The small life hacks that we have collected in this article will help improve the taste of dishes and take your culinary talent to new heights.
Marinades are half the battle
Marinate poultry, fish and meat. The dish will be juicier, and the taste will be brighter. The main thing is to follow the exact recipe and aging time so that the dish becomes tender and fragrant. Various mixes of sauces with fruits, berries, herbs and spices are great for marinades. Thanks to marinades, the fermentation process takes place and the meat fibers soften, which means that the dish is prepared quickly and does not lose its properties due to long heat treatment.
Use different types of salt
Salt is a natural food flavor enhancer. A small amount of salt can enhance the sweet taste, making it bulkier, while a higher concentration will enhance the umami flavor in spicy meat dishes. In addition, salt preserves the color of vegetables and their structure, so it is better to boil potatoes, carrots, or beets in saltwater. Experienced chefs have several types of salt in their arsenal and use them to improve the taste of dishes. Black Hawaiian, pink Himalayan, Celtic, sea, smoked – each of them can emphasize the taste of food.
Cook with butter
Steak or fish cooked in butter has an excellent taste and slightly nutty flavor. When frying vegetables, also use butter or ghee, it improves the appearance – the dish will have an appetizing crust. It is important to melt the butter correctly, preventing it from smoking.
Add Vinegar to Rice
A small amount of apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar added during cooking will improve the flavor of the dish, make the rice crumbly, and get rid of the gray tint. Another way to make food tastier is to cook rice not with water, but with green tea. You can add a drink to the water for brewing in a ratio of 1: 1.
Add dried fruit to meat
The combination of prunes with meat has become a classic, but dried apricots, dried cranberries, dates, and many other dried fruits can transform a meat dish with moderate sweetness and give new taste sensations, light sourness and amazing aroma. Dried fruits can improve the dish both during baking and when stewing meat.
Use soy sauce
This sauce has become indispensable for cooking meat, vegetable and fish dishes. It imparts a sweet and sour taste and provides softness.
Dilute minced meat
In the Soviet era, minced meat for cutlets was often used as an additive soaked bread to make the dish softer. But a simple zucchini will cope with this task no worse. To make it easier to form cutlets, it is better to add not a whole egg to the minced meat, but only the yolk.
Mix different types of flour
Confectionery and bakery products will not only be tastier but also healthier if rice, buckwheat, coconut, as well as whole grain, or rye flour are added to wheat flour.
Bake in foil
Foil perfectly retains and evenly distributes heat, so vegetables, meat, or fish in foil are perfectly baked and have a tender and juicy structure. At the same time, useful substances are preserved in the dishes. If a crust is needed, then the foil must be unfolded or removed 15 minutes before readiness.
Use natural syrups and extracts
To diversify familiar dishes, add syrups and extracts to them. They can be added not only to muffins and cakes but also to drinks, cereals, homemade cheeses. Just a few drops can make food taste better.
Advice
When preparing coffee – add rum or caramel syrup, a couple of drops of almond extract to porridge, a mint additive that will be appropriate for chocolate desserts and ice cream.
Defrost food in the refrigerator
Using a microwave, hot water, and even room temperature to defrost meat or fish is not the best way out, as this affects the taste of the dish. It is better to take care of this in advance and transfer the frozen piece necessary for cooking to the refrigerator compartment. Such gentle defrosting without sudden temperature changes will preserve the taste of meat without loss.
Add sugar
And not only confectionery but also in the main dishes. Sugar improves the taste of dishes, so use this additive along with salt when cooking fish and seafood, vegetables and marinades, meat and poultry.
Use natural broths
Often recipes say that you need to add broth. You can get by with an instant bouillon cube or just water, but it’s best to always have some homemade broth on hand. You can store it frozen.
Don’t feel sorry for the wine
A little red or white wine can turn meat, fish, or stews into gourmet dishes when added to a stew or used as a marinade. Traditionally, white wines are taken for fish and poultry, and red wines for beef, lamb, or pork. Wines can also be added to sauces and vegetable dishes – they will only benefit in taste.
Use Lemons
Of all the citrus fruits, lemons are the most versatile. Their juice can be seasoned with salads, zest can be added as a seasoning to improve a variety of dishes: pastries, vegetables and salads.