Managing the kitchen by staying within the budget and without any wastage is an arduous task. However, you could make the kitchen chores hassle-free and economic, if you follow a few tips. Note these easy hacks to save money in the kitchen while keeping the food nutritious and fresh.
1. Storing too many tomatoes in the fridge isn’t a great idea as they get decayed pretty easily. In case you decide to stock up on tomatoes when the prices are low, wash and cut them into small pieces and then puree the tomatoes. Cook the puree by adding some salt and oil. After it has cooled down, pour it into an ice cube tray and store it in the freezer. Tomatoes could be stored like this for up to six months. You could add a few cubes of tomatoes to the curries. Leftover fruits too could be stored in zip-lock bags in the freezer to be used in smoothies.
2. Homemade masala is better than store-bought ones. Store them in air-tight containers.
3. Ghee and butter could be easily prepared at home. Scoop the fat from milk every day and store them in the freezer. You could blend the fat with ice cubes and cold water in a mixer jar to make butter. Meanwhile, fresh ghee could be made by heating the fat.
4. Sweet flattened rice, rice balls, plantain fritters and cakes could be easily made at home.
5. Blend chillies with salt and oil and store them in ice cubes in the freezer.
6. Cut the veggies that are required for breakfast, the previous night itself and keep them in the fridge to save time.
7. Paneer could be wrapped in cling film to keep it fresh. You could also soak paneer in water. However, make sure to change the water every day. You could also store lemons like this to keep them fresh and juicy.
8. Garlic could be peeled easily by soaking it in warm water. Then, store them in air-tight containers.
9. Roast garlic and dried chillies in a pan by adding some salt and oil. After it has cooled down, blend them in a mixer jar. Store in air-tight jars and keep in the fridge. This Schezwan sauce is perfect for Chinese dishes.
10. Pour the leftover readymade coconut milk into ice trays and freeze them to increase their shelf life.