let the curry cool down at room temperature and add 2-3 teaspoons of whisked curd to the cooled curry. Mix the mixture well and cook it for a few minutes on a low flame. The dish will now be less salty and spicy. You can also use fresh cream or malai as an alternative!
11. How to Store Fresh Coriander
Every ingredient in the kitchen has a unique way of storing to prolong its taste and freshness. Often, improper storage of herbs and vegetables can lead to spoilage. Fret not; this excellent tip by Anumeet. g on Sortizy can help you keep your coriander fresher! To avoid spoilage of Coriander, place the coriander leaves in an airtight box that is layered with tissue paper/kitchen paper. Refrigerate it for optimum freshness!
12. Prevent cooked Pasta/Vermicelli/Noodles from being sticky
Are you tired of pasta being sticky and bland? Here's a brilliant tip from temptycooking on Sortizy! To avoid getting stuck in a sticky mess, add a few drops of oil when boiling the pasta. After the pasta is cooked, immediately wash the pasta under cold water and keep it dry. Restaurant styled dishes are now easy to make right within the comforts of your home!
Managing kitchen duties can be a daunting task, but you don't need any superpowers to be a pro! We're proud to collaborate with home chefs to create a systematic ecosystem of kitchen tips and tricks so that you get only the best within the comfort of your home. For more cooking hacks and exciting recipes, install the Sortizy app to check out Yumms- our informative short videos on hacks and delectable recipes. Don't forget to follow us on our social media handles!