Kitchen Hacks

  1. Start with fresh lettuce: Choose lettuce with no brown spots or wilting.
  2. Wash and dry thoroughly: Rinse the leaves under cold water, then core and chop the lettuce. Toss the pieces into an ice water bath and give them a good swirl—this helps them cool down and crisp up. Once they’re nice and cold, dry them off with a salad spinner or by patting them gently with a towel. Remember, excess moisture is your lettuce’s worst enemy!
  3. Wrap in paper towels: Layer the leaves between paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
  4. Store in a breathable container: Place the lettuce in a loosely sealed bag or a container with a lid slightly ajar to allow air circulation, which prevents sogginess.
  5. Keep in the crisper drawer: This part of the fridge maintains the best humidity levels for produce.

When food is so spicy that tears well up in your eyes, avoid drinking water—it’ll only spread the heat around. The best way to cool down is to drink milk, which helps ease the burning sensation.

If you accidentally add too much salt to your soup, the delicate flavor is ruined. To save it, toss in some potato cubes and let them cook for a few minutes. The potatoes will absorb the excess salt, and you can remove them before serving.

If you prefer eating apples with the skin on, you’ll want to remove the wax first:
(1) Submerge the apple in hot water (as warm as your hand can handle) to melt away the wax.
(2) Apply a bit of toothpaste to the apple as a cleaner, then rinse thoroughly before eating.

Potato sprouts contain harmful toxins that can cause stomach pain and dizziness. To delay sprouting, store potatoes with an apple. The ethylene gas from the apple slows down sprout growth. Bonus tip: Want papayas or kiwis to ripen faster? Store them with apples too.

When storing cookies in a container, add a sugar cube. The sugar absorbs excess moisture, helping to keep the cookies crunchy and delicious.

If your hands burn after cutting chili peppers, and gloves don’t help, try washing with toothpaste. It works wonders to relieve the fiery pain—highly recommended for home cooks!

Bananas spoil quickly, but you can slow down the process by wrapping plastic wrap around the stems. This simple trick extends their freshness.

To make a new cutting board last longer, coat both sides and the edges with cooking oil. Let it dry, then repeat three or four times for a durable finish.

To achieve shrimp that’s translucent and tender, place them in a bowl, add a little salt and baking soda, then rub with your hands. Rinse thoroughly, and they’ll fry up beautifully.

Cilantro is rich in essential oils but loses aroma with prolonged cooking. To preserve its fresh fragrance, add cilantro just before serving.

To create a deliciously thick and rich sauce when cooking vegetables, add some starch. This will also help retain the vitamins in your dish, as starch protects them during cooking.