10 kitchen time-savers

Save up to 10 minutes at every mealtime with these simple tricks for common kitchen tasks from news.com.au.

REMOVE BROKEN EGG SHELLS WITH WET FINGERS

The water will boost your grip on the pieces, which means you won't have to chase them around the bowl. If the shards are particularly tiny, use half of the broken shell to scoop them out.

USE FAST-COOKING INGREDIENTS

"Keep frozen vegetables, and tinned chickpeas or beans in your kitchen so you can still eat well when running short on time," nutritionist Jade Gibbons says.

Make more than you need

"Cook double the protein — such as grilled salmon or roasted chicken breast — at dinner so you have an extra portion handy to add to your lunch the next day," nutritionist Stephanie Malouf says.

DEFROST MEAT ON METAL TRAYS

Thawing frozen steak or chicken can take a while, but a stainless-steel tray will accelerate the process.

Metal conducts heat more efficiently than wood or porcelain, so it will defrost your protein in record time.

SPRAY MEASURING CUPS WITH OLIVE OIL

Do this and sticky ingredients such as honey or peanut butter won't put up such a fight when you pour them out.

Bonus tip: Pre-coat a grater in oil to make shredding veges or cheese a cinch.

USE TWO PLATES TO SLICE SMALL FRUIT

To halve a large amount of cherry tomatoes or grapes, put them on the base of an upside-down plate and put the base of another plate on top to sandwich them.

Press down on the top plate to hold them in place, then use a sharp knife to slice horizontally between the plates.

PEEL POTATOES AFTER THEY'RE BOILED

This is easier than it sounds. Before tossing the spuds in the water, make a long, circular cut in the skin, then once cooked, give them a light squeeze and they'll pop right out of their jackets.

COOK PASTA IN A PAN

Unless you're cooking carbonara for 50 people, you don't need a giant pot — and that means there's no need to wait for all that water to boil. Instead, place your pasta in a frying pan, cover it with cold water and turn up the heat. The pasta will cook faster, and because the water is cold, it won't stick together.

USE BICARB SODA TO CARAMELISE ONIONS

Don't spend 30 minutes trying to brown onions over low heat — add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda instead. It speeds up the chemical reaction that results in caramelisation, so don't add too much and keep an eye on the pan.

ROLL YOUR LEMONS FOR EASIER JUICING

Take the elbow grease out of squeezing lemons by rolling them on the kitchen bench.

You'll loosen up the pulp and score more juice for less effort.

BLEND LIQUIDS FIRST

Adding water, milk or stock to your blender ahead of bulky ingredients will prevent the blades from becoming stuck and the motor from overheating.

This article was first posted at nzherald.co.nz and was republished here with permission.