Tips To Cook Perfectly and Save Money- smoke point of oils.

Quite often we buy some food, but somehow, either don't have the time to make it, or don't know how to do it or just plain lazy. Thus, foods get wasted, which according to me is the biggest crime. I hate wasting food, as there are millions in this world, who don't even get one square meal a day. so, here are some tips to help you save money and at the same time, how to cook them to perfection.

1. Dry the food before roasting for a perfect color

Have you ever try to pan sear a piece of steak or chicken hoping for that golden brown hue only to end up with a rubbery piece of grey meat? To get the taste and texture you want, just as is served in restaurants, you need to dry the meat with a paper towel just before searing it on a hot frying pan. To learn more about getting the perfect sear, given below. 
 

What is searing and why is it important?

Searing means to cook something on a very hot surface very quickly. The process that turns meat brown is called the Maillard reaction. This reaction occurs when you heat sugars and amino acids together at temperatures between 300 and 500 degrees F when it comes to meat. 
In the past, it was thought that searing would seal in the meat juices while cooking, however, this was proven to be false. What searing does is caramelize the proteins and sugars in meat. This browning doesn’t just make it look appetizing, it amplifies the steaks amazing flavor! Another benefit of searing is that it causes a difference in texture between the outside and inside of the steak, making it that much more delicious to our taste buds and brains. 

While searing might seem complicated, it's actually quite simple. All you’ll need is:

• A cast-iron or stainless-steel pan – you want a pan that is oven safe and can retain a high and steady heat. 
• A neutral tasting oil – you want an oil that won’t change the flavor of the steak, however, you have to make sure that you choose an oil with a high smoke point. For example, you can use grapeseed, canola, vegetable or sunflower oil. 
• A steak – left to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking
• Salt and pepper 
• An oven – preheated to 450 degrees F 

How to sear and cook the perfect steak

Step 1: Take your steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it. 
Step 2: Once your steak reaches room temperature, pat it down on all sides with a paper towel. You want to make sure your steak is nice and dry.
Step 3: Season your steak with a generous amount of salt and pepper. 

Step 4: heat your pan over a high flame for 5 minutes, making sure it gets nice and hot. Then add your oil. 
Step 5: When the oil starts to smoke, add your steak to the pan. Do not move the steak! 

Step 6: Let the steak cook for 2-3 minutes, unmoved, until a crust is formed.
Step 7: Use tongs to flip the steak over. Now you can add butter and any other seasoning you want such as garlic and rosemary, for example. 
Step 8: while the steak forms its crust on the other side, spoon your butter over it. 
Step 9: place the pan in the oven and let your steak cook till it reaches the doneness you like.

Step 10: when your steak is done cooking, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for ten minutes.

2. The secret to making a creamy smooth sauce

When cooking a sauce that contains vegetables, herbs, etc., there is often a desire to reach a velvety creamy texture. Many tips suggest lending the ingredients together in a food processor, however, this may not always work completely. In order to reach the desired texture, it’s recommended to pass the sauce through a sieve after blending it. Doing so will ensure the removal of any small and undetectable pieces ruining the texture and finish of your meal.

3. Use broccoli stems

Broccoli is a vegetable that has recently been used extensively in both industrial kitchens and home kitchens, but many of us only eat its green blooms, while the stems are thrown into the trash. Instead of throwing these stalks out, you can cut them into thin slices or strips and use them to make a healthy nutritious salad or add them into a vegetable broth.

4. Using food scraps

The use of food scraps is one of the most well-known ways to make stocks and broths that serve as a basis for various foods or to add flavor to certain foods. It is important to note that we don’t mean leftover food from people plates, rather the vegetable peels, beef and chicken bones, and skin, or even fish head. All you have to do is put the leftovers in a sandwich bag or any other sealed bag and put it in the freezer; When you want to make a stock or dishes that require vegetables and herbs, you can take the bag out of the freezer and use its contents. (Note: It isn’t recommended to put vegetables in the same bag as fish, poultry or beef).

