Do you wanna know how the restaurant chefs make their food? Have you possibly even tried to pull off that meal in your own kitchen? The tips provided in this article will help you figure out how to create your most-loved meals, as well as discover new favorites. Cooking is a great hobby for having a fun and relaxing time and can be done by all types of people.
You should store your spices and herbs in a cool dry space out of direct sunlight to avoid flavor loss. Their flavors are weakened by heat, light and humidity. You can plan on ground herbs and spices retaining their potency for a year. Spices that are whole will retain flavor longer, closer to 3-5 years. When stored properly, they will stay fresher longer.
If you are making stir-fry meals, you should slice the meat as thin as possible and cut it on the bias. This can take a lot of time and be hard. When the meat is partially frozen, slice it diagonally across the grain at a 45 degree angle.
One of the best tips that you can follow when you are using oil is to add it to the sides of your pan upon cooking so when it gets to the food, it is already heated. This will help keep the foods flavor locked in and make for a tasty meal.
Invest in a knife sharpener to make cutting any ingredient easier. Make sure your knife is not dull when you are cutting something, this is very dangerous. You are more likely to cut yourself by using a dull knife, as opposed to when cutting using a sharp knife.
Stick to recipes you are comfortable with when you are cooking for important company. Preparing a meal for someone important, or that you hope to impress, is not the time to experiment with new recipes or exotic ingredients that you have never used before. This can lessen the stress of your cooking.
Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. You will not even taste the cauliflower in with the potatoes, because it is so bland. When they’re mashed, cauliflowers have the same appearance and consistency as potatoes, too. Adding a little cauliflower can take calories out of your favorite mashed potato recipes and add in a little vegetable goodness, too.
You are now on your way to being a wonderful at-home-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.