How to get cold water super quick!

Wrap your water bottle in a wet cloth and put it in freezer. Water would be cold super quick.
I have tried this and it worked pretty fast.

Microwave usage tips

- Avoid operating on an empty microwave

- Use round containers instead of rectangular or square ones. This helps in even cooking

- Microwaves perform better (in terms of efficient cooking) in case of flat base containers

- Use few smaller containers instead of one large container for re-heating food

Vegetables, fruits & their names in Hindi

Amarnath Leaves - Chaulayi
Apple - Seb
Artichoke / Colocasia - Arbi / Ghuiyan
Ashgourd / White gourd - Petha
Banana - Kela
Beet Root - Chukandar
Bitter Gourd - Karela
Bottle Gourd / Marrow - Lauki
Brinjal / Eggplant - Baingan
Broad/Butter Beans - Sem
Cabbage - Patta Gobhi
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - Shimla Mirch
Carrot - Gajar
Cauliflower - Phool Gobhi
Chilli - Mirch
Cluster Beans - Gawaar Phali
Cow peas - Lobhia / Barbati
Coconut - Nariyal
Colocasia / Artichoke - Arbi / Ghuiyan
Coriander / Cilantro - Dhania
Corn - Bhutta
Cucumber - Kheera/Kakdi
Custard Apple - Sharifa
Dates - Khajoor
Drumstick - Shahjan
Dry Plums - Aloo Bhukhara
French Beans - Phali
Fenugreek - Methi
Garlic - Lasan
Ginger - Adrak
Goose berry - Amla
Grapes - Angoor
Green Berry - Ber
Green Chillies - Hari Mirch
Green Mango (Raw) - Ambi / Kaacha Aam
Guava - Amrood
Jackfruit - Kathal
Jambu Fruit - Jamun
Kohlrabi - Ganth Gobhi
Lady Finger/Okra - Bhindi
Lemon - Nimboo
Lettuce - Salad ke Patte
Lime - Nimbu
Little Gourd / Ivy Gourd / Gentleman's toes - Kundru
Lotus stem - Kamal Kakdi/Bhein
Mango - Aam
Maskmelon/Cantalope - Kharbooja
Mint Leaves - Pudina
Mulberry - Shahtoot
Mushroom - Khumbi / Kukurmutta
Mustard Leaves - Sarson ka saag
Olive - Jaitoon
Onion - Pyaaz
Orange - Santra
Papaya - Papita
Parsley - Ajmoda Ka Patta
Pear - Nashpati
Peas - Matar
Pineapple - Ananas
Plantain (green) - Hara Kela
Plantain Flower - Kela Ka Phool
Plum / Prune - Aloobukhara
Pomegranate - Anar
Potato - Aaloo
Prune / Plum - Aloobukhara
Pumpkin - Kaddu
Radish - Mooli
Sappotta - Chiku
Spring Onions - Hara Pyaaz
Spinach - Palak
Sweet Potato - Shakarkand
Sweet Lime - Mausambi
Star Fruit - Kamrak
Tomato - Tamatar
Turnip - Shaljam
Water Melon - Tarbooj
Water Chestnuts - Singhara
Yam - Jimikand
Zucchini - Torai / Turayi / Taroi

Cooking Tips - Removing excess salt

- If you've accidently added more salt to a gravy, then any of the following things could help:
== Add a small piece of kneeded dough and cook, the dough would absorb excess salt.
== Instead of kneeded dough, you can also use a peeled potato cut into 2 pieces.
== Adding finely chopped onion can also help in removing excess salt.
== Small pieces of bread can also be added.
== Desi Ghee can also be used for this purpose.

Food Preservation Tips

- Don't keep fruits and vegetable together. It would accelerate the decaying process.
- If green vegetable is getting stale; then keep it in cold water and squeeze a lemon in water. Vegetables would last little longer.
- If kneeded dough is to kept in refrigerator for 2-3 days then don't add salt to it. Further, apply some oil on it & wrap in butter paper. Dough would remain fresh.
- To keep salt flowing freely from salt shaker, put some uncooked rice in it. Rice would absorb excess moisture.
- If you are not going to use iron based utensils for a while, then put a coating of lemon drops or mustard oil to avoid them from rusting.
- Remove the stems from chilies before storing them. This will keep them fresher for a long time

Tips related to Curd (Dahi)

- Put bitter curd in strainer (chhalni) & drain excess water. Now add some milk & use it.
- Another option for bitter curd: add 4 cups of water & keep aside for half an hour. Later drain excess water deposited over curd.
- If jaaman is not present, then mix one teaspoon salt in hot milk & keep it at room temperature and leave it overnight. Curd should be ready next morning.

Storing Potatoes

- To avoid potatoes pieces from blackening, put them in cold water.
- Do not wash potatoes before storing, to avoid them from sprouting.
- Always store potatoes at a dry place.
- If potatoes are kept for long, then roots grow on them. To avoid this, keep an apple with potatoes.

Indian spices, cereals etc. & their Hindi names

I often find myself being confused while going through any recipe (on TV, internet, magazine etc.). So I thought I would put as many information as possible here. Many things here would be too obvious, where sometimes you might get lucky & find what you're looking for :)
I would keep updating this list whenever I get additional info...

