Food is an integral part of everyone’s life, be it any part of the world we all are interconnected with distinct cuisines. Most cooking practices all over have a recognizable cuisine a specific set of cooking traditions, preferences, and practices that make it varied from one another.

Kitchens are one of the most important rooms in your home space, be it a palatial bungalow or a studio apartment one cannot deny that kitchen is an integral part of every homes design. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of preparation, cooking methods and the ingredients they use. In India since an early age we are accustomed to household work and kitchen seems to be an important area where we need to be proficient. For any would be bride this is a must have skill that she should master in. So these small nuances and handy tips for cooking are thought along the process of learning and mastering cooking. I would dedicate this to my grandma and my mom who told me all these little secrets that would help and ease up cooking process.

If you thought that cheese lovers are limited to France, Switzerland and Denmark, then a recheck is necessary. Cheese is one of the favourite ingredients that makes dishes even more tasty and creamy in an instant. Be it Italian food from pastas to pizzas without the cheese the dishes would be incomplete. My personal favourite the vegetarian lasagne is like the whole family digs on it. Some handy tips when it comes to cheese-

• Cheese can get messy and stringy and all over the place if it is not put at the right time, timing is everything when it comes to this magic ingredient. The perfect method is to cook it at low temperatures and always add the cheese at the end of the cooking time.

• It is advisable to cut cheese in smaller chunks and shred it so that it melts easier.

• To make the perfect tortilla chips add cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella.

• When grilling/baking cheese-topped dishes such as casseroles or lasagne, keep a vigilant watch with a timer as cheese melts quickly than you can imagine

Beans are a very integral part of Mexican cuisine saffron rice and beans are a deadly combo to beat. Beans are nice when they are soft and mushy, when cooking beans, any additional ingredients, such as acidic substances, such as lemon juice, tomatoes, ketchup should be added at the end of the cooking time, since acid makes the beans firm.

Onions are a very integral part of Indian cooking and we cannot but search a way to reduce the tears when peeling or slicing onions. There are two sure shot ways that will help you firstly dip them in salted water prior to cutting them. The second is to chill them first this will reduce the sulphuric compounds that cause teary eyes.

To remove the stink of onions from your hands, rub some cumin and you will find it will leave the hands stink free.

Garlic is an ingredient that is used primarily in Chinese and Indian cooking likewise. Cooking can bea great fun for everyone but the time process can be reduced if the ingredients are ready and not a painstaking job. Skinning cloves of garlic isn’t what the big chefs fancy. Well, here’s an easy way to go about it. Dry the garlic in the sun before using them; rub a few drops of oil on your palms and onto them. The skin will come off easily and within minutes you will be ready with the entire batch.

For recipes that require fresh cardamom powder as flavouring, this is an ingredient in shrikhand or even pies and cookies. Simply add a pinch of sugar along with skinned cardamoms while grinding. This cardamom is then is easy to grind in the grinder and the super fine mixture available is easily mixed in the intended dough. All you are left with is the fresh aroma of the spice to flavour your dishes.

Perfect Egg:

While boiling many know that eggs have a tendency to split or crack, making them messy and the water turns frothy. Well, here’s a simple way to prevent that from happening. Just add a pinch of salt to the water which disallows cracking.

• Keeping boiled eggs in chilled water for 5 minutes, will make removal of the shell easier.

• Boiled eggs will last longer, if you store the shelled eggs in a bowl of cold water in a refrigerator.

• Cut boiled eggs with a knife dipped in hot water to avoid breaking.

Roasting meat

This tip was given by my Swedish friend Lucy Morrisson, she just knew how to make the perfect meat. We had an all friends meet and she made this perfectly roasted meat with this handy tip. Simply peel 2 large onions, slice in half, arrange in a greased oven dish and place the meat on top. Roast as the way you would, placing the onions will make sure that the meat does not touch the bottom of the baking dish and most fat from the meat is drained.

Fresh fish

Fish is a common food that is preferred by everyone today mainly due to the health benefits it has to offer. To make sure you don’t end up buying stale fish make sure that the eyes are as clear and bright as those of a live fish. If the gills don't smell fresh, the process of decomposition has already begun and the fish is better off not consumed internally.

Having guests over for weekend or a special occasion; serve cocktails with ice cubes that are tailor made for this occasion.

• Freeze sprigs of mint, kiwi slices, lemon or orange peel in them and serve them in chilled beverages.

• Have you ever tried flavoured oils, they give extraordinary lift to many dishes. Drizzle basil-flavoured oil over sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. Use dill and garlic flavoured oil to give that extra oomph to ordinary fried baked potatoes.

• Meals are incomplete without desserts, if you are taking effort to make the dish at home. It is advisable to garnish with an ingredient used in the recipe, such as lemon slices on a lemon pie, carrot curls on a salad plate.

For more enticing ideas on food presentation do visit these easy to do tips on art of food presentation.