It is not that hard to learn how to cook if you really want to actually learn. The biggest problem in most cases is that people do not take the time to see what has to be done. In order to help out a little, we are going to share some very simple cooking tips that will definitely aid the beginner to be better in the near future. Take all of them into account and we are confident that you will be on your way to becoming a great cook.
Fresh Is Always Better
Instead of going for ingredients that are not so fresh, opt for those that are as fresh as possible. This is one thing that counts and that could be the difference between food that tastes great and food that practically has no taste.
The Magical Ingredients: Lemon Juice, Vinegar And Lime Juice
In the event that you have a bland dish, the ingredients mentioned will help in offering the complexity that you are surely looking for.
Knives Need To Be Sharp
This is especially true in the event that you need to cut something that is hard or if you simply have a lot of ingredients that need to be cut. The problem with most kitchens is that the knives are dull. Make sure that yours are sharp since this will definitely make cooking a lot more enjoyable.
Start From The Beginning
We understand that you want to bake something that is really complex but it is a much better approach to start with the simple soup. That is because it is free-form and baking requires much attention to detail, which is gained in time. You cannot become a really good cook overnight.
Lay Ingredients Before Starting
That will help you to easily have everything that is needed at hand. Simply use was paper to lay ingredients on. You will love this approach.
Be Extra Careful With Your Seasoning
One of the worst things that you can do when cooking is to over season foods. It is a lot better to under season as the overall negative effect would not be as bad as with over seasoning.
Use Chicken Broth For Cooking Vegetables
This is great since it will help prevent the vegetables from sticking while also incorporating flavor. Tofu or beans stand out as a wonderful protein source that has to be considered in anyone’s diet. The protein rich foods can easily be found in most grocery stores around the world. By using beans or tofu you can easily add more flavor, which is what you surely want. Also, let the bone inside the roost if you are short for time. Meat will actually cook faster since the bone will carry heat right to the roast’s center.
A Few Words About Plastic Bags
A very helpful cooking tip for both beginners and more advanced cooks is to use a plastic bag when storing unripe fruits. Simply place the fruits in it and perforate it. When you do that, air circulates. At the same time, gas is retained. Fruits will retain taste.
Since we mentioned gases, keep in mind that freshly cut onions have sulfurous gasses. This is a gas that can easily leak out, making the flavor bad. You can get rid of the gas by rinsing onions.
A Few Words About Cutting Boards
It is important to properly take care of the wood cutting boards. This is because it can easily warp and crack when too much moisture, dryness or heat exposure is present. The board should not be submerged when it is cleaned. Use soapy water instead. Regular oiling can help it to maintain quality for a longer period of time.
Cooking Temperature Counts
Most novice cooks do not yet have the necessary patience to wait until a dish is cooked, especially when referring to those that take a lot of time. If the cooking book that you read says you have to leave something in the oven for 3 hours at a certain temperature, do not use a higher temperature in an attempt to get rid of cooking fast. This will only make the dish bad. It is vital that you respect recommendations and that you do not try to hurry things up. The best dishes do take a lot of time to turn into masterpieces.
Olive Oil For Frying
There are hundreds of websites that talk about the benefits associated with olive oil. We cannot deny this but the list of benefits leads some people to thinking that it is a very good idea to use olive oil for frying. This is not at all the case. Palm tree oil would be better if you want to use something more special but if you cannot afford the costs, regular cooking oil is always better.
Speaking about oil, make sure that you do not overdo it. Also, although it is tempting to do, never re-use the cooking oil. You are throwing away a lot of the possible taste when you do that since the oil naturally gains some of the flavor. To make it even worse, oil that was already used for cooking is even worse for your health than fresh one.
Always Take Your Time
If there is only one thing that you would remember from this article, it is this one: always take your time when you learn how to cook. Ask questions and use the internet to your advantage. If there is something that you do not understand on an article written on a blog or a recipe, ask. You will be surprised to see that the community actually helps itself a lot.
Do you know other cooking tips that are very good for beginners? If so, feel free to share in the comment section. Remember that every single cook out there was helped by someone in the beginning. Cooking is seen as an art form by many and we are definitely not far away from that. Let us help each other make art!
By Boris Dzhingarov who is founder of Dzhingarov.Com, edited by Adrian Cruce!