Have you ever wondered, how life would be without water? You go to brush your teeth and suddenly the tap runs dry. How annoying, isn’t it? But this imaginary situation can very soon translate into a harsh reality if we don’t stop abusing this precious resource. Yes, every drop counts. The scorching Indian summers have arrived. Scarcity of water is a common headline in newspaper these days. In urban areas we experience it only as cut in the water supply or shifting of IPL matches out of the state. But in rural regions, droughts create havoc. For a farmer, his crops, his living depends on every drop of water.People are now seen making a conscious effort to conserve the most precious resource of the Earth. Many are doing their bit. Let us do ours too. The kitchen is one part of the house, besides the bathroom, where water is a necessity, be it cooking or cleaning. Let’s look at the ways in which we can save water in the kitchen and not let it hamper our love for cooking:1. Oh no!! A sink full of dirty dishes to wash.
While washing dishes, don’t keep the water running. For effective cleaning and saving water, scrape them clean before putting in the sink. When making multiple dishes, try and use the same pot or pan for cooking them, one at a time.Fun Deal: Party with friends? Cook together and do the dishes together. Save gallons of water.
2. Choose utensils wiselyUse appropriate pans for cooking, if you are using a bigger/wider pan for a smaller quantity, it will need more water to cook.Fun Deal: Ditch the pans, and eat more of raw veggies and fruits. Feel healthy from within.3. Oops!! I forgot to thaw chicken for dinner.Do some advance planning. Don’t throw frozen meat in running water. Take it out of the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator for use, well in advance. It will come to the required temperature naturally and will save lots of water.4. Steam awayTry to steam food as often as you can, rather than boiling. It will raise your health quotient too. When steaming multiple foods, try to steam in one go, using separate sections in the steamer.5. Washing the produce
Use a vessel full of water to wash fruits and vegetables rather than using running water. This will effectively reduce water consumption. This dirty water can be reused for watering house plants.6. Under pressure
Try using the pressure cooker to reduce water usage while cooking. It saves time and fuel consumption too.7. Choose your menu wisely
Going easy on curry dishes also saves water. Try sautéed dry dishes, which will be more flavorful too. Do you know sautéing in oil originated in arid regions of the world because of scarcity of water?8. One LoveReal Deal: Assign a certain day of the week for one pot meals. This will not only save you the hassle of planning your menu but also scrubbing extra dishes.Fun Deal: Have a romantic candlelight dinner with your partner, eat your one pot dish from one plate.
9. I am an environmentalist…I reuse, recycle!!
Real Deal: Do not throw water in which you boil dal, veggies or meat. It can be used as a broth to add flavor, nutrition and water to other dishes or curries. If boiling pasta, reuse the water later for adding into pasta sauces.10. Measure me!Real Deal: Put only required quantity of water while cooking food. Adding more water will consume more fuel and time as well as waste water too. It will also lead to more loss of nutrients.11. Gosh!! It leaks!!Real Deal: Get your leaky faucets repaired. Constant dripping wastes a big amount of water.Remember, small adjustments can make a BIG impact. There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.About the Author:Chef Kunal Kapur is a well-recognized Indian celebrity chef, restaurateur, and media personality known for his food-focused television shows, cookbook and most recently hosting High dignitary events in the country.Disclaimer:The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
While washing dishes, don’t keep the water running. For effective cleaning and saving water, scrape them clean before putting in the sink. When making multiple dishes, try and use the same pot or pan for cooking them, one at a time.Fun Deal: Party with friends? Cook together and do the dishes together. Save gallons of water.
2. Choose utensils wiselyUse appropriate pans for cooking, if you are using a bigger/wider pan for a smaller quantity, it will need more water to cook.Fun Deal: Ditch the pans, and eat more of raw veggies and fruits. Feel healthy from within.3. Oops!! I forgot to thaw chicken for dinner.Do some advance planning. Don’t throw frozen meat in running water. Take it out of the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator for use, well in advance. It will come to the required temperature naturally and will save lots of water.4. Steam awayTry to steam food as often as you can, rather than boiling. It will raise your health quotient too. When steaming multiple foods, try to steam in one go, using separate sections in the steamer.5. Washing the produce
Use a vessel full of water to wash fruits and vegetables rather than using running water. This will effectively reduce water consumption. This dirty water can be reused for watering house plants.6. Under pressure
Try using the pressure cooker to reduce water usage while cooking. It saves time and fuel consumption too.
7. Choose your menu wiselyGoing easy on curry dishes also saves water. Try sautéed dry dishes, which will be more flavorful too. Do you know sautéing in oil originated in arid regions of the world because of scarcity of water?8. One LoveReal Deal: Assign a certain day of the week for one pot meals. This will not only save you the hassle of planning your menu but also scrubbing extra dishes.Fun Deal: Have a romantic candlelight dinner with your partner, eat your one pot dish from one plate.
9. I am an environmentalist…I reuse, recycle!!
Real Deal: Do not throw water in which you boil dal, veggies or meat. It can be used as a broth to add flavor, nutrition and water to other dishes or curries. If boiling pasta, reuse the water later for adding into pasta sauces.10. Measure me!Real Deal: Put only required quantity of water while cooking food. Adding more water will consume more fuel and time as well as waste water too. It will also lead to more loss of nutrients.11. Gosh!! It leaks!!Real Deal: Get your leaky faucets repaired. Constant dripping wastes a big amount of water.Remember, small adjustments can make a BIG impact. There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.About the Author:Chef Kunal Kapur is a well-recognized Indian celebrity chef, restaurateur, and media personality known for his food-focused television shows, cookbook and most recently hosting High dignitary events in the country.Disclaimer:The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
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