15 Cooking Tricks That Are So Good They’re Gonna Arouse Your Appetite

• 2019-09-17
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Almost everyone can agree that cooking is an artform. This is why it's important to rely not only on our cooking talent, but on a set of rules, as well. What's more, cooking has its own secrets that chefs pass down from one generation to the next.

Bright Side gathered some little-known tricks that will make your dishes even tastier and worthy of the world's best kitchens.

• Love chili peppers, but want less of the kick? Just remove the seeds and veins and rinse them in cold water. The spiciness will dissapear, but the taste will stay the same.

• You can get crispy crust potatoes without the frying oil by simply powdering them with flour and baking them.

• Counting calories? You can replace heavy cream with 3/4 whipped egg whites when making dessert.

• If you're not sure whether to put vegetables in boiling or cold water, keep this tip in mind: veggies that grow under the ground require cold water, and those that grow above the ground require hot water.

• When whipping egg whites, flip the bowl upside down to check the consistency: if it is ready, the substance should stay in the bowl.

• Cutting an onion can be simple if you first split it in two, trim off the tip and the root, make some horizontal cuts, and follow with some lengthway cuts. The amount of cuts depends on the desired size of the cubes. And finally, cut the onion crosswise.

• Use beets baked in foil for salads: unlike boiled beets, baked beets contain more vitamins and retain more taste and color.

• Always dress your salad only after adding salt. Otherwise, oil won't let the salt dissolve completely.

• One trick that won't let your pasta stick together is to use as much water as possible. Take at least 34 fl oz (1 liter) of water for 4 oz (100 gr) of "dry" pasta and you'll get perfect results.

• The secret of the perfect dough for sweet pastries is simple: the flour's weight should equal the sugar's weight, and the eggs' weight should equal the butter's weight.

• To cook soft and smooth mashed potatoes, add some milk and some baking soda on the tip of a knife and whip 2-3 minutes.

• You can get juicier citrus fruits by placing them under hot water or heating them in a microwave and tightly rolling them in your hand.

• Use a wooden stick to check whether or not frying oil is hot enough. If you see bubbles around the stick, it means it's time to start cooking.

• For unsticky rice, roast it in a frying pan with a bit of vegetable oil and then add water to boil. If you want to add a light garlic odor, add one clove of garlic and remove it once the rice is cooked.

• If you're planning on serving pasta with sauce, don't add oil to the water, as it won't let the sauce saturate the paste with its taste.

• If you want to cut a tomato without letting its juices pour out, slice strictly along the pith of the tomato's surface: there are veins inside that separate the seeds from the tomato's wall.

• Everyone knows to sprinkle the surface with flour before rolling pie dough. However, if you're making a sweet dish, you can replace the flour with cocoa powder: it will create a delicate arome and won't affect the taste.

• To make meatballs tastier, heat up chopped onions using vegetable oil and then grind them together with the meat. Not only will it enhance the taste, but it will eliminate any chance of finding raw onions in cooked meatballs.

• Every chef has his or her own secret to preparing the ideal steak. But one thing they all agree on - the frying pan should be very hot and smoking.

Have you tried any of these tips? Or perhaps you have your own? Feel free to share your cooking tricks in the comments!

Illustrated by Alena Tsarkova for BrightSide.me