A Hint of Spice: VEG COOKING TIPS

VEG COOKING TIPS

CLEAN MUSHROOMS- To clean mushrooms, wipe them with a damp cloth, or rinse them quickly in cold water. Do not attempt to soak them as that makes them soggy.
THICKENING SOUP-Use a paste of mashed boiled potato to any soup to thicken and add body, if you have run out of cornflour.
SWEET CORN-To keep sweet corn yellow, add one teaspoon lemon juice to the cooking water just about a minute before taking off the stove.
SOFT SWEETCORN-To make sure that you don�t; end up with tough corn, do not add salt while cooking it. It will make the corn tough.
BAKE POTATOES-If you are in a hurry to bake potatoes, you can boil them in salted water for 10 minutes, and after that place it in a hot oven to bake.
WELL BAKED POTATOES-If you would like crisp and well-browned baked potatoes, place them in hot water for half and hour, then pierce the whole skin with a fork, then put them in to bake.
DISCOLORED POTATOES-To keep peeled and sliced potatoes from discoloring before use, keep them covered with cold water.
FRESHER SALAD-Your salad will taste better and crisper if the vegetables have been soaked in chilled water for a while.
DRYING FRESH HERBS-If you purchase picked herbs, wash and pat them dry. Tie a few sprigs together and hang the bunches upside down in a warm, dry spot. Keep the bunches out of direct sunlight, this can burn the leaves and destroy the aroma. The herbs will be dry in 1 to 2 weeks.
RAW ONION SMELL-If you want to take the sharp smell of onions, and wish to use it as an accompaniment for an Indian dish. Sprinkle some salt, red pepper and lemon, and put it in the fridge for a few hours.
RED ONION STAINS-Red onions really can stain your hands when you handle them with your bare hands, and soap will not get the stains out. Cut a potato in slices, run it under cold water, then rub the wet potato on your hands. The stains will just fade away!
RIPE TOMATOES-Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Find a nice warm spot near the stove or dishwasher where they can get a little heat.
BETTER TASTING TOMATOES-Adding sugar to tomatoes when cooking takes away that slightly bitter taste.
PEEL TOMATOES-Make a shallow cross at the bottom of the tomatoes with a knife. Then, place the tomatoes in hot water for a few minutes. Remove them from the water and allow them to cool. The skin can now be peeled easily
SKINNED TOMATOES-To remove the skin from tomatoes, in case you have not skinned them before: At the end of the cooking time, boil the mixture rapidly for 2-3 minutes, by which time the skins will rise to the top and you can skim off with a perforated spoon.
Another method of skinning tomatoes is to place a tomato on a kitchen fork and hold it directly over the gas flame, and keep turning until the skin pops. When cool, peel off the skin.
CRUSH GARLIC-To crush garlic, peel it, chop it fine and then press it with the heel of a knife.
FRESH LEMONS-To get the maximum juice out fresh lemons and oranges, first bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen slab before squeezing them.
HOW TO PICK LEMONS-The best lemons to pick are the ones that feel heavy and have a smooth, but a tight and coarse skin.
LONG LAST THE LEMONS! -Lemons last longer when refrigerated.
REDUCE THE HOTNESS IN STEWS & SOUPS- If your dish has turned out far too chillie hot, you can add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt to mellow the flavours. Did you know that when using chilies you can reduce the amount of fire you add by discarding the white ribs inside the chili peppers.
BLANCHING- Blanching is used to set crispness and color, cooking vegetables just to the crunchy, al dente stage. Drop the cut vegetables into a large amount of rapidly boiling water. As soon as the vegetables begin to brighten in color, remove them from the boiling water with a strainer or slotted spoon. Afer cooking them you can dip the vegetables into a large bowl of ice water or just drain the water on a towel surface.
GARLIC SKIN -Soak the garlic flakes in water for five minutes before peeling - this keeps the garlic skins from sticking to the hands.
STRONG GARLIC PASTE- If you are using raw garlic, and crush the garlic cloves using a garlic press, you will end up with a stronger flavor than if you were to mince them with a knife.
ANT-FREE SUGAR- A few cloves in the sugar jar will keep ants at bay.
AVOIDING BLACKENING OF FRUITS-Add lemon juice after cutting fruits like apples and bananas ..It will prevent them from turning blackish immediately.
SOUR CREAM- Add a bit of lemon juice to fresh cream to make sour cream.
RETAINING THE COLOR OF PEAS -To retain the color of peas, when you saute the peas, do not cover them. Cover them only once the mixture comes to a boil.
STORING PEAS- To store peas for a few days in the refrigerator-Refrigerate them without peeling. Should last 4-5 days.
FREEZE PEAS -Peel, blanch, drain and pack in air tight containers and store in the freezer.