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.
When cooking with skewers, be aware of some important facts. To get a better hold on the food, use a square or twisted type metal skewer.
Slice meat thinly on the bias for stir-fry dishes. It can be difficult to slice the meat, and it takes some time. Take the meat out as soon its gets firm (not frozen), then cut it across the grain at a forty-five degree angle.
If you have decided that you might like to cook more food at home, look for a great book that can help you. These books can be found in many places: the library, online or even a family member. Be as patient as you can be when you are learning how to cook.
Take the stress out of a major cooking endeavor by completing as much prep work in advance as possible. Look over your recipe and determine which items can be prepared in advance and not spoil. Do the prep work the day before. This can make it even easier to cook complicated dishes and make them more enjoyable.
When adding oil to cooking food, pour it on the sides of the pan. This way, it will already be heated by the time it reaches the food. Having the oil at the right temperature when you cook with it will make the flavors pop.
To prep a pumpkin for cooking, set the pumpkin upright, and then cleave it down the center, effectively cutting it into two halves. Place them on an ungreased baking pan with the cut side down. Sprinkle some water on the sheets and bake the pumpkin for about an hour at 350 degrees.
Replace the standby liquids of milk and water in recipes to mix things up. Substitute plain water with juice, broth, or the water that you cooked your vegetables in. To replace milk, yogurt, sour cream and buttermilk can make good substitutes. You can increase the nutritional and wow factors of any dish, simply by trying different substitutions for liquids that recipes call for.
Make sure to measure the amount of cooking oil you use! Pouring straight from a bottle does not give you an accurate idea of how much fat you are using, which can result in overindulgence. This will give you the ability to know exactly how much oil is going into the pan at a time.
You should consider drying your tomatoes on your own. Start by slicing a ripe tomato one-half inch thick, or you can cut Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Lay your tomato slices across a cooling rack with the cut-side facing up, and salt them lightly. Set your oven to 190 degrees, place the rack on a baking sheet and let the tomatoes dry in the oven for approximately 10 hours. The tomatoes can then be placed in plastic bags and stored in the freezer. Dried tomatoes can be placed into a jar that is filled with fresh herbs and olive oil. Use them within two weeks of refrigerating.
You are almost an amazing at-hone chef! Let your creativity take control, and experiment with new flavors, ingredients and recipes for all your meals. There is no limit to the different ethnic cuisines you can try to help spice up your cooking.
A Day in Chimi's Life 