The kitchen is the heart of a home, but busy modern life often makes cooking a tedious task.

Mastering some practical tips can not only improve efficiency, but also make the cooking process more enjoyable. Here are some verified kitchen life tips, hoping to add convenience to your cooking time.

1.Onion no longer tears

Crying while cutting onions is a problem for many people. Try refrigerating onions for half an hour before cutting them. Low temperature can effectively suppress the volatilization of irritating gases. Another method is to put a bowl of water next to the onion while cutting, or turn on the range hood to help absorb the diffused gas.

2.Quickly soften butter

Need butter urgently but forgot to soften it in advance? Cut the butter into small pieces, put it in a bowl, gently blow it with a low hot air from a hair dryer, or put it in the microwave and heat it at the lowest power for 5-10 seconds (be careful not to melt). Another method is to place butter at the bottom of a warm cup or bowl and use the remaining heat to accelerate softening.

3.Easily remove garlic skin

Place garlic cloves in a bowl, cover another bowl and shake vigorously for a moment, and the garlic skin will automatically separate. For a single garlic clove, it can be easily peeled by pressing it with your palm or lightly tapping it with a knife.

4. Extend the freshness period of vegetables
Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce should be washed and dried with kitchen paper before being refrigerated in a sealed bag to extend their shelf life. Root vegetables such as carrots and celery can be wrapped in tin foil and refrigerated to maintain their freshness for a longer period of time.

5. Efficient use of spices
Dry spices (such as Sichuan peppercorns and star anise) should be lightly roasted over low heat before use to enhance their aroma. Fresh herbs such as basil and rosemary can be chopped and mixed with olive oil to freeze and make flavored ice cubes for easy access at any time.

6. A simple method for cleaning a microwave oven
Put a bowl of water and a little white vinegar or lemon juice into the microwave and heat on high heat for 3-5 minutes. Steam will soften the oil stains on the inner wall, just wipe it gently with a damp cloth to clean it as new.

7. Prevent Congee from overflowing
Drop a few drops of cooking oil on the edge of the Congee pot or put a porcelain spoon in the pot to effectively prevent overflow when boiling. In addition, midway mixing can also reduce foam accumulation.

8. Quick cooling beverage
When you urgently need a chilled beverage, wrap the bottle in wet kitchen paper and place it in the freezer. It will quickly cool down in about 15 minutes. This method is faster than direct freezing and avoids bottle breakage.

9. Tool maintenance techniques
Regularly use a sharpening stone or professional sharpener to maintain the sharpness of the cutting tools. Clean and dry acidic foods (such as lemons and tomatoes) promptly after cutting to avoid blade corrosion.

10. Cleverly utilizing lemon
Lemon is not only a great seasoning, but can also be used to clean cutting boards (wiping with salt and lemon slices can kill bacteria and odors), or to remove fishy odors from hands (washing lemon slices and rinsing).

These seemingly simple tips can significantly improve the efficiency and enjoyment of kitchen work. Through daily practice, you may discover more unique secrets that suit you. The essence of cooking is creation and sharing, may these techniques help you enjoy every moment of kitchen time!