Save time and energy in the kitchen with these really nifty food hacks that will revolutionise the way you handle, prepare and cook food:
Have guests over but the champagne has somehow lost much of its fizziness? Revive it by dropping a single raisin in the bottle or glass and watch as it starts to bubble and become effervescent again! Also works with sparkling wine and prosecco.
Photo: Pinterest
To soften rock-hard butter from the fridge, warm a glass with hot water then place it over the block. It’ll only take a few minutes!
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Photo: Pinterest
This is an oldie but a goodie – we’ve all experience this annoying phenomenon of dropping eggshells into the bowl when cracking eggs. Instead of digging around with a spoon, simply wet your index finger and easily scoop the shell fragment out.
READ MORE: How to make soft-boiled eggs like the ones in Singapore coffee shops
Photo: Pinterest
Nobody loves spending time getting cheese out of a the grater, so this hack will make things so much easier. Simply spray cooking spray on the grater and the cheese won’t stick!
Photo: Just A Pinch/Pinterest
Sometimes, you only need half an avocado for your avocado toast. To prevent the other half from browning, store it in an airtight container with a piece of onion. It should stay green for at least a few days. Also works with guacamole!
Photo: The Kitchn
If brown sugar goes hard, place a piece of fresh bread in the container and the next day the sugar will be moist again.
Rub some butter around the rim of the saucepan when cooking potatoes – the spuds won’t boil over.
To prevent brownies from sticking to the knife when cutting them into squares, simply use a disposable plastic knife rather than a metal one.
When marinating meats, throw in a bit of pineapple juice or cut pineapples to give it a slightly sweet flavour. The pineapple also helps to make the meats more tender.
This is especially for those who hate the lingering smell of garlic in your fingers from peeling and chopping. Place the clove (or cloves) in a glass container/jar, put the lid on and shake vigorously for a few seconds. The outer skin should come right off!
Photo: Thrifty Fun/Pinterest
This keeps them fresher for a longer time, so you won’t have to throw them away! This trick also works for broccoli and asparagus.
Add 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda to the water in the pan before boiling the eggs. The soda will seep between the egg and the shell, which should peel right off easily.
When baking macarons and icing cakes, you’ll need a piping bag. If you don’t have one or can’t get it in time, use a large ziplock bag and push icing down to one end. Snip off one end and you’ll have a nozzle!
Mix these two ingredients together to remove pesky stains caused by berries, beets and ink from both your hands and clothes.
Before starting a barbecue, cook sliced onion in the microwave until soft. They will brown more quickly on the barbecue and taste extra good!
If you have a recipe that calls for buttermilk but you don’t have any, just add a tablespoon of white vinegar to regular milk and voila!
Freeze coffee that’s been poured into ice-cube trays and pop them into a cup of coffee.
Photo: Fab Art DIY on Pinterest
Protect your floors with this easy trick!
Photo: Lifebuzz/Pinterest
This relieves the pressure that builds up when the egg is boiling.
Photo: Nom Nom Paleo/Pinterest
Soak pasta in water one hour before mealtime, then boil for 60 seconds. Your pasta’s ready to be eaten!
Here’s a quick way to slice all your cherry tomatoes: place them in-between two tupperware lids and slide a knife through.
Photo: Amanda Kennedy/Pinterest
This trick keeps them from ripening too quickly, especially in our humid climate.
Photo: Bargain Hound/Pinterest
Text: Bauer / Additional Reporting: Elizabeth Liew