If you’re just starting to cook, don’t substitute ingredients. The unfamiliar ingredient might interact with the other food in a way that you’re not aware of and ruin the entire meal.
Unless otherwise noted in your recipe, cut the food into uniform slices or pieces so that they cook evenly. There are a wide variety of cutting techniques—chopping, dicing, cubing, slicing, julienning, etc. The bigger the pieces, the longer they’ll usually take to cook. [1] X Research source
Think about topping off a baked pasta or vegetable dish, such as macaroni and cheese, or eggplant parmigiana with some bread crumbs. Similarly, adding some chopped scallions or celery to mashed potatoes can add a pleasant burst of texture and flavor.
If you’re uncertain about quantities, or afraid of adding too much salt, the best thing you can do is taste! Add a little salt, taste, add a little more, taste. . . and so on, until the flavor is just right. It’s how professional chefs do it. Sprinkle salt onto joints of meat or a whole chicken before roasting, add a little to stews and sauces while cooking, and remember to generously salt the water when boiling pasta, rice and potatoes. [2] X Research source
Butter can be used as a cooking medium, like in sautéing, where it both complements and enhances the natural flavors. It can be used as the base for sauces, where it adds a wonderfully smooth, creamy texture. Or it can be used in baking, where it provides a wonderfully flaky, melt-in-your-mouth quality. [3] X Research source
Béchamel sauce: this is a white, creamy sauce which forms the basis of many dishes - including vegetable gratins, cheese soufflés and numerous pasta sauces. Velouté: This is another simple sauce made by combining a roux with a flavored stock. Depending on the flavor of the stock, this sauce can be adapted to accompany chicken, fish or veal. Marinara: Marinara is a bold tomato sauce used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking. It combines fresh or canned tomatoes, onions and a variety of herbs, and is used in many pizza and pasta sauces. Hollandaise: This buttery, lemony sauce is the perfect accompaniment to seafood, eggs and vegetables. It is made by combining clarified butter, egg yolks and lemon juice to form an emulsion. Other sauces you can experiment with include: barbecue sauce, garlic cream sauce, chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce, cheese sauce and chocolate sauce.
Basil is used most often in Mediterranean cooking and pairs perfectly with tomatoes. It can also be blended with pine nuts to make basil pesto. Parsley has a light, fresh flavor and is very popular in Western cooking. It works well in soups and sauces or simply sprinkled over a dish to add a burst of color. Cilantro is very popular in Asian and Latin cooking. Its raw leaves are used to add a fresh, bright flavor to cooked dishes, while its roots are used for making Thai curry pastes. Mint has a cooling flavor which makes it a great addition to summer salads and refreshing drinks (like Mojitos). It is also used in savory dishes originating from the Middle East and North Africa. Rosemary is a strong flavored, woody herb that works well with roast chicken and joints of meat, stews, and soups. It is best used sparingly.
Cinnamon is a sweet, aromatic spice which is very popular in baking, especially in items such as apple pie and oatmeal cookies. It is also used in many Indian, Moroccan, and Mexican dishes. Paprika lends a burst of bright red color and a spicy burst of flavor to food. It is used in many Hungarian dishes, while also being popular in Spanish and Portuguese cuisines. Cumin is a popular spice used mainly to add flavor and color to curries. It is used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Asian cooking. Coriander is seed of the cilantro plant which has a lemony top note. It is commonly used in chili and curry dishes; it is used widely in many types of Latino, Middle Eastern, and Indian dishes. Ginger is a very versatile spice. When used fresh, it can add a sweet and spicy note to stir-fries, curries and roasted meats. In dried, ground form, ginger is often added to baked goods, such as ginger snaps.
Poaching is the gentlest form of cooking in water, and is appropriate for cooking items like fish and eggs. It occurs at temperatures between 60 and 90 °C (140 and 194 °F). Simmering is probably the most common method of cooking in liquid, and is used for most stews and sauces. It occurs between 87 and 94 °C (189 and 201 °F). Slow boiling is the term used before water reaches a full rolling boil at 100 °C (212 °F). It is slightly more vigorous than a simmer, and occurs at roughly 95 °C (203 °F). [4] X Research source
Steaming is also a very healthy form of cooking, as unlike boiling, simmering, etc. , the steam does not leach nutrients from the food. [5] X Research source Steaming can be done using a traditional stacked bamboo or plastic steamer on the stovetop. Steamer inserts (which fit onto most pots) are also available at most kitchenware stores.
