Cooking is not something everyone enjoys, especially after a long day at work and a busy commute home. It can be exhausting when cooking encounters problems and you don’t know how to handle them. At that point, cooking no longer brings happiness but becomes a burden. So, it’s a good idea to take note of these handy tips. These are hacks that make cooking smarter, time-saving, and still ensure delicious, nutritious meals while addressing any mishaps.
No Non-stick Pan? No Worries!
If you don’t have a non-stick pan, go ahead and fry your food by placing a banana leaf at the bottom of the pan and then placing the food on top. This way, you can fry without any worries.
To prevent oil splatters while frying, add a little lemon juice or a bit of flour (either wheat flour, crispy frying flour, or cornstarch will do) and put a small amount in the pan. This will prevent the food from being splattered with oil.
No More Tears When Chopping Onions
To avoid teary eyes while chopping onions, put them in the microwave for about 10 seconds before slicing. Alternatively, you can wear goggles and chop them underwater.
Adding Potatoes to Reduce Saltiness
If your dish happens to be too salty, add a piece of potato for about 10 minutes to absorb some of the saltiness in the soup or stir-fry.
Quick Trick to Clean Guts without Odor
Offal is a favorite dish for many families, but it can be a hassle for homemakers to prepare them as it takes a long time. So, put them in a bowl with wheat flour, fish sauce, or banana leaves. These ingredients will quickly clean and remove the odor from the offal.
Delicious and Tender Boiled Meat
To make boiled meat tasty and tender, whether it’s pork, chicken, duck, or goose, make sure to clean them first and then heat the water before adding the meat. Let it boil and then simmer. This method ensures that the meat is fully cooked without being tough. The longer you simmer, the meat won’t become mushy. In particular, this method saves you from overcooking chicken, which can be big, avoiding undercooked meat on the outside and red or overcooked meat on the inside. With this method, even if it boils for too long, the meat won’t break. Moreover, the meat retains its sweetness without becoming dry and tough.
Soft and Flavorful Stews and Braised Dishes
To tenderize stews and braised dishes quickly, add a bit of beer or soda, lemon juice, or vinegar. These catalysts in these ingredients help tenderize the food faster and also enhance the flavor.
Baking Soda and Toothpaste for Stubborn Stains on Dishes
If your glass or porcelain dishes have stubborn stains, mix baking soda and toothpaste together and scrub them. They will become clean in no time.
Get Rid of Fishy or Gamey Odors with Alcohol
Rinsing seafood or meat with cooking or white wine is an excellent way to eliminate odors effectively. Alternatively, you can use vinegar.
Keep Boiled Vegetables Crispy and Vibrant
From blanched greens to boiled chicken and meat, if you want the boiled dish to remain attractive and crunchy, prepare a bowl of clean ice water and immediately immerse the dish. This way, the dish will be tastier and crispier without becoming mushy.
Burnt Rice?
If your rice gets burnt, don’t pour out the whole pot of rice. Just place a slice of bread on top for about 10 minutes. The bread will absorb the burnt smell, and you can use the rest of the rice as usual. Simply discard the burnt part at the bottom.
Peeling Ginger Made Easy
Peeling ginger with a knife can be quite challenging, especially when the ginger has many crevices. Instead, use a bottle cap or a rice spoon to scrape off the skin. This method is quick and eliminates the risk of the knife slipping and cutting your hand.
Easily Removing Shrimp Shells with Chopsticks
Peeling shrimp shells can be time-consuming and may even cause cuts on your hands. So, use chopsticks. After removing the shrimp head, stick one of the chopstick prongs into the vein, penetrate through the shell, and pull out both the shell and the vein. It’s quick and safe, without damaging your nails.
Accelerate Fruit Ripening with Paper Bags
Pack bananas, peaches, or avocados in paper bags and tie them tightly. The released ethylene gas from the fruit will accelerate the ripening process.
Steaming Eggs without Water
Put the eggs in a bowl or a sponge cake mold, and then put them in the oven. Set the oven at 124 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. With this method, you can have perfectly boiled eggs while saving time when you’re busy cooking other dishes.
Quickly Cutting Cherry Tomatoes
Cutting each cherry tomato can be time-consuming. To simplify this process, place a stack of cherry tomatoes between two plates and use a knife to cut horizontally through the gaps between the plates. With this method, you can cut multiple cherry tomatoes at once without the risk of cutting your hand or wasting time.
Keep Vegetables Fresh for Longer
To keep vegetables fresh for a longer time, wrap them in paper towels or oil-absorbing paper before putting them in the refrigerator. The paper will absorb excess moisture that causes vegetables to spoil quickly. This method helps reduce the frequency of grocery shopping for food.
Extract More Juice from Citrus Fruits with a Microwave
If you want to squeeze citrus fruits efficiently and get the most juice, microwave them for about 30 seconds to soften them. Squeezing the juice will be much easier.
Last but not Least, Add Chili Pepper at the End When Seasoning
Seasoning dishes can be challenging to get right. Sometimes, adding chili pepper can make the food too spicy, masking the taste. So, add chili pepper last, and it will be easier to get the desired flavor.
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