Do you like a wide variety of foods? Do you possess an insatiable appetite for sweets? Are you crazy about unusual ethnic dishes? Would you like to know how to cook exotic dishes at home? Instead of thinking about it, do it! Put on your chef hat! We will give you some tips to help you to prepare wonderful, home-cooked foods.
Have you found yourself regretting disposing of moldy fruits? Are you tempted to just cut off the moldy part and save the rest for your meal? It’s not safe to try to save partially rotted fruit. These foods can cause you to become ill, as mold goes much deeper than the eye can see.
When you’re trying to cook with an ingredient that’s new to you, learn a little about it first. After a little research, you may be amazed at the versatility of food. You can have much more fun when cooking if you do some prep work and research ahead of time.
It is a good practice to place cut potatoes in a bath of cold water for about half and hour, before frying in order to get crispy fries. When you soak sliced potatoes in cold water, it strengthens their fibers, so that they can stand up to the heat when being deep fried.
Consider freezing your meat a bit so that it will be easier to slice. This is an especially strong technique for the meats called for in Asian meals. Partially frozen meat is easier to slice as the cold temperature prevents the meat fibers from stretching and tearing. Make sure that you let the meat thaw before cooking, so the meat is cooked evenly.
Boiling and other lengthy cooking methods strip vegetables of their important nutrients. To preserve their vitamins and minerals, cook vegetables quickly by steaming them or frying them. They can also be enjoyed raw.
Wait until dried beans have softened before seasoning them with garlic or salt. Adding these ahead of time will not allow your beans to cook properly, and this will have more importance if your beans are older. You should also hold off on adding seasoning until the beans are partly cooked. This will give you the desired texture.
Try drying your own fresh tomatoes. You can do this by cutting ripe tomatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices, or by cutting Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Using a cooling rack, lay the sliced tomatoes with the side that is cut facing upward, and then sprinkle them lightly with salt. 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. Put the tomatoes in plastic bags, and store them in the freezer. Dried tomatoes may also be stored in a jar containing fresh herbs and olive oil. Tomatoes stored in this fashion will last for two weeks in the refrigerator.
To make use of those ends of vegetables and bits of leftover meat sitting in your refrigerator, create a satisfying wok filled with homemade fried rice. Use rice that is left over; if you must prepare it that day use a little less water to have drier rice. Fry both the meat and vegetables with some oil, then put in the rice. Finish things up by choosing a seasoning, including spices like ginger and garlic, and ordinary condiments like soy sauce.
The article you just read gave you plenty of great meal ideas to try. Make sure you try new spices and flavors. You could find new favorite foods as you go. Take these tips, bring along your taste buds and travel to the kitchen to discover your inner chef!