Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Ancient Method of Cooking is a Very Modern Way to Prepare Healthy


Clay pots not only cook foods perfectly, they're actually healthier than other cooking methods. Clay seals in nutrients--eliminating the need for added fats--and carries seasonings deeper into the food, meaning you can use less salt, for more details visit to www.bread-bakers-assistant.com making clay pot cooking an ideal for low-fat and low-sodium diets.
Cooking in clay pots is an easy and convenient way of preparing a meal. An unglazed clay pot maintains the level of moisture needed for optimal cooking, meaning you can place an entire meal’s meat and veggies in the pot, for more details visit to www.chow-chows-secrets.com put it in the oven and goes do something else for 45 minutes to an hour while dinner cooks, without worrying that it's going to scorch or cook dry.
The secret is the porous clay used to make the pots. You simply immerse both pot and cover in water and let it soak for ten minutes before placing the food into the pot, then put it into the cold oven--no pre-heating! All the ingredients for your complete meal can be placed in one pot. When it's done, simply take it out of the oven and serve right from the pot. Today's clay pots are attractively designed to go from the oven to the table.
The porous clays used in terra cotta baking pots will absorb a great deal of water. During the cooking process, fast-moving, super-heated water molecules penetrate the foods in the pot, depositing spices from the surface deep within the food. This means you can use less salt--making clay cooking pots ideal for people on reduced sodium diets. Foods stay moist and flavorful while they cook, from the moisture retained in the unglazed bottom of the pot, and the unique clay cooking process seals nutrients within the food, rather than boiling them out.
Steam-cooked veggies, savory soups and yummy desserts are a snap to make using your oven and a covered clay "baker." This ancient method of cooking is a very modern way to prepare healthy, delicious meals that are also fast and easy for the cook...

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The Basics Of Cooking Chinese Food


Chinese cooking has yielded some of the most delicious foods that are available, but you may feel as if the techniques used to prepare and cook the foods are too complicated or unfamiliar to produce good results. The truth is that Chinese cooking is simple, and can be done by almost anyone.
Chinese cooking is usually done in a wok or a bamboo steamer. A wok is simply a large, bowl shaped pan that can hold soups, stews or stir fry easily. Bamboo steamers are made from bamboo, and are used to make dumplings, meats and vegetables.You will use the bamboo steamer inside the wok, which will be filled with water.
You do not need to use a lot of water, but you will want to make sure that there is enough water so that the wok does not dry before the food is cooked, and that the water is boiling before you add the steamer.You will also want to line the bamboo steamer with either cabbage leaves or lettuce leaves to make sure that your food does not stick to your steamer.
Most Chinese foods can be cooked with these two simple cooking utensils.A wok is a great choice for making healthy and nutritious vegetable dishes, since you can use a high heat for your dishes so that little cooking time is required. Since Chinese cooking can be completed in just a few minutes in a wok, your family will love being able to have their favorite Chinese food anytime.When you cook Chinese food, it is best to use ingredients that are fresh.
Most Chinese cooking is very simple, using only meats and vegetables with seasonings such as ginger, soy and garlic. The staples of Chinese cooking include beef, pork, chicken, cabbage and rice.Typically, meats are used for seasonings in Chinese foods such as dumplings and stir fry’s rather than the main ingredient. Fresh vegetables and fruits are very common in Chinese cooking.
Some Chinese cooking does require some practice to make, such as egg rolls and dumplings. The main problem that you are likely to encounter is working with and folding the wrappers for these Chinese foods.A good tip to remember is to make sure that you measure the foods you put into the wrappers, so that all of the egg rolls or dumplings cook in the same amount of time.
You can cook egg rolls and dumplings either in hot oil for a crunchy snack, or in a steamer for a softer one. Typically, egg rolls are fried while dumplings are steamed, although you can always choose the cooking method that suits your family best.You can put any combination of foods that you like in your dumplings and egg rolls. Chinese cooking is very versatile, and recipes can be adjusted to meet the tastes of even the pickiest members of your family.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Basic Cooking Techniques Have Specific Names That are Worldwide Among Cookbook


Learning to read and cook a recipe is an enormous way to process how to blend the different flavors found in food. Learning to read a recipe is a very beneficial household skill that many people take for granted.
For more details go to: www.tailgating-recipe.com the most important thing to remember is to read the recipe entirely from beginning to end. Many people do not perform this initial step and often have a provoking time in the kitchen because of this oversight.
Basic cooking techniques are very essential to learn as possessing this knowledge not only increases the easiness in which cooking projects are completed but also increases the generally enjoyment of cooking.
Basic cooking techniques have specific names that are worldwide among cookbook authors, cooking schools and chefs. Learning these basic cooking methods and techniques are essential to successfully learning to cook.
Blanching or parboiling is two names that refer to one important cooking technique that is used to make softer a vegetable. This step is usually done before moving forward with another cooking step, usually to ease the removal of vegetable skins or to leach out bitterness of certain vegetables. Regularly, the vegetables are soaked into a bowl of ice water to stop the vegetables from cooking any further.
Broiling refers to using high heat to brown food under direct heat. Some foods for instance like eggplant, croutons and tofu can be fully cooked under a broiler but for most others, it is a less important cooking method used to brown or toast the tops of the foods. When through a broiler, it is important to keep foods between 4-6 inches from the heat source.
Steaming is a well-liked method of food preparation that promotes the healthy retention of nutrients. For help visit: www.apples-recipes.com Steaming in general refers to the cooking of vegetables over a small amount of water
Sauteing is a term that is used to explain the cooking of vegetables over high heat in a specially designed pan. Saute is a term that is used to refer to the cooking method, an exclusively designed pan and as a name or fashion of preparation such as "sauteed mushrooms".
Simmering and Boiling are two common terms used in daily cooking terminology, both are very important forms of everyday cooking. There are many foods that required a cooking process that includes jointly boiling and simmering. It is important when cooking that the instructions following these two methods of cooking are followed accurately to assure that the food is prepared properly.
Cooking techniques are a very important part of learning to cook effectively. Lastly, don't forget to familiarize yourself with cooking temperatures, preparation time, cooking time and any other particulars that are important to the successful cooking experience of your recipe...