As the topic says, if you have any cooking tip(s), food/kitchen hack(s) or whatever that works for you, that you think most people do not know, and would save them some stress, share it here. Who knows? You might be saving a life.


OK. I'll go first, 'cause yeah! It's my thread.

When making a spaghetti dish, start by making your sauce first before cooking and adding your spaghetti to the sauce.

If you can cook both simultaneously, start with the sauce.
That way, the spaghetti don't stick/cake together, and it's easier to mix with the sauce and absorbs flavour more, since it's still hot and limpy (for lack of a better word).

If you're a food stylist/ photographer, hot limpy spaghetti is the easiest to dish/style.
If you're a chef, I'm sure you already know that.

Nice thread. Fully following.

Will be back with my own tips and hacks.

Yap.
If you want to make well cooked semo with no lumps, use this hack.

Bring water to a boil.
Then turn down the heat of your stove so the boiling bubbles settle down then pour your semo gradually and turn as you go until you achieved your desired thickness. Then turn some more for uniformity and place back on the stove or raise the heat of the stove again.

Add hot water. Just enough to be on the same level with the semo.
Use the turning stick to punch a hole in the center of the semo.
Cover and allow to cook for 5 mins or until it's slightly goldish in color. Then give it a final folding with the turning stick until it forms a non sticky dough.

This method of making semo will make it done very well and keep for days without going bad or smelling funny.

To prevent stickiness, you can add vegetable oil to the boiling water but i don't use it.

Lalasticlala.

If you like and enjoy eating hot white rice, always cook your stew first.

I don't know why most Nigerians like cooking rice first.

To prevent your white rice from foaming up and boiling over while cooking, do not add salt till most of the water is dried up.
Works for me shaa.

So many tips oooo
Let me start with when you mistakenly oversalt your jollof rice or when the rice is done but still has water. Add a slice of bread to soak up the salt or water.

When your pot is overflowing with what you are cooking, place a wooden spoon aka garri turner on the pot.

Let's learn from everyone.

Cooking fried rice? Cook your rice separately, fry your vegetables separately and mix together. That way your fried rice won't go bad.

Wash your vegetables before cutting so don't loose the nutrients.

Mariangeles:
If you like and enjoy eating hot white rice, always cook your stew first.

I don't know why most Nigerians like cooking rice first.

To prevent your white rice from foaming up and boiling over while cooking, do not add salt till most of the water is dried up.
Works for me shaa.

O wu eshi chaaa rice...

A gbaa fry ma ya wuru my grandma..

Adding salt that late, won't it amount to getting unevenly distributed salt in the rice?

Mariangeles:
If you like and enjoy eating hot white rice, always cook your stew first.

I don't know why most Nigerians like cooking rice first.

To prevent your white rice from foaming up and boiling over while cooking, do not add salt till most of the water is dried up.
Works for me shaa.

My style. I cook my stew first and boil the rice last thing so I can eat it steaming hot.
I don't like warm or cold white rice. I'll get tired easily.

Mariangeles:
As the topic says, if you have cooking tips, food/kitchen hacks or whatever that work for you, that you think most people don't know, and would save them some stress, share it here. Who knows? You might be saving a life.


OK. I'll go first, 'cause duh! It's my thread.

When making a spaghetti dish, start by making your sauce first before cooking and adding your spaghetti to the sauce.

If you can cook both simultaneously, start with the sauce.
That way, the spaghetti don't stick/cake together, and it's easier to mix with the sauce and absorbs flavour more, since it's still hot and limpy (for lack of a better word).

If you're a food stylist/ photographer, hot limpy spaghetti is the easiest to dish/style.
If you're a chef, I'm sure you already know that.

I ga emehe zi restaurant na..

I always fry my pepper mix before making any Nigerian soup. Gives it a nice taste and reduces the "Onion" taste you get sometimes if you just mix everything together.

Munzy14:

O wu eshi chaaa rice...

A gbaa fry ma ya wuru my grandma..

Adding salt that late, won't it amount to getting unevenly distributed salt in the rice?

You know that level when the water in the rice is almost dried up and it bubbles up a little above the rice? That is when you evenly sprinkle some salt in it.

Munzy14:

I ga emehe zi restaurant na..

Or I write a book.

Channah1:


My style. I cook my stew first and boil the rice last thing so I can eat it steaming hot.
I don't like warm or cold white rice. I'll get tired easily.

Eating hot rice with stew is just the best.
I like the way the stew melts into the rice.

