Cooking Tips

Bread

Don't throw the bread crusts away! 
When making sandwiches, do not throw the sides of the bread away. Cut them into small pieces and deep fry them in oil until crispy and golden. Drain them on absorbent paper before adding them to your soup or salad before serving. 


Make your own dried Breadcrumbs
Dried breadcrumbs are made by standing a slice of bread on absorbent kitchen paper and microwaving it on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Check every minute, as the cooking depends on the freshness of the bread - it will brown in the centre when totally dry. Crush bread with a rolling pin or in a food processor and, if not using immediately, store in an airtight container. You can flavour the breadcrumbs with chopped fresh herbs, chilli or curry powder, garlic or celery salt before using as a coating for fish or chicken. 



Cooking Oil

Heated cooking oil squirts?
Just add a pinch of salt into it and the squirting will stop.

Oil or Grease Spills?
Clean up grease or oil spills by sprinkling flour over the spill. The flour soaks up the spill and can then be easily scraped up and disposed of. This prevents the grease or oil from being spread around while trying to wipe it up with a paper towel or rag.

How to dispose of used cooking oil?
To dispose of used cooking oil, open up 4 or 5 plastic grocery bags, place them inside of each other, and when oil has cooled, pour it into the centre of the layered grocery bags. Tie the bags shut and dispose of properly. 



Dairy Products

To prepare Clarified Butter 
Slowly melt unsalted butter over low heat. Be careful not to let the butter come to a boil and do not stir it. This allows the milk solids to separate from the liquid butter. Once the butter has separated into three layers: foamy milk solids on top, clarified butter in the middle and milk solids on the bottom, turn off the heat. Skim the foamy white solids from the top, then ladle off the clarified butter. Be careful not to disturb the milk solids at the bottom of the pan.
Clarified butter can be used immediately or let it solidify and then store in the refrigerator for up to a period of three to four weeks. Just remelt to use. 500 g unsalted butter yields 1-1/4 cups clarified butter. 

Cooking with Cheese 
If you need to grate cheese for a recipe, chill it first. Chill hard cheeses in the freezer for 30 minutes and soft cheeses for 15 to 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch. It will grate much easier for you. 
Grate any cheese that you plan to add to a recipe, it will melt much more quickly with no clumping.

Grating Cheese
Freeze cheese (except Parmesan) for about 30 minutes before grating. 

Storing cheese 
Bulk cheese will keep longer when it is wrapped in a paper towel dampened with vinegar and placed in a sealed plastic bag. The vinegar will inhibit mold growth. Re-moisten the paper towel every few days, as needed. 
When storing hard cheese such as Parmesan, Romano or Asiago, store in the coldest spot of your refrigerator. It lasts much longer than freezing. Freezing the cheese makes it "spongy" after a certain period of time. 

Eggs 
Remove eggs from the refrigerator approximately 15 to 20 minutes before you are going to use them. Check the shells of eggs to determine its freshness. Fresh eggs have shells that are rough and chalky. Old eggs have shells that are smooth and have lost the chalky appearance. Or place in cold salt water and if it sinks, it is fresh. If it rises to the surface, it is old and should be discarded. 
When storing egg yolks, keep them moist by pouring one tablespoon of water over them and store in a covered container.

If raw eggs become mixed up with hard-boiled, you can determine which are hard boiled by spinning the eggs. The hard-boiled eggs will spin and the raw will wobble.

To make hard boiled eggs easier to peel, try this tip:  Before boiling the eggs, poke one end with a needle. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water before boiling. As soon as the eggs are ready, crack the shell and place them in cold water.  Hardboiled eggs will peel easily when they are placed in cold water immediately after taking them out of the hot water.

Soft fluffy omelette:  Beat the egg and stir briskly with a fork as this will allow more air in the omelette, making it light and fluffy. You can even add one tablespoon of water to an egg before beating. Your omelette will turn out fluffier and larger after cooking.


Expired Products

Old Baking Soda 
Once baking soda has lost its punch, use it in the refrigerator or freezer to absorb odours. 


Kitchen Utensils

Food stains in plastic storage containers 
Use a baking soda paste (baking soda and water) and rub into the stain. You can then rinse with vinegar (optional) and wash normally. Another method is to place container outside on a nice sunny day and the sun actually bleaches the stain out. To avoid stains in the first place, spray container with cooking spray before putting things in it which stain i.e. spaghetti sauce. 

No roasting rack? 
If you don't have a roasting rack for roasting meat, you can use a layer of celery or onions to hold the meat off the bottom of the pan so that it does not stand in its juices as it cooks. The layer of celery or onions also provides an added benefit of additional flavour to the meat and pan drippings. 

