It`s no secret that many people don`t know how to cook. That includes a lot of adults who only heat frozen foods in the microwave or cook using packages and mixes.
But everyone enjoys eating good food, cooked from scratch (raw ingredients) on top of the stove or in the oven.
To help get young readers, and even older ones, used to cooking and the kitchen, here`s a beginner`s guide.
-What do I do to get started?
Think of something you`d like to make and find a recipe in the newspaper, a magazine or in a cookbook. Try to choose a recipe for food that you are familiar with.
Don`t be put off if there are a lot of ingredients. Sometimes long recipes give better instructions for a beginning cook. It`s more important to read the part of the recipe known as the ”method,” which tells you how to combine the ingredients. If you understand everything in the recipe, it should be a good one for you.
– Why do I need a recipe?
Following a recipe is the best way to introduce yourself to cooking. If you haven`t cooked before, it will give you the idea for experimenting on your own. If you follow a recipe word-for-word, you should be successful.
– What do I need to know about recipes?
Start with a simple recipe so you won`t be frustrated. Read it carefully from top to bottom. Try to imagine what the finished dish will look and taste like before you begin. Read the ingredient list carefully to make sure that you have all of the ingredients you`ll need. Read the rest of the recipe to make sure you have all of the equipment. Gather everything you`ll need into one place before you begin.
– What kind of equipment will I need?
For most recipes you will need a set of measuring spoons, a set of measuring cups to measure dry ingredients and a clear glass or plastic liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout and handle.
When measuring dry ingredients (such as sugar or flour) in measuring spoons or cups, fill them until they`re overflowing and use the flat or straight edge of a knife to level them off. Don`t pack dry ingredients into the measuring cup unless the recipe tells you to. The reason you don`t use a liquid measuring cup for dry ingredients is because it`s hard to get accurate measures. If you`re measuring 1/2 cup of brown sugar in a 1 cup measure, it`s hard to level it and get an accurate amount.
To measure liquids, set the cup on a flat surface and fill to the appropriate level.
– Does this work with all measurements?
Not always. Sometimes recipes will call for 1 pound of all-purpose flour, and you wonder if you should use the bathroom scales. Sometimes a recipe calls for 2 cups of grated cheese, which makes you wonder how much cheese you should buy.
But 1 pound of flour is equal to 4 cups of flour, and 2 cups of grated cheese is equal to 1/2 pound of cheese.
Here are a few more measurements that might come in handy:
– 1/2 cup of butter equals 1 stick or 1/4 pound
-1 ounce baking chocolate equals 1 square or 3 tablespoons
-1 pound brown sugar equals 2 cups, packed
-1 pound sugar equals 2 cups
-2 cups cooked noodles or macaroni equal 1 cup uncooked or 4 ounces
-1 cup chopped nuts equals 1/4 pound
-1 cup chopped onion equals 2 medium onions
– What if I can`t find the ingredient I need in this list?
We can`t include them all here, but if you plan to do a lot of cooking you might consider buying a book that includes these kinds of charts. A good one to start with is ”Food Lover`s Companion,” by Sharon Tyler Herbst
(Barron`s, $10.95).
– So now that I know all about measuring, what else do I need to know?
You should get to know cooking terms in a good basic cookbook or ask someone who knows how to cook what a word means. When a recipe says to mix instead of beat, make sure do you it.
Here are some cooking terms to get you started:
-Beat: To mix rapidly, smoothing out the batter and adding air by lifting batter up and over with each stroke. Use an electric mixer, wooden spoon or wire whisk to beat batter.
-Combine: To mix or toss so that ingredients are distributed evenly. Use a wooden spoon or two spoons.
-Cream: Use an electric mixer. Or use a wooden spoon to press ingredients against the side of the bowl until the mixture turns creamy. Usually you cream together butter and sugar.
-Fold: To distribute a light ingredient such as whipped cream throughout a heavier batter without losing the fluffiness. To do this, gently turn the ingredients over from the bottom using a wooden spoon. Do not stir.
-Mix: The goal is to have everything distributed evenly so there are no clumps of one ingredient. Use a wooden spoon.
-Stir: Usually you stir to mix liquids or melted ingredients. Or to keep things from burning on the stove, you must stir from the bottom of the pan to avoid scorching. Use a wooden spoon.
-Whip: To beat ingredients very quickly with an electric mixer or wire hand whisk. You are adding air to the ingredients to make them fluffy.
-Whisk: This also is beating but not as much as in whipping. You whisk until blended or smooth but not fluffy. Use a wire whisk or a fork for this.
Here are some terms that apply to stovetop cooking.
-Boil: When something is boiling, bubbles are rising rapidly to the surface. Always use a saucepan that is large enough to prevent the ingredients from boiling over onto the stove. Boiling ingredients are very hot, so be extra careful.
-Brown: When you cook in a small amount of oil to give food color, it is called ”browning.” Usually it means you shouldn`t cook completely.
-Fry: To cook in a skillet or fry pan with quite a bit of oil or shortening until the food is heavily browned and cooked completely through. The oil can splatter, so be very careful.
-Saute: To cook quickly and lightly in as little oil as possible in a skillet or fry pan. Some ingredients, such as chicken or sliced vegetables, are sauteed to soften them.
-Simmer: Simmering is cooking something just below the boiling point so that bubbles rise slowly to the top. Soups sometimes are simmered so the flavors blend together slowly.
-Stir-fry: If frying is the heaviest and greasiest, then stir-frying is the lightest, with sauteing in the middle. To stir-fry, quickly cook vegetables or thinly sliced meat in a hot skillet or wok with a tiny amount of oil. Foods as vegetables keep their bright colors, crispness and shape.
– Is that all I need to know?
Not really. If you start cooking when you are young, you will keep learning as time goes on. Even the best chefs learn new ways to cook and combine flavors.
