Rasoi
Cool rice fast on a thali
Spread hot rice thin on a steel thali before packing a tiffin. It cools in minutes instead of steaming inside the box, which is what makes packed rice smell off by lunch.
Jugaads for “rice”
9 resultsPaani
Rice water for the plants
The water from rinsing rice carries starch and a little nutrition, and plants take it well. Let it cool first, and skip it if you salted the water.
Paisa
Ask for the price before the service, every time
Electricians, plumbers and mechanics all quote differently before and after the work. Agreeing the number first is not rude — it is the normal way this works, and everyone expects to be asked.
Rasoi
Dry the masala dabba lid in the sun
In monsoon, powdered masala clumps because the lid holds moisture. Sun the box and lid for an hour every couple of weeks. A few grains of raw rice in each compartment does the rest.
Paisa
Sabzi at the end of the market run
Vendors drop prices near closing rather than carry stock home. Perfect for anything you will cook that night. Not for a week's storage — that is why it is cheap.
Paisa
Refill, not repurchase
Handwash, detergent, floor cleaner and hair oil all sell refill pouches at a fraction of the bottled price. One bottle, refilled for years, is less money and much less plastic.
Rozmarra
बैग में हमेशा एक पेन
बैंक, अस्पताल और सरकारी दफ्तर — हर जगह फॉर्म है और किसी के पास चलता पेन नहीं। एक पेन बैग में रखो, हर बार लाइन में पूछने से बच जाओगे।
Rozmarra
Keep a pen in the bag, always
Every bank, hospital and government office runs on a form and none of them has a pen that works. One in the bag saves the queue-and-ask ritual every single time.
Mausam
Newspaper under the bedsheet in winter
A layer of newspaper between the mattress and the bedsheet is a surprisingly effective insulator on a cold night in a house with no heating. It crackles when you turn over, which is the price.
That is all 9 of them. बस, इतना ही।