English - Hindi
---------------

Almonds - Badaam
Asafoetida - Heeng
Basil - Tulsi
Bay Leaf - Tej Patta
Bengal Gram - Chana Dal
Bottle Gourd - Lauki
Black Cardamom - Badi Elaichi
Black Pepper - Kali Mirch
Black Salt - Kala Namak
Carom Seeds / Thymol seeds - Ajwain
Cardamaom - Elaichi
Cashew - Kaju
Chilly - Mirch
Cilantro - Khada Dhaniya
Cinnamon - Dalcheeni
Clarified Butter - Ghee
Cloves - Long (or Lavang)
Corriander - Dhaniya Powder
Curd - Dahi
Curry Leaves - Kadi Patta
Cumin - Jeera
Cumin Black - Shah Jeera
Dates - Khajur
Aniseed / Fennel Seeds - Saunf
Fenugreek Seeds - Methi Dana
Garlic - Lahsun
Ginger - Adrak
Golden Raisins - Kishmish
Gram - Desi Chana
Gram Flour - Besan
Green Peas - Hari Matar
Green Chilly - Hari Mirch
Home Made Cheese - Paneer
Jaggery - Gud
Kidney Beans - Rajma
Lemon - Nimbu
Lentils / Red Lentils - Masoor Dal
Mace - Javitri
Mustard Seeds - Rai
Mint - Pudina
Mustard Oil - Sarson Ka Tel
Nigella - Kalaunji
Nutmug - Jayefal
Oatmeal - Vilayati Jau
Pistachio - Pista
Plain Flour - Maida
Pomegranate Seeds - Anar Daana
Poppy Seeds - Khus Khus
Raw Mango Powder - Amchoor
Red Lentils (or Lentils) - Masoor Dal
Rose Water - Gulab Jal
Rice Flakes - Poha (or Chooda)
Saffron - Kesar
Semolina - Rava
Sesame Seeds - Til
Spice Blend - Garam Masala
Split Green Gram - Dhuli Moong Dal
Tamarind - Imli
Terminalia Chebula - Harad
Thymol Seeds / Carom Seeds - Ajwain
Turmeric - Haldi
Vinegar - Sirka
Walnuts - Akhrot
Wheat Flour - Genhu ka Aata
Whole Lentils - Sabut Masoor

Cooking Tips

- If you've accidently added more salt to a gravy, then any of the following things could help:
      == Add a small piece of kneeded dough and cook, the dough would absorb excess salt.
      == Instead of kneeded dough, you can also use a peeled potato cut into 2 pieces.
      == Adding finely chopped onion can also help in removing excess salt.
      == Small pieces of bread can also be added.
      == Desi Ghee can also be used for this purpose.
- To keep salt flowing freely from salt shaker, put some uncooked rice in it. Rice would absorb excess moisture.
- If you are not going to use iron based utensils for a while, then put a coating of lemon drops or mustard oil to avoid them from rusting.
- To avoid rice grains from sticking together, put some drops of vegetable oil or ghee during cooking.
- To make crispy pakodas/fries, add some cornflour.
- To avoid tears while cutting onions, cut onion in 2-3 pieces and soak in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Another technique to avoid tears whil cutting onions, is to chew Chewing Gum.
- .... and another technique is to put the small onions in freezer for 30 minutes.
- Soaking BitterGourd (Karela) pieces in salty water for at least 2 hours, removes excess bitterness.
- While preparing stuffed vegetables, add some Gram Flour (Besan) to the stuffing; you will get tastier vegetables.
- To peel tomatoes easily, hold them with the help of a fork over flame.
- Before soaking rice for Idli & Dosa, roast it a bit. Idlis would be softer and Dosa would be crispier.
- If lukewarm water is used for kneading flour, rotis/chapatis would be softer.
- Add one teaspoon sugar in partially cooked pulao; each rice grain would be tastier to eat.
- While preparing Kachori or Samosa; add 1 tablespoon vinegar to Maida. Samosa would be crispier & it would consume less oil also.
- Shallow fry Lauki & Kaddoo peelings with little oil & salt; you'll have a tasty chutney.
- To make spongier cake, put 1 lemon juice in its mixture.
- To make daanedaar ghee, when it is half cooked; sprinkle some water drops.
- Dont throw away dried or stale bread; add some milk & cream; make small balls and fry gulab-jamuns. Dip to chashni for 10 minutes.
- If kadhi has become more salty; then add little bit of jeera-powder & grated coconut.
- To make tastier besan pakodis, add 1 teaspoon achaar masala in besan-mixture.
- While preparing daal, add little bit refined oit; or a small piece of ginger. This would help in avoiding gas problems.
- While preparing tomato ketchup; add bitter grapes with tomatoes; you'll get tastier ketchup.
- Adding a bit of lemon-juice to avoid egg smell while preparing omletter.
- If you add curd to egg mixture; you'll get tastier omletttes.
- If idli ghol is thin, then add bhuna rava.
- Adding few garlic cloves to rice, lentils prevents insects from entering the container.
- To remove jelly from the mould without breaking it; wrap a hot water towel around the mould. Jelly will easily come out within a minute.
- Peeling Jimikand causes itching in hands. Rub salt in your palms after peeling jimikand & you won't get any itching.
- Wash lentils & drain excess water. Put them in a casserole & cover the lid; you'll have sprouts next day.
- While making pizza apply some butter to the base, you'll have a crunchier pizza.
- While making upma; fry suji without oil till it becomes light brown. Your upma would be tastier and all its grains would be separate.
- If papaya is not sweet, then you can cook it as vegetable like pumpkin.


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