How many times have you dreaded going into the kitchen to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You might need a new perspective. Cooking can be enjoyable and relaxing if you try to see it in another way. Here are a few cooking tips that are sure to get your taste buds tingling and entice your inner chef to come out.
Try to keep your spices and herbs in a dark, cool area of your kitchen. Common kitchen conditions, such as heat, light, and humidity, will destroy the flavor of herbs and spices. Generally, ground herbs and spices stay fresh for around a year, after that they begin to lose their flavor. It is possible for whole spices to remain flavorful for up to five years. If the spices are stored properly, they will stay fresh for a longer period.
In your journey to cook more meals yourself, utilize the library or local bookstore in acquiring cookbooks. Target simple books with simple recipes that make you comfortable. Try making three or four of the recipes that appeal to you the most, and give yourself plenty of time to perfect your newly acquired skill.
Always bake your crusts a little longer than is absolutely necessary. Let the crust go beyond light tan to a deeper, golden shade. The deep caramel color demonstrates that the sugar has melded with the other ingredients, giving you an optimal flavor.
Try this quick trick to salvage your efforts. Mix 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch into a bowl. Thicken your sauce by stirring in this solution. Remember to stir your sauce constantly while adding the cornstarch mixture, to avoid it getting too thick.
Cooking Methods
Many of the most important nutrients present in vegetables are removed or destroyed with lengthy cooking methods such as boiling. When you use faster cooking methods, such as steaming and sauteing, vegetables keep more of the nutrients intact. The best way to make sure you get all the vital nutrients housed within veggies is to eat them raw.
To make your French fries crisper, try leaving the raw potatoes in some cold water for half an hour before you fry them. When potatoes are allowed to absorb cold water, the texture is able to withstand the extreme heat of cooking without breaking down and becoming mushy.
When it’s time to cook your meat, has it ever been an issue trying to decide how long to grill it for? Try using a digital meat thermometer to judge when your meat is cooked thoroughly. Another tip is to close the lid on your grill if the meat you’re cooking is thicker than an inch and a half.
When you are using wooden skewers in cooking, soak them for at least half an hour before putting the veggies on them. By soaking, you can prevent the skewers from burning while cooking your food. To prevent food from falling from the skewers, use two parallel skewers rather than just one.
When trying to add protein to a diet, you need to remember that beans and tofu are great sources. You can buy these in almost any grocery store. For a meat alternative, try pan frying seasoned tofu. You can boil the beans with a bit of herbs to give the protein more flavor.
Enjoy Cooking
Try incorporating a few of these tips into your meals. After giving them a taste, you may find you actually enjoy cooking. You may find that you enjoy cooking and begin experimenting even further. Make cooking a fun part of your life!