To braise, you first need to sear the meat in fat in a hot pan. The meat is then placed in a heavy, oven-proof dish, a dutch oven, or a slow cooker. You will need to de-glaze the pan using wine, broth or some other liquid in order to scrape of small pieces of meat or fat that may have escaped. Then, add the de-glazing liquid to the meat dish, along with the rest of the cooking liquid (usually some combination of stock, wine or fruit juice), which should reach about halfway up the meat. Finally, cover the dish and place it in a preheated oven (or turn on the slow cooker) and leave to cook for up to six hours, depending on the type of meat used. [6] X Research source
With sautéing, the most important rule is that both the pan and the fat be heated to a high temperature before adding the food. Otherwise, the food won’t cook properly—it will absorb some of the fat and stick to the pan. To check if the pan is hot enough, a good tip is to add a couple of drops of water to the pan - if they sizzle vigorously and evaporate within a couple of seconds, the pan is hot enough. Once the food is in the pan, it is important to keep it moving. The term sauté actually means “jump” in French, so keep tossing the food as you cook. This ensures that the food cooks evenly and that the pan stays hot. Small, tender cuts of meat respond well to sautéing, along with the majority of vegetables. [7] X Research source
It is also done at a lower heat than sautéing, to ensure that the larger food items do not burn on the outside before they are cooked in the middle.
This method is used for cooking food such as fried chicken, battered shrimp and eggplant parmigiana.
It is used to cook items such as battered foods, french fries and donuts.
The shape of the wok allows you to control the cooking temperatures of different foods in the pan—the bottom of a hot wok’s cooking bowl is much hotter than the sides are.
A good roasting pan should be used, which is placed on the middle shelf of the oven. Convection ovens are perfect for roasting in, as they allow hot air to circulate, resulting in evenly browned meat and vegetables. [9] X Research source Try recipes for roasting chicken, turkey, vegetables, beef, lamb, duck, potatoes, pork loin, and chestnuts.
Avoid over-mixing doughs and batters. One of the most common mistakes people make when baking is over-mixing doughs and batters. Over-mixing activates the gluten in flour, which makes baked goods firm and chewy rather than light and crumbly. [10] X Research source Don’t use liquid measuring cups to measure dry ingredients. Use a dry measurement cup with a flat top, which allows you to spoon the ingredient into the cup, then level it off with a knife. [11] X Research source Try baking treats cookies, cakes, pies, muffins and breads, as well as potatoes, fish, pizza and chicken breasts.
With grilling and broiling, the food needs to be placed quite close to the heat source. This means that the food cooks quickly on the outside, making grilling or broiling a good option for tender cuts of meat, chicken, and fish. Barbecuing is almost the same as grilling, except that the flame is produced by burning wood or coal, giving food a distinctive smoky flavor. [12] X Research source
With grilling and broiling, the food needs to be placed quite close to the heat source. This means that the food cooks quickly on the outside, making grilling or broiling a good option for tender cuts of meat, chicken, and fish. Barbecuing is almost the same as grilling, except that the flame is produced by burning wood or coal, giving food a distinctive smoky flavor. [12] X Research source
This is one of the most basic, yet most important cooking skills you need to learn on the road to becoming a great chef. Knowing how to boil an egg is also a good skill.
Rice accompanies a huge array of dishes, from a wide variety of cuisines, so it’s important to know how to cook it right. Give pasta a try as well if you’re tired of eating rice. It’s easy to make!
If you can roast a whole chicken, you are capable of making a meal to feed a whole family.
A perfectly grilled steak is one of the simplest, tastiest foods you can make. Serve it with a fresh green salad and some french fries and you’re good to go!
Steaming vegetables preserves their color and nutrients, making it the healthiest way to cook them. Perfectly steamed vegetables will add a burst of color and increase the nutritional value of any meal.
Learning how to bake a delicious cake is a valuable life skill, and a tasty one too! Experiment with chocolate cake, vanilla cake, coffee cake, lemon drizzle cake and red velvet cake.
