Lots of people enjoy cooking as a fun, creative, relaxing hobby. A kitchen full of yummy aromas and fresh ingredients can lift anyone’s mood. However, it’s not always easy to come up with the recipes and techniques to make the perfect meal. The following article will provide you with the tips and tricks you need to make mouth-watering dishes.
There is a great trick to thicken up your sauce so it isn’t wasted. In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of water and 3 teaspoons of corn starch. Slowly add this mixture to your simmering sauce to thicken it up. To keep from over-thickening the sauce, stir it constantly and add the starch mixture gradually.
If your recipe calls for slicing meat very thin, you can do this most easily by partly freezing the meat first. This is great for various Oriental meals, such as Thai or Chinese dishes. If you freeze the meat, it will make it easier to cut into strips as the meat fibers will not stretch or tear as easily. Allow the meat to thaw prior to cooking though, so that it can cook evenly.
Popular French fried potato recipes suggest soaking the potatoes in water for 30 minutes before cooking them. Vegetables fibers can breakdown under high heat conditions. Soaking reinforces these fibers to produce better results.
Cooking Methods
To maintain nutrients and color in your vegetables, quickly steam them until just crisp-tender. Vegetables that have been slow-cooked are not as nutritional or tasty as vegetables that are cooked in other ways. A plus is that faster cooking methods usually yield vegetables which are, generally, simply better for you health. It is worth it to take the time to use cooking methods that preserve the most nutrients.
When boiling or sauteing veggies, use chicken broth instead of water. This helps to prevent vegetables from sticking on the pan. In addition, chicken broth improves the vegetables’ flavor. Chicken broth is easily purchased at almost every supermarket, and is quite inexpensive.
Take the time to investigate the ingredients for your recipes. Many common ingredients contain items that are considered unhealthy. Look for hidden amounts of sodium and sugar that will contribute over time to reduced health.
As this article has discussed, cooking is revered by many as an excellent and enjoyable hobby. However, some people don’t know where to start, in terms of picking the right recipes or using the proper techniques. Follow this article’s advice and you will be on your way to cooking great food.