Wooden Cutting Board
To preserve your wooden cutting board, occasionally rub it with a couple drops of oil. This will also help prevent food from sticking to the board. Prevent the cutting board from moving around while in use by placing a piece of damp cloth under it. 

Your chopping board smells? 
When your chopping board smells of onions, garlic or fish, get rid of the smell by rubbing it evenly with half a lemon. Wash thoroughly and let it dry. 


Leftover Food

Reheating Leftover Food 
When reheating leftovers in the oven, check to see if it is heated throughout by sticking a table knife in the centre of the dish. Leave it inserted for 15 to 30 seconds, then pull out and test on the back of your hand. If the knife is hot, then the leftovers are hot.
When heating food in a dish in the microwave, cover the dish with a damp paper towel rather than plastic wrap. The paper towel absorbs splatters, does not collapse and will not melt. 

Leftover Noodles, Rice or Potatoes 
If you have leftover noodles, rice, or potatoes - just add them to your chicken or beef soup. You will have a hearty meal. 

Leftover Roast 
To warm up leftover roast, wrap in an oiled or buttered aluminium foil and bake in a hot oven for about 10-15 minutes. This will make the meat juicy and tasty again. 
Or dice up leftover roast (food processor works well, but don't over process). Add diced onions, peppers, hardboiled eggs, mayo, and seasonings to taste. Makes for a delicious sandwich spread. 

Leftover Wine
Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

Meat

Carving roast meat or poultry 
It is important to let a roast (beef, pork, lamb or poultry) sit a little while before carving. By doing this, it will allow the juices to retreat back into the meat. If one carves a roast too soon, much of its goodness will spill out onto the carving board. 


Meatballs
Improve the taste of meatballs by adding cubed goat cheese and oats

Cooking Steak
If you want a tasty steak without adding oil or butter, sprinkle some coarse salt in a skillet.  This will prevent your meat from sticking to the pan.  At the same time, it will create a nice crust.

Slicing Meat
What I would normally do when preparing meat for Chinese dishes: I would partially freeze the meat before slicing it into thin strips and it will slice easily. 

Noodles & Pasta

Cooking Pasta 
Tasting the pasta is probably the best way to determine doneness. Begin checking for doneness approximately 1 or 2 minutes before the suggested minimum time on the package. If it is not done, continue to check every 30 seconds until the pasta is done. When done, it will be tender but still have a slight bite to it. Cooking pasta to this point of doneness is called "al dente," which is Italian for "to the tooth". If the pasta is overcooked, it becomes mushy. The pasta should be slightly undercooked if it is going to be added to another dish, expose to further cooking or added to a hot soup. 

How to stop boiling water from boiling over while cooking noodles or pasta?
Put a wooden spoon over the pot of boiling pasta.

Serving pasta 
Toss pasta with dry grated cheese, i.e. parmesan, before adding the sauce. The grated cheese will stick to the pasta and allow the sauce to cling to the pasta better. 


Potatoes


Boiling Potatoes 
Peel and cut potatoes and boil them in water in which a little vinegar is added . By doing this, the potatoes will retain their texture and will be done in no time. Apart from that, there is no bad odour and it will give a good colour to old potatoes. 

Potato peels - don't throw them away!
Potato peels can be made into tasty wafers. Just immerse them in warm water to which a pinch of salt is added and then dry it. Deep fry till crisp and you have delicious potato wafers. 

Preparing Mashed Potatoes 
Give mashed potatoes a beautiful whipped cream look by adding HOT milk to them before you start mashing. 

Perfect Oven Chips 
The secret of cooking really crispy oven chips is to defrost them first in the microwave (on high for 1 minute), then bake them at a high temperature in a conventional oven. 


Poultry

Coating Chicken 
To coat chicken or turkey, place the seasonings, crumbs or flour in a plastic bag. Add in a few chicken pieces and shake.

Defrosting Turkey 
If you can't defrost your turkey in the refrigerator for a few days, keep the turkey in its original packaging and place in cold water. Change the water as often as needed to keep it cold. Allow 30 minutes defrosting time per 500g or pound.


Rice 

Cooking Rice
I would normally add a teaspoon of cooking oil in order that the rice are nicely separated once it is cooked. Some rice when cooked do not look appetising. It would help if a teaspoon of lime juice is added to make the rice whiter and look appetising. 

Does your rice dry out when you reheat it? 
Add 2 tablespoons of liquid for each cup of cooked rice. Cover and heat for a few minutes on the stove or in the oven. In the microwave, cook on high about 1 minute per cup. Fluff it with a fork and enjoy! 

