(This story has been republished from The Quint's archives in the light of the ban on single-use plastic items.)
While rains are a respite from the scorching summer heat, they also bring with them a fair share of woes. Primary among them is the risk moisture poses, particularly to food items.
But with a little planning and caution, you can prevent your food from spoilage. Here are four ways to do it:
1. Cook Just the Right Amount
The rainy season is not the right time to cook a lot of food together. Fungus is most active during the monsoon and can easily contaminate the food. The lesser the leftovers, the better it is.
The same goes for easily perishable food items such as bread. Get smaller packets of breads from the market and do not store them for longer periods. Should you need to store bread for later, refrigerate it after wrapping.
2. Don’t Leave Food Unattended in the Open
This is true for chapattis, cooked lentils and veggies. Just don’t leave the food unattended in the open, lest they attract flies. Don’t keep leftover rotis in the open. Wrap them in an aluminum foil and keep them in a casserole. The same goes for fried items, always keep them covered.
3. Sunny Side Up
Food grains, lentils and spices need to be preserved cautiously during monsoons. They tend to get moist and run the risk of infestation. A good thing to do is to expose the grains and spices to some sunshine on days when there is. Or spread them out on a newspaper and warm them in the microwave before putting them to use.
Store them in a cool, dry place, preferably in an air-tight jar.
4. Glass Over Plastic
Two ingredients that just don’t get along in the monsoons are sugar and salt. They attract moisture instantly and turn damp.
Ditch the plastic containers and go for air-tight glass containers to store salt and sugar during monsoons. Don’t leave the lid open and throw some raw rice in the bottle to absorb the excess moisture.
The same goes for biscuits, cookies and wafers.
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