Life> Delicacies

Tips: salt in the kitchen

By Cindy Gu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-07-07 13:17

You thought of salt only as a flavor enhancer? Think twice! The seasoning staple is also very handy when it comes to other chores in the kitchen. Here are some alternative uses of salt. 

Boiling water: To boil water faster, add a pinch of salt to it.

Brightening cutting boards: To keep the boards bright and light, rub them with a damp cloth dipped in salt. Rinse clean afterwards with running water.

Crisping salads: To keep salads crisp, season just before serving. Adding salt well in advance will draw out the water from the greens and make them soggy.

Fixing over-salted soup: To fix over-salted soups, add some chopped potatoes. The potatoes will absorb the salt and make your soup milder to the taste.

Flavoring coffee: To remove bitterness from over-cooked coffee, add a pinch of salt before drinking.

Keeping milk fresh: To keep milk fresh for longer, add a small pinch of salt to it.

Peeling eggs: To make hardboiled eggs easier to peel, boil them in salted water.

Preventing mold: To prevent mold on cheese, wrap it in a cloth dampened with salt water before refrigerating.

Preventing sugaring: To prevent sugaring of cake icings, add a little bit of salt.

Removing pinfeathers: To remove pinfeathers from poultry, rub the skin with salt.

"Sweetening" containers: To "sweeten" and deodorize closed containers (such as thermos bottles or decanters,) wash them with salted water thoroughly.

Whipping cream and beating egg whites: To get a better, faster and higher whip, add a pinch of salt to the whipping cream or beating egg whites.