What basic principles did you understand and your cooking skills greatly increased?

[celestialinter0]

Start with me:

1. The role of seasoning is to enhance the aroma, not to cover the aroma of the ingredients themselves. Eat the ingredients, not the seasonings.

2. When frying vegetables, it is recommended to stir fry to the maximum heat, and take it out of the pot when it is almost out of rawness.

[countessalmirena]

Great tips!

I have never found a solution for “too hot/spicy”. Of course I’ve tried (and appreciate) the old “have a spoonful of plain yoghurt or sour cream”, or similar, after a spoonful of hot food, but I have fallen into the trap of a dish turning out to be way way way too spicy to the point of slaying me just by looking at it.

[domino-710]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

When chopping or slicing vegetables or meat or whatever, the aim is to get everything cut to the same size. This will enable the cubes or slices or pieces to cook evenly.

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Question ??

Even if the size is all mathematically correct - each ingredient takes time - some longer than others.

ie  - onions cut the same size as potatoes - well - sheesh I'm a better cook than realised.

[imastawka]

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@countessalmirena wrote:

Great tips!

I have never found a solution for “too hot/spicy”. Of course I’ve tried (and appreciate) the old “have a spoonful of plain yoghurt or sour cream”, or similar, after a spoonful of hot food, but I have fallen into the trap of a dish turning out to be way way way too spicy to the point of slaying me just by looking at it.

Countess, lemon/lime juice also works for that.   Add acid - vinegar, tomatoes, things like that

[imastawka]

Dom, start cooking them in stages....hard vegies first, followed by graduated softer vegies

[domino-710]

Exactly.

And if it is Asian cuisine - and too hot - add - coconut milk.

But don't use the Henri whatsit - baked clay - good grief - can we not even have a dish discussion without - the origin of clay - or a blaardy brand name.

[janeababe]

@NFS…..

for crispy chicken skin, or baked spuds, use duck fat.  It’s the bomb! 😎

Not a lot needed.  And, if cooking chicken (whole or pieces),   once almost cooked, take the lid off your baking dish for the last 10 mins.
At the same time, top the chicken with cubes/slices of flavoured butter.  I make my own 😉. Herb butter, garlic butter etc.  

FYI, I rarely cook whole chooks these days. I used to many many years ago, by inverting them over top an opened can of beer. You definitely needed a steady hand lol.  But, the beer kept the chook nice and *moist* 😃…. And the skin very crispy. 

(everyone loves the word moist, right? ) 😂😂

[celestialinter0]

It makes my mouth watering when looking at your comments.

I can't wait to try it. lol

[twyngwyn]

for a moist chicken, shove a pierced lemon up its ar**

[twyngwyn]

always use stock & rice wine when cooking an Asian stir-fry

[countessalmirena]

Make sure that if you're using a gas oven, the flame hasn't gone out mid-way through the cook.

You'll be waiting until doomsday for that little baby to roast.

("Baby" not used in the sense of a small young human child.)