10 SMART COOKING TIPS

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Many people have concluded that I love cooking and I assume it is because I cook more often than I buy food. Surprisingly though, if you ask me what I love to do in my free time, cooking will not be in the first five but it may be the sixth. The reason I am able to cook as often as I do, no matter how simple the food may be, is because I have adopted some tricks that allow me to cook ‘easily’.

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1. Cook on low heat. The fact that the food is burning does not mean it is cooking, it is only reducing the quantity and affecting the taste of the food. It lets you pay attention to the food, allowing it to cook well. 

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2. Seasonings, water and oil should be added little at a time. The quantity of these in food can make or break it. Also, use spices/seasonings in the beginning or early part of cooking. It makes you use less seasoning than normal because most at times as the food cooks it absorbs the spice more so you can taste it. 

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3. Anytime you are using liquid that is not water, meaning it has a flavour, taste it on its own to know how it will affect the food. E.g. stock, brine, etc. You want to know how much of it you have to use when you have already seasoned the food or how much seasoning you will need after you use the liquid. 

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4. Prep ingredients before you actually start cooking, especially vegetables and meat or fish or whatever. It makes you feel like the cooking did not take a long time. You can also take your time to clean the ingredients and cut them neatly. The size and shape of ingredients is important in relation to how the food looks when cooked and how long it takes to cook. 

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5. Anytime you are trying something new, get the ingredient(s) from a reliable source and cook a small amount keeping in mind the precise recipe for the next time you want to prepare it. For instance, you want to use turmeric powder to cook for the first time. Getting it from a reliable source ensures that it is pure turmeric powder and nothing more. If it has been mixed with other spices, then you will not get the taste you want or you might react to it which may deter you from using it again.

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6. Cooking 3-4 times in a week allows you to get used to cooking and possibly love it. I am not talking about complete & complicated meals from A-Z, that will be huge for those who dislike cooking. You can cook rice with or without a rice or pressure cooker, tomato gravy, fry egg or bacon or sausage or pancake or French toast, and so on. These will gradually graduate to more demanding meals. You want to develop that cooking habit and besides practice makes one perfect. 

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7. After mastering the art of cooking with the hob, baking will be relatively ‘easier’ to learn. Normal cooking will let you get your ingredients, measurements and temperature management right so that baking becomes less of a hassle. 

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8. Wash dishes whiles cooking so when you are done, you only have one or two things to clean. For instance, when the food is simmering or frying or oil/water is heating or something else. This lets you utilise your time well. When the food is done and you are hungry or tired, you will not have a bunch of dishes to wash (dishwasher or no dishwasher). You also get to stay in the kitchen because most at times when we leave the kitchen and get distracted, things don't go well. 

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9. Use the appropriate utensils or ones that are very similar. This makes cooking generally easier. If you cannot imagine how, then imagine eating spaghetti or even pasta with a spoon instead of a fork. Yes! That will so not be cool. 

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10. Get a reliable, trustworthy, willing and sincere person to act as your tasting officer. I have my mum, sister and just recently a friend who do this for me. If they are good at cooking, they can tell you exactly where you went wrong or did good. Individuals who do not cook are also good when it comes to generally knowing good food and a bad one by tasting it - they can be very judgmental. 

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I hope these tips and tricks make cooking less of a hassle and more fun.

Thank You for Reading & Have Fun!!!