While preparing chicken 'tikka', mix one egg into the marinade for extra softness and delightful taste.

Add a little lemon juice to cake batter for a light and spongy effect.

Mushrooms can be dipped in warm water to which a tablespoon of milk has been added to avoid discoloration.

While making small cakes for parties, 'idli' cups can be used to get round equal sized cakes.

To get rid of worms from stored rice, sprinkle powdered salt on it.

Immerse oranges in boiling water for five minutes to help you peel them quickly and easily separate the segments.

Seal cracks in flower vases with candle wax.

Don not throw away old silk 'salwar' suits or saris. Paint them and use them to make cushion covers, wall hangings, jewellery pouches, etc.

Colorful baby gumboots, which are not in use can be wonderful as containers for flower arrangements.

If your silver articles have turned black, immerse them for about half-an-hour in warm water to which a little soda bicarb has been added. They will sparkle like new.

Diamond jewelery will shine like new if you clean it with toothpaste.

Mushrooms can be dipped in warm water to which a tablespoon of milk has been added to avoid discoloration.

Wash your crockery with baking soda or soda bicarb for sparkling results.

To remove the odor from your hands after chopping onions or garlic, rub them with salt or a lemon peel.

You can peel garlic flakes easily if you place them in the sun for a while.

To remove chocolate stains from fabric, rub the stained area vigorously with glycerine. Wash off agter 10 minutes with lukewarm water.

Remove 'paan' stain form clothes by washing it first with onion juice, then detergent soap.

Tired of stains on white footwear – that just won't go away? Soak a small cotton wool ball in nail polish remover and rub briskly on your footwear and hey presto! The stains disappear and your footwear will gleam like new.

Add half cup kerosene & three tablets of camphor to half a bucket of water and mop the floor with this solution.

If you find ants attacking your plants, just sprinkle a little turmeric powder around. They will vanish.

Spread green cucumber skins around the floor for three to four nights in a row, and watch the roaches disappear.

Having shampooing problems with hard water? Mix the required quantity of shampoo in distilled water for the first wash. Your hair will be cleaner and won't get tangled.

Add some 'neem' or 'tusli' leaves to your hot bath water for a soothing and refreshing feeling.

For lasting fragrance throughout the day, add a few drops of lemon juice to your bath water.

Keep a couple of rattling toys near a sleeping infant, so that the mother will know the moment the baby wakes up and moves.

Sweet solution: Use a lollipop, instead of a spoon, to press down the tongue when examining a baby's throat. The sweet taste will put an end to any protest.

When small babies cry continuously, give them one or two drops of honey in a spoonful of warm water. They will stop crying and doze off to sleep.

Don't throw away the skin of boiled potatoes; use them to wipe mirrors. They will be sparkling clean.

A mixture of liquid ammonia and detergent powder is excellent for cleaning cabinets, refrigerators and garbage pails.

To clean, used and empty pickle bottles put warm water in them, add three tablespoons synthetic vinegar, a tablespoon of washing powder and shake at intervals. Leave overnight. Rinse them in the morning. They will be odor free.

To treat hair loss, apply a little lemon juice with four tbsp of coconut milk to the scalp. Wash the hair after one hour. Repeat this treatment every week.

If you apply egg white on the burns on the body immediately, blisters will not appear on the skin.

When acidity strikes, drink a glass of cold banana milk shake (one banana and a glass of milk whisked together). It gives immediate relief.

In case of colored clothes, soak them in a mild hydrogen peroxide solution for about 15 minutes and then rinse well.

Use some nail polish remover to lighten the stain and soak the cloth in petrol. Dry it in the sun and then wash.

Soak the stained garment in water for two hours and then apply hot glycerine over the stain before washing.

The faster the freeze, the smoother the texture of the ice cream.

Be careful not to let ice cream melt and refreeze. It can result into an unpalatable mess.

Ice cream is best when stored between -5 and 0 F.

If you believe in conserving fuel, soak grains or pulses for some time before you cook them. You will need less cooking gas this way.

Before roasting brinjals for preparing 'bharta' smear them with mustard oil. The skin will peel off easily then.

Lady finger curry won't turn out sticky if you add a pinch of 'amchur' (dry mango powder) to it.

While storing rice (about 10 kg.), add four tablespoons, each, turmeric powder and salt, two tablespoons cloves and 100 grams whole red chillies. Mix will with the rice. The rice will be maggot free.

Keep 'dals' in the sun for one day before storing them. When they are cool, put them in airtight tins and place a few red chillies and fresh 'neem' leaves on top and close tightly. The 'dals' will be free from insects for months.

Oil your sewing machine every few weeks to keep it in good condition. But soon after oiling, run a piece of rough cloth through to soak up excess oil if any.

Keep a dry (leftover) small piece of soap in the sewing machine tool box. Affix needles & pins into the soap & they will not get rusted. Apply some soap to the end of the thread & you can threadle the needle easily.

Slice cheese with a potato peeler for garnishing salads it will look attractive.

To minimize the formation of crystals on ice-cream cover the tin with an aluminum foil.

To facilitate easy chopping of parsley or any other greens, stand a bunch vertically in a tumbler and while rotating it with one hand, snip at the tops with kitchen scissors.