• While deep frying potatoes, fry small pieces once at 180° Centigrade while big pieces should be fried twice, first at 140° Centigrade and finally at 180° Centigrade.

• When you keep a pan in the OVEN make sure you make its handle a little dirty by sprinkling flour etc. so that when you have to take it out, you feel hesitant to touch it and thus avoid burning. It's an international signal system.

• When cooking rice by absorption method (i.e. when you don't have to drain the water) if the water is getting over and the rice is still underdone do not add any water to the rice but lower the flame, put some cold water on the lid. This will halt the steaming process and result in condensation of the water providing moisture to the rice. When the water on the lid becomes hot again, repeat the process till you are sure the rice is cooked.

• For providing a smoky flavour to the "Baingan Ka Bhartha" after roasting it on gas flame, mash it, keep it in a thali or parat. Make some space in the middle to keep a small metal bowl. Place a live coal (put the coal piece on flame on the gas burner till it is red hot), pour a spoonful of pure ghee and cover it tightly for a minute or two and then proceed to make the bhartha.

• For removing the skin of tomato, cut its base, put a cross-cut superficially on top, put in boiling water, when water starts boiling again (when you add tomato to boiling water the temperature goes below 100°. Centigrade), count 10 (i.e. for 10 seconds only), remove and put it in cold water, leave it there for some time and then peel it with hands starting from the cut put at the top. Please keep in mind that, it is not the boiling which peels the skin but the sudden change in temperature to which the skin is exposed to (from boiling hot to cold water).

• While rolling the dough for making stuffed paratha, roll the edges thinner keeping the center thick, place the stuffing in the center and form an envelope fold (i.e. fold like a packet.), this ensures a paratha with equally distributed filling and equal thickness.

• Beans, peas and cabbage will cook to tender perfection if it is cooked without salt. Salt can be added after the vegetables are cooked, while serving or while re-heating before serving.

• For retaining the shiny green colour of green peas, boil them in boiling water for 5-6 minutes only (without covering) and then refresh in cold water and preserve, to add to any dish.

• Use little vinegar and salt while boiling eggs, for whiter eggs, faster coagulation and easy peeling.

• After sautéing any food item in butter / oil, season it after it is removed from the frying pan as otherwise the remaining butter / oil will not be suitable for reuse.