Mariangeles:


You know that level when the water in the rice is almost dried up and it just bubbles up a little above the rice? That is when you evenly sprinkle some salt in it.



Or I write a book.

Ok..

Writing a book, That one can come as hobby, but consider owning a restaurant...You are trilled by anything food..So acquiring and dishing out food skills won't be a Herculean task.

Mariangeles:



Eating hot rice with stew is just the best.
I like the way the stew melts into the rice.

Smh see description...

Munzy14:

Ok..

Writing a book, That one can come as hobby, but consider owning a restaurant...You are trilled by anything food..So acquiring and dishing out food skills won't be a Herculean task.

Right?
I'll keep that in mind.

Munzy14:

Smh see description...

What about it?
It made you crave hot white rice and stew?

Mariangeles:


Right?
I'll keep that in mind.



What about it?
It made you crave hot white rice and stew?

Not just in mind, kick start plans to work on it ASAP..Food biz pays a lot.

Lol the description sha...I was craving home made Jollof rice..But, I drove out to get fresh tomato earlier this evening, but settled for oka and ube spot May God help this my bachelor status..

Rice is something I can eat without getting tired Av told you this before okwa ya.

A lot of people might already know this tip, but I'm just going to go ahead and share it anyway. Just in case.

If you want the shell of your boiled eggs to come off easily while peeling, put them straight into cold water immediately you take them out of the boiling water, and let them sit there for some minutes.

If you like soft boiled eggs, cook for 8-10mins.

When frying fish, if you don't want it to stick to the bottom of the pot, sprinkle little flour in the oil before putting the fish.

If you don't want your food to burn don't forget to remove your pot from the fire or put off your gas when you finish cooking.

lilvicky68:
If you don't want your food to burn don't forget to put off your gas when you finish cooking.

lilvicky68:
If you don't want your food to burn don't forget to put off your gas when you finish cooking.

Hahahahaha

I found out that using some chicken stock/seasoning cubes to separately cook the rice for fried rice, makes the rice tastier after mixing it with the separately prepared flora/fauna sauce combo.

tranxo:
I found out that using some chicken stock/seasoning cubes to separately cook the rice for fried rice, makes the rice tastier after mixing it with the separately prepared flora/fauna sauce combo.

I do that too.
I also add some curry powder for that light colour, so that there's no single white rice when the stir fried vegetables is mixed in.

Thanks for sharing.

gloryhomemaker:
Wash your vegetables before cutting so don't loose the nutrients.

I shudder when I see people have their veggies cut in the market, only to get home and wash away the "sins" of the leaves

tranxo:

I shudder when I see people have their veggies cut in the market, only to get home and wash away the "sins" of the leaves

Hahahahahahahahaha @sin

I think the main reason why most people do that is because they hate(or probably don't know how) to cut vegetables.
And to save time too.

Mariangeles:


Hahahahahahahahaha @sin

I think the main reason why most people do that is because they hate(or probably don't know how) to cut vegetables.
And to save time too.

Everything na planning.

Cooking doesn't start in the kitchen, it starts with preparing the shopping list.

Most people prefer eating "wealthy" instead of healthy, forgetting that health is wealth.

tranxo:

Everything na planning.

Cooking doesn't start in the kitchen, it starts with preparing the shopping list.

Most people prefer eating "wealthy" instead of healthy, forgetting that health is wealth.

Absolute truth.

'wash away the sins of the leaves '

Hmmm this is a bit tough because generally I like quick and sharp food.
1. A little bit of butter can make your fried rice taste better.
2. If you want to be asked, how did you make this soup, what's the secret Use uziza seeds in your Egusi soup.
3. Always use crayfish as a secret weapon.
4. When frying stew, if you like using tomato paste, fry your tomato paste and thyme together, the aroma will be loud.

5. Always taste for salt. Not tasting your food can be dangerous. Even chefs taste for salt.
Also, you can cook without seasoning cubes and it will still be great, stop using too many Maggie in a meal. Go for flavours instead.( Garlic, ginger, tumeric, etc)

I'm coming

Mariangeles:


Hahahahahahahahaha @sin

I think the main reason why most people do that is because they hate(or probably don't know how) to cut vegetables.
And to save time too.

Hi i want to cook ogbono soup but I don't want to use okro,is it possible?

odinson1:


Hi i want to cook ogbono soup but I don't want to use okro, is it possible?

Of course.
Ogbono soup is a recipe on its own.

You know the steps, right?