Are you looking for tips to improve your cooking at home?
In the last year and a half, more people have started cooking at home and experimenting with new recipes. However, as we become more adventurous with recipes and ingredients – we need to understand the basics of the cooking process.
Sometimes the process and tools we use to cook can be a hindrance to our cooking success. It’s important to understand the purpose of different knives, salts, pans and chopping boards. Here are a few ways to improve your cooking at home and the tools you need to do so.
Utilise salt
This age-old seasoning can be a lifesaver in your cooking – especially if you learn how to utilise it properly and make use of it in the kitchen. Chefs and culinary professionals from around the world insist on using salt in their cooking and encourage others to do the same. Salt should be used before you even begin cooking so that the seasoning can marinade and settle into the food.
Opt for Kosher salt or sea salt for a better flavour than the supersize table salt in the back of your cupboard. When salt is applied throughout the cooking process, it can help to elevate the flavours without making everything taste super salty.
Cookware
If you want to improve the quality of your cooking, then you can’t expect to use low quality cookware. Invest in a non-stick pan set from Circulon for your kitchen and enjoy cooking with pans that do not burn your food. You also need an all-purpose knife that is sharp and well-maintained. A blunt knife can cause injury and makes chopping, dicing, mincing, and slicing more difficult.
Wood and plastic chopping boards are durable and help to keep your knives in the best condition. Use plastic boards for raw meat and wash them with hot and soapy water.
Use recipes as guides, not rules
Those who experiment with recipes and add their input will learn better and get a broader understanding of how flavours work together. Following a strict recipe every time you cook does not always improve your cooking skills and can make things a lot harder. Instead of buying the exact ingredients and following the recipe, you should cook with what you already have at home and use your culinary instincts.
Taste the food, watch as it cooks and use recipes as guidelines – not the rule.
Ingredients
The quality of food that you cook makes a huge difference in the taste. Restaurants will often choose their ingredients with great care and precision to make sure their dish tastes amazing. Try to invest in higher-quality meat and vegetables for a better taste and overall culinary experience.
Enjoy the process of learning to cook and master the dishes you look to eat!
Prep
Prep is really important when it comes to good cooking. Good prep will leave you feeling calm and unstressed and you will know you have in all the food that you need. Take a look here at some super healthy meal prep ideas and be inspired.
Top kitchen tips to improve your cooking at home is a feature post
