Isn’t is cool when your love for tasty food comes together with good culinary skill? Anyway, no matter how well you cook, there is no reason to be upset if your rice doesn’t come out well or the crust of a baked chicken doesn’t look like the one you were dreaming about. Anything can be learned; the most important thing is to get to know all the features that give your dishes an unforgettable taste. Our compilation of culinary secrets will help you in mastering these important skills.
We at Bright Side are real foodies and love to collect different culinary tricks that can make the taste of our favorite dishes even better. And, of course, we’d be glad to share them with you.
14. Why is it necessary to cook at an exact temperature in the oven?
The baking temperature is very important for the thickness and texture of your cakes and pies. Many ovens don’t have an exact indicator of temperature and that’s why you might keep baking at a temperature higher or lower than the one written in the recipe. A good solution in this case is to buy an oven thermometer to be able to check the exact temperature and regulate it if needed. You can find more tricks for baking here.
13. Confectioners use formulas to remember recipes.
Professional confectioners use specific formulas for ingredient proportions which makes it easier for them to make up tasty, new stuff. For example, for cooking muffins, you will need 1 egg, 1 portion of butter and 2 portions of liquid. If you want to easily come up with new recipes and remember the old ones, the following ratio table might help you greatly.
12. How to make chicken juicy:
Every chef probably dreams of being able to make the chicken that they cook juicy. To make this dream come true, try to soak it in warm salty water before frying. More details here.
11. A quick way to cook an egg in the microwave
This is a good option for those who are in a hurry and want to cook a quick breakfast. All you need to do is to break an egg or a pair of eggs in a cup, cover it with a saucer, and put it in the microwave for 1 minute. This method was taken from here.
10. Before frying chicken, dry it with the help of a hair-dryer.
If you like chicken with a crispy skin, dry it with a hairdryer before cooking it. It will remove excess moisture from the skin and help it get that golden color and be ready quicker. This method also works with turkey and fish. Check it out here.
9. How to freeze soup, beans, and broth:
To save space in the fridge and make the process of cooking during the work week easier, try to freeze soups, broths, and beans. It’s very easy, and there are even more helpful tips here.
8. Use kitchen shears when cutting a chicken.
Most women are used to cutting a chicken with a knife. It turns out that there is a more effective and quicker way to do it — kitchen shears. With their help you will be able to cut off chicken thighs, separate wings, and remove excess skin and fat. All the details are here.
7. A simple way to cook soft meat
Try dipping pieces of meat into a mixture of cornstarch and egg whites — it will make the meat’s texture tenderer. This is due to the fact that this mixture helps to sustain stable temperatures by keeping moisture on the surface of the meat and lessening the chances of the meat getting burned. You can find the detailed instructions here.
6. How to cook a pie dough with the perfect crust:
To cook a buttery, flaky, perfect crust use cold ingredients. Cold butter, cold flour, and cold sugar help the butter not melt before the beginning of the baking process which is very important for the desired result. Also, use cold water because it prevents the appearance of gluten. This super recipe is shared here.
5. The secret to perfect rice
Would you like to get tasty and crumbly rice every time you cook? Simply use a kitchen towel — it will help to spread the moisture inside the pot evenly and prevent rice from turning into sticky lumps. All the details are here.
4. Clean your grill with the help of an onion
To easily get rid of all grit and grime on the grill, simply use an onion. All you need to do is cut it into halves and rub it on the cooking grates. Here it is — your freshly cleaned grill! They tried it here and love the results.
3. How to cook noodles at home quickly:
After having made noodles, place them into a zip-lock bag with cold water for 1.5 hours — it will make the noodles softer and prevent them from sticking to each other without adding oil. Afterwards, all you will need to do is add the noodles to boiling salty water — they will be ready in just 1 minute. The method is described here.
2. How the amount of eggs affects baking:
Eggs affect the texture of dough (density, lightness), its taste, its color and its moistness. For example, dough without eggs often comes out very dense and firm with a pale color, while dough made with eggs is usually more golden and thin with a light consistency. You can find other details of this culinary experiment here.
1. An easy tip on how to cook a juicy chicken breast:
To get a juicier and softer chicken breast, cut it into halves. It will make the meat considerably thinner, which means it will be cooked evenly faster without getting overdone or dry. Like here, for example.
Which of these pieces of advice did you like the most? Do you have your own cooking secrets? Please share them in the comments!
SOURCE: BRIGHTSIDE
Kayode Emmanuel Ojo is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at SHEFFA Limited. He is presently studying Computer Science at the National Open University, Victoria Island, Lagos.