Burnt Rice 
The burnt smell will disappear after a while when a piece of bread (the crust part) is placed on the rice and the pot is kept covered. 


Seafood

Cooking Shrimps 
Watch shrimp closely for doneness when cooking. If they form a half-circle, they are done, and if they have coiled into a circle, they are overdone. 

Fast Fish Ideas 
Cooking fish does not have to be difficult or time-consuming. By adding fresh herbs to the fish, such as paprika, cayenne pepper, curry, and rosemary, you can add extra flavour to it and prepare it quickly and easily.

If you choose to fry your fish, try using butter and oil in the pan for extra taste and to avoid sticking. Cook a few minutes on one side and flip. Do not flip it again or it will begin breaking into pieces. 
Another easy and fast way is to bake fish in an oven. After brushing it with lemon, lime, or apple juice, add your favorite herbs and then a little oil. Place it on the highest oven rack. Cook for 5-10 minutes and remove. 

Thawing Frozen Fish 
Thaw fish in milk. The milk draws out the frozen taste and provides a freshly-caught flavour. 

Another way of preparing Ikan Goreng
Normally, when one prepares the Malay dish Ikan Goreng, one will just use turmeric powder and salt. Do try out this tip: mix salt, turmeric powder, shallots (pounded), garlic (pounded) and fresh ginger (pounded) together. Rub the fish pieces with this mixture and deep fry until golden. By doing this, your ikan goreng dish will be fragrant and appetising. 

A good tip when cooking the simple Malay dish, Masak Ikan Rebus 
Try this method to improve the flavour of the dish: Place asam keping (dried tamarind pieces) and fish pieces alternately in a pot. Then, add in a little salt, vinegar and sugar cane (which have been peeled and cut into small pieces). Cook slowly under low heat (without adding any water) until there is enough gravy from the sugar canes. 


Sauces & Soups

Curdled Sauce?
To save a curdled sauce, remove it immediately from heat and plunge the bottom section of the pan into cold water to stop it from cooking any further. Then blend the sauce by stirring vigorously or placing it in a blender until it is smooth again. 

Reheating Soups and Sauces 
If you've ever made soup or sauces and stored the leftovers in the refrigerator, you know they thicken as they sit. But be careful when you reheat it. On the one hand, you don't want it to scorch from being too thick. On the other hand, you don't want to overestimate how thick it is. 
Let it begin to warm up before you add liquid (water, cream, milk, etc.). When it is just starting to get warm, you will be better able to judge its consistency. 

Making Soups 
Is your soup too greasy? Place a lettuce leaf in a pot of greasy soup or pan of greasy gravy. It will absorb the grease, then remove the leaf from the pot and discard. 
Is your soup too salty? Place a raw potato in a pot of salty soup. It will absorb some of the salt, then remove the potato from the pot and discard.


Vegetables

Keep your green Vegetables
After you have cooked your green vegetables (beans, broccoli, etc.) in salt water, remove them from the boiling water and immediately plunge them into ice cold water in a large bowl. This will not only stop the cooking process, but also leave the vegetable at just the right temperature to eat.  The addition of salt makes your green vegetables return its colour.

Storing Fresh Green or Red Chillies 
To keep green chillies fresh and green for 2 or 3 weeks, keep the chillies as soon as you buy them into a dry air-tight container (made of plastic). Use as needed and close the container immediately. Chillies remain fresh until used up.

Citrus or Lemon Zest 
Before you squeeze juice from a lemon, grate off the rind into a freezer bag and freeze. Then, when a recipe calls for lemon zest or rind, just pull it from the freezer. Sprinkle a little sugar over citrus zest or fresh ginger before chopping. The sugar not only dissolves and absorbs the juices but also helps spread the flavour. 

Lemon Juice 
To obtain the maximum amount of juice from a lemon, cook it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Leave to stand for a moment, then cut in half and squeeze in a citrus juicer. You will have almost twice as much juice as usual. This also works with limes, oranges and grapefruits. 

Garlic 
When selecting:  Choose garlic that is plump and firm with paper-like skins that are tight and intact. Avoid any that are soft or that have begun to shrivel. 
Place garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins should peel off easily. Keep peeled and mince garlic fresh by placing it in a small jar and pouring just enough olive oil over it to cover the garlic and then place it in the refrigerator. It will keep its fresh flavour for about a week.

Don't throw out sprouting garlic:  Instead, plant the cloves fairly close together in a pot or in the garden (if your climate is suitable at the time). The new shoots that appear will have a mild garlic flavor and can be used in the same manner as regular chives. 

When a recipe calls for garlic and onions to be added to hot oil in a pan:  Always add garlic last. This keeps it from burning and tasting bitter.

