Cooking and baking are truly forms of art passed down from generation to generation, and over time, this art has evolved into a real profession requiring vast knowledge. But you don’t have to go to culinary school to make delicious meals in the kitchen. Like any profession, there are tips and little secrets that both great chefs and those for whom cooking and baking are simply a necessity would be happy to discover, as they can help in making tasty, tempting, and simple food. We have collected 14 brilliant tips for you that will help turn your cooking and dining experience into an enjoyable and satisfying action. If you get to know and use them, you will upgrade your dishes tremendously.
1. Adding soy sauce to dishes to enhance flavors
If until a few decades ago, only 4 flavors were known in the culinary world - sour, salty, bitter, and sweet - recently we’ve been more exposed to the “fifth flavor” – umami. Umami combines all flavors, complements them all, and dramatically improves a wide variety of foods. So, if you feel like enhancing flavors in your dishes and upgrading meals like rice, soups, etc., just add a few drops of low-sodium soy sauce and you’ll definitely taste the difference.
2. Ways to improve dough with salt
People’s attitude toward the world of baking is quite clear; either they connect with it or they don’t. The fear of making yeast dough or different pastries is perhaps one of the most common reasons for this, but all that can change if you use the following tips:
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Use small amounts of salt in the dough you make, even if the recipe doesn’t mention it. Adding a pinch of salt will dramatically improve your baked goods, give them a deeper, golden hue, and in yeast dough, the salt helps regulate the rising, keeping the dough from expanding to enormous proportions. In addition, salt will make your dough lighter and more airy.
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To improve pancake batter, quiches, and cinnamon rolls, it’s recommended to use 1 teaspoon of semolina for every 2 cups of water you add to the dish, to help keep the dishes soft and fresh for longer than usual.
3. Adding cornstarch for a softer, fluffier omelet
If you ask most people what the first dish they cooked was, the answer would be an omelet. Making this popular dish doesn’t require much skill, but know that even this simple dish can be greatly improved. You can make it fluffier and lighter by adding 1 teaspoon of cornstarch for every 3 eggs. The amazing result will change your view of this dish for the better.
4. Adding carrot or cucumber to frying oil to prevent burning
Frying foods in oil is an easy, quick, and relatively safe way to cook tasty dishes. But is it really just a matter of heating some oil and frying? Definitely not! There are things you need to know when frying. For instance, putting food in oil that’s too cool will result in greasy food, while putting it in boiling oil will burn the outside and leave the inside undercooked. So, how can you tell if the oil is at the right temperature? Whether you're frying with a little oil in a pan or deep frying, insert a cube of carrot or cucumber and wait until you see small bubbles form around the cube. Remove it and begin frying. To maintain the right temperature throughout deep frying and keep the oil clean and not burned, insert a whole carrot or cucumber into the oil for the entire frying time. From my personal experience, this works and proves itself every time.
5. Strong black tea essence for dough coloring
In addition to adding salt for a golden hue in baked goods, as mentioned earlier, the following tip will add a rich, brownish-gold color to your pastries, like that of brandy, and give them a much more enticing appearance. All you need to do is add a little essence of high-quality black tea to the dough while kneading, and the result will surprise you and everyone who sees your baked goods.
6. Adding vanilla essence to vegetables for a special flavor
Vanilla is one of the most flavorful spices in the world of baking and sweets. Its unique and exotic flavor is familiar to everyone, to the point where it is almost universally used in baking. Surprisingly, recently, vanilla essence has also been used as an addition to vegetable dishes in many parts of the world. Next time you make yourself a green salad or a similar dish, try adding a few drops of pure vanilla essence. Once you taste the result, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t done it sooner.
7. Adding vinegar to white rice to achieve a crispy, non-sticky result
There are several methods for cooking white rice, and almost everyone knows how to make this dish, which is a staple in our menu. But would you like to know how to make a crispy, non-sticky rice dish? It’s actually very easy! You just need to add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the rice at the beginning of cooking, and your rice dish will turn out amazing. Don’t worry about the taste! The vinegar evaporates, leaving no trace, except during the cooking itself.
8. Adding a cube of butter to coffee to upgrade the drink
This drink has long conquered the world, and everyone has their preferred taste and way of drinking their coffee; with or without milk, bitter or with sugar, and various other ways to enhance and change the flavor. But have you thought about adding a small cube of butter to your coffee? If you haven’t tried it yet, you should, and know that it will enrich the flavor of your drink. If you have, we hope you'll share this wonderful idea with others.
9. Combining orange juice and zest to enhance flavor
The scent of the orchard near my home is still etched in my memory. Those who know the breeze that carries the smell of oranges in the air will surely understand this. Those who don’t can try to connect with the intoxicating scent of oranges by adding zest from orange peels and a bit of fresh juice to various sauces, mousses, cakes, cookies, and even salads. Adding orange zest, freshly squeezed juice, or both, will enrich and enhance your dishes with a wonderful citrus aroma.
10. Adding water or milk to fried eggs to make them softer and more delicate
If you’ve ever had your fried egg stick to the pan and come out too dry, you should know this tip that will help you make the perfect fried egg: Heat oil in the pan and crack the eggs into the hot oil. When the egg white starts to solidify a bit, drizzle a little water or milk onto the hot pan. The fried egg will not only come off easily and won’t burn, but it will also be soft and have a richer taste.
11. Cooking meat with banana peel for quicker tenderizing
Do you throw away the banana peel you just ate? If so, stop! Before you toss it in the trash, you should read the following tip, which might seem a little strange, but you’ll be surprised to hear it works great. If you’re going to make a stew containing meat, especially meat with fibers and tendons, you can put the banana peel into the cooking pot, and you’ll get tender, aromatic meat. Just make sure to wash the peel thoroughly and add your favorite spices. Don’t worry – the banana peel doesn’t add a special flavor or detract from the taste of the dish.
12. Don’t remove the tomato seeds, unless the recipe requires less moisture and liquids
Tomatoes are a key ingredient in many recipes, and this juicy vegetable contains seeds surrounded by a gel that holds them in place, which actually contains most of the tomato’s flavor. Therefore, it’s recommended not to remove the seeds unless the recipe specifically calls for less liquid. The gel and seeds help maintain the dish’s moisture and liquid content. However, when preparing salads like matbucha, marmouma, or dishes that require less liquid but still use tomatoes, it’s best to remove the seeds and the inner part. You can use the inner part for other recipes like a base for fish tomato sauce, shakes, or pizza sauce.
13. Adding a bit of sugar to protein-rich dishes for a browned and appetizing appearance
It’s well known that most brown-colored foods are more enticing and visually appealing than light or pale-colored foods. However, when roasting lean proteins like chicken breast, fish, and vegetables, their color remains light and unappetizing. To give these foods a brown color and speed up the browning process, you can add a pinch of sugar to them before roasting. This will give you dishes with a slightly browned appearance that look more inviting and will also have a slightly caramelized flavor.
14. Incorporating fresh herbs at the right time
