Have you ever wondered why your mother told you to do something one way and one way only? There usually is a reason and it is pretty logical when explained.
Have you ever wondered why your mother told you to do something one way and one way only? There usually is a reason and it is pretty logical when explained.
Here are some interesting answers from Cooking Light.
WHY DOES GARLIC BURN EASILY?
One of the things I always preach when I teach cooking classes is to not allow the garlic to burn. Once that happens, the garlic turns bitter. Garlic contains 65 percent water while most other plants contain 90 percent. This makes a difference in its vulnerability to direct, dry heat. To solve this problem, use medium-low heat and stir constantly. If you are cooking with other ingredients such as onions, cook the onions first to allow them to release some moisture, then add the garlic.
WHY DO YOU FLOUR, EGG WASH, THEN CRUMB COAT?
When you make a tonkatsu, chicken katsu or other entrees that have a coating, you first flour it, then place it in eggs, then in Panko or breadcrumbs. The reason is flour sticks well to protein such as chicken, pork, beef, veal or even vegetables. Egg sticks really well to flour and breadcrumbs, corn flake crumbs and Panko stick well to egg. These important three steps for coating are necessary for a beautiful coating. Allowing the coating to sit for a while also gives the gluten time to stick better so it won’t fall off once you fry.
WHY DO YOU PLACE PEPPERS IN A BAG OR FOIL AFTER ROASTING BEFORE PEELING?
For easier peeling of the skin, the peppers need to “steam” in a paper bag or in foil. Just five minutes makes a world of difference.
WHY ARE TOMATOES NEVER STORED IN THE REFRIGERATOR?
The cold damages the membranes in the tomato cell walls, bruising the delicate flesh and compromising the taste and the texture. Store tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight with the stem end up to avoid bruising.
WHY DO YOU ALTERNATE WET AND DRY INGREDIENTDS WHEN MIXING CAKE BATTER?
When baking a cake, the dry ingredients are mixed in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another. Often, instructions are to add the dry and wet ingredients in several steps, usually ending with the wet ingredients. The reason is about the batter bubbles. When you beat sugar into the softened butter or eggs into a frothy foam, this adds air to the batter. Bubbles give cakes a tender, open crumb. Gradually adding the dry ingredients keeps the bubbles from popping. If you do not treat it gently, you might end up with a dense end product, such as brownies.
WHY DO YOU START BOILING POTATOES IN COLD WATER?
Potatoes are dense and cook more slowly than most other vegetables. It takes a while for the interior temperature to match the exterior. If you place whole, cubed or quartered potatoes into a pot of boiling water, the potatoes will end up under and overcooked, mushy yet crunchy inside. Starting with cold water will give the potatoes a better chance of matching the internal and external temperatures as the water reaches the boiling point.
WHY DO YOU PREHEAT YOUR BAKING PANS BEFORE ROASTING VEGETABLES?
You would heat your skillet on the stovetop before you saute for better browning. For that same reason you should preheat your baking pan before placing the vegetables on them and putting them in the oven. You will achieve the desired caramelization of roasted vegetables with a preheated pan.
WHY DO YOU BRUSH BARBECUE SAUCE TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE MEAT IS DONE?
Most barbecue sauces are sweet and contain either white or brown sugar. Sugar burns and if you slather the sauce too early, your sauce will burn and your meat might not be done. Either brush with barbecue sauce a few minutes before done or a few degrees before your desired temperature if using a thermometer.
WHY SHOULD YOU SLICE ROUND ONIONS VERTICALLY?
Onions should be sliced pole to pole or vertically, which is with the fibers and not against them. They retain their shape better when they are cooked and especially important when caramelizing. When cutting for a salad and eaten raw, the vertical slices are tapered. Cut the other way and they are semicircles.
WHY DOES IT MATTER WHETHER A BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR IS USED?
When you place large, dense foods in a blender, the blade will only pulverize the bottom layer and is not able to pull down the foods to pulverize the rest. This is when a food processor is the right machine to use as it has more open space to start the motion and keep it moving to pulverize whatever is in the processor. Use the blender for soups, sauces and smoothies and the food processor for the rest.
WHY IS PARCHMENT PAPER BETTER FOR BAKING?
When I was younger, we were not able to buy parchment paper. We used waxed paper or foil. But waxed paper melts on hot food and then when you need to remove the paper, it is difficult because it is glued to the food.
Foodie bites
• Hawaii Community College’s second-year culinary students are cooking for you at the Bamboo Hale. This week, through Friday, the students are featuring the foods of Mexico. Call 934-2591 for reservations, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The cafeteria has great hot lunches, too.
Email me at audreywilson 808@gmail.com.