1. Choose ingredients like paneer, sweet corn kernels, bean sprouts etc. when you are in a hurry as these require less time to cook. Also use faster cooking methods like stir- frying as compared to boiling and baking
2. Remember to cut the vegetables into small pieces to enable them to cook faster
3. It is always handy to keep the following things in your refrigerator.
   1. Boiled Vegetables: These can be used to rustle up delicious subzis in minutes.
   2. Boiled Potatoes: Potatoes are very versatile and can be used in lots of recipes
   3. Pastes: Onion paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, green chilli paste etc. last for a long time and can be used as required
   4. Gravies : Like kadai gravy and green gravy should be made in bulk and frozen. These last for upto two months and are very handy and help optimize on time
4. It is also a good idea to rely on ready made pastes if you are too pressed for time
5. Innovative recycling of left-overs not only saves your time but also gives a variety to your meals. Try and make an idli burger or a chapati frankie.
6. One usually wastes more time in planning a meal as compared to actually cooking it. It is always a good idea to make a list of things you would like to make when in a hurry and make sure you stock all the ingredients required.
7. Innovative use of ready food mixes helps to shorten an elaborate recipe. Here are a few tips
   1. Make a sponge cake using a cake mix and then decorate it with different kinds of icing. Your mouth- watering gateau is ready
   2. Gulab jamuns and rasgullas can be made using the mixes. They can then be converted into various desserts like malai koftas, rasmalais, meva batis etc.

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