Peeling & Chopping Garlic:  The easiest and quickest way to peel garlic is to crush a clove with the flat side of a large knife. Once it is crushed, the peel can be removed easily. Since the clove is flattened, it also makes it very easy to chop the garlic.

Chopped Garlic
If you use garlic often, chop several heads of garlic at once. Place the chopped garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or any other cooking oil of your preference) in an airtight container and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Cutting fresh Herbs 
When using fresh herbs such as dill, chives, parsley, etc., hold them together in small bunches and snip with kitchen scissors. It is a lot faster this way, and you will find the herbs will be light and fluffy, not bruised and wet as they often get when chopped. 

Cleaning Leeks 
Trim and remove the root ends and any damaged parts of the green leaves. Starting at the green end, split each leek in half, with the knife stopping about an inch short of the root end. Spread leaves and white root end apart and wash thoroughly under cold running water. When you think the leek is still not clean, wash it again!  There is probably still some dirt lingering between the layers. 

Cleaning Mushrooms 
Mushrooms soak up water like a sponge, then release it later while cooking (which can change the consistency of recipes). Try "dry cleaning" your favorite mushrooms by brushing it with a mushroom brush with soft bristles or lightly wipe them clean with a damp kitchen towel.


Peeling onions is much comfortable (without tears) when one stores the required amount of onions in the refrigerator beforehand or the onions are first soaked in water before peeling and slicing them. 

Onion Hazard 
Never use onion for marinades meant for BBQ as onion burns up very fast. Use ginger garlic paste or other spices instead. 

How to get Fried Golden Onions? 
To make your onions turn golden brown quickly, add a teaspoon of sugar to it while frying.

Peeling Tomatoes is much easier if you heat them briefly in the microwave. Place up to six tomatoes in a ring on a ktichen paper, then cook on high for 10 - 15 seconds. Leave the tomatoes to stand for about 15 minutes before peeling them. 

Storing tomatoes 
Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresh longer.

Salad greens turning brown? Don't throw them away! 
If lettuce starts turning a little brown (but not slimy), it may not be suitable for salads but it is for sauteing. Sauteed salad greens like lettuce, radicchio, and endive make an unusual but tasty side dish. Saute lettuces just as you would spinach. Cook them quickly in a little olive oil, minced garlic, and salt. They taste great, and you can't tell that the greens were once a little brown.

Cleaning Vegetables 
Clean vegetables and make them germ free by adding some salt or vinegar drops while washing them. 

Cut on the non-wax side 
When chopping vegetables which have a tough or waxy exterior (such as bell peppers), chop with the waxy side down, as the more tender inside flesh is easier on knife blades. 

Cooking Vegetables 
Add a pinch of common salt and sugar to the cooking vegetable so as to avoid discolouration of spinach and green leafy vegetables. 

Frozen Vegetables
These are important staples - don't be embarrassed to use them. No need to thaw or cook before adding to dishes; simply pour boiling water over them in a colander and then add them to your casserole or stove-top dish to finish cooking. 

Overcooked or overboiled Vegetables? 
There is an easy way out. Mix overcooked vegetables 1:1 with whipped potato (instant or home-made) in a pot and cook over medium heat. Add in a little cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as side dish with steaks or fish. 

Vegetable Water 
Don't discard the water in which the vegetables are soaked or cooked. It is more flavourful than plain water, so use it in making soup or gravy. 


Extra Tips

Add flavour to your roast 
You can add flavour to a roast just by rubbing herbs on it before baking. Try rosemary and pepper or rub roast with a cut clove of garlic. 

Date It 
How old is that container of leftovers in the back of the refrigerator or in the freezer? You will always know if you write the contents and date on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the top. Use indelible markers cos the humidity of the refrigerator smears everything else. 

Having problems opening jars? 
If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give an on-slip grip that makes opening jars easy. 

How to know when the water runs low during steaming
A jar lid or a couple of marbles in the bottom half of a double-boiler will rattle when the water gets low and warn you to add more before the pan scorches or burns.

Make your own "Herbes de Provence" 
To make Herbes de Provence, mix together 4 parts thyme (Thymian), 4 parts savory (Bohnenkraut), 2 parts lavender and 1 part rosemary (Rosmarin). 

Soft Tomatoes?
Soak them in cold water for 30 minutes to perk them up.

Soup is too oily?
Leave soup to cool down completely for several hours, then just scoop out the fat on top
When the soup is hot, place a piece of toast on the oily part of the surface.  The toast will absorb the oil.

Wilted Herbs?
Cut the stalks and put them in a glass which is filled with water to perk them up.