5. Revitalize old nuts and seeds

You've probably bought nuts, almonds, sesame seeds, or even whole grains and forgotten them in the pantry for a few days or weeks, and when you went to enjoy themselves, you found them to be no longer fresh. Usually, the initial instinct is to throw the product in the trash, because there’s no way to bring back their freshness. Or is there? It turns out that there is an easy and brilliant solution that not only brings back freshness but also improves the taste of nuts and seeds. 
How do you do this?

• Gently moisten the nuts or seeds with tap water.
• Soak the liquid up with a towel and roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 2-4 minutes while stirring until they completely dry. Alternatively, you can place them in an oven preheated to 300 °F (150 °C) for the same amount of time.
• When done, taste one or two. If they are still slightly damp, continue roasting them.

6. Make banana-flavored cream

If you like bananas and wanted to make a banana flavored drink or cream flavored from natural ingredients only, you can do so easily without using the fruit itself. All you have to do is place a banana peel in a bowl, pour 2 cups milk or cream into it and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day you can use the milk in a shake, drink it as it is, or whip the cream and get the same great banana taste you’d get if you were using the actual fruit!

7. Don’t swap out ingredients in baking recipes

This tip may sound a bit illogical because most of us like to swap out ingredients in our recipes to add a "personal touch" as they say in various cooking programs. But you should know that baking requires almost scientific accuracy, so if you’re going to make a pastry or any other dish for the first time, it’s highly recommended to do everything as instructed in the recipe so that you get a sense of what the final product should look, feel, taste and smell like. Only after trying the recipe for the first time will you be able to change, add or subtract as many ingredients as you like, and of course, do so logically.

8. Never try to catch or stop a falling knife

Knives in general, but mostly chef knives or professional knives purchased in specialized stores, are known as expensive products, and the desire to maintain this important tool sometimes causes people to try to protect it at any cost, even if it’s dangerous. For example, if a knife falls to the floor, the first impulse of many is to try to catch it with their hands or - but this is something you definitely shouldn’t do because the only thing worse than a bent knife is a stabbed limb! Instead, step back, let the knife fall, and just pick it up off the ground. 

9. Create a stock of orange or lemon zest

It’s known that citrus fruits are a great flavor addition to pastries, whipped cream, and many dishes, but because they are seasonal, they aren’t found on store shelves all year long. Therefore, if you’re using orange or lemon or any other citrus, you can prepare a stock of these ingredients at any time and use it whenever you wish. To do this, keep the citrus peel - place it on a tray and dry it for several days or in the oven at 225°F (110°C) for 3-4 hours. Once the skin is completely dry, transfer it to a food processor and blend until you reach the right consistency. Put in a sealed box and keep in the freezer until use.

10. Flavor your vinegar

If you don’t really like vinegar in your food, it may be because you’re not a fan of the taste – but have you ever thought of flavoring it yourself? Curious? Great! All you need to make your vinegar taste better are leftovers fruit or herbs. Place these scraps into the bottle of vinegar and let sit overnight. The result will be so surprising that you’ll want to season almost every food with it, even your cocktails!

11. Surprising ingredients for hummus

Beetroot is used for a wide variety of dishes in different kitchens and ethnicities, however, beetroot stalks are hard and colorless and are therefore usually thrown out unused. If you use beetroot leaves and are left with unused stalks, know that you can now make a delicious, wonderful, and creamy, hummus-like dip using the following recipe:

• Cook 1 kg of beet stems in water for 20 minutes until tender.
• Then, transfer them to a food processor and place one clove of garlic, ¼  cup raw tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, and ½ a teaspoon salt.
• Blend everything together into a uniform paste and eat or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

It might not technically be hummus, but it's a lot healthier and certainly delicious.

12. Turn vegetable peels into a snack

Although most of us know that all the vitamins are in the vegetable peels, some still peel their vegetables and throw the scraps into the garbage. In order to avoid waste and to enjoy all the good these peels have to offer, you can do other things besides the tip mentioned in section 4; For example, you can use the peels from veggies like sweet potato, potato, zucchini, carrots and more to prepare delicious and wonderful snacks, just pot them in the oven or fry them (like you would French fries) and Voila!

13. Make celery salt

With all the recent warnings about sea salt and studies showing a link between consumption and cardiovascular disease, many people have sought healthy substitutes and found that celery salt is one of the best salts available today. The use of this spice has become particularly popular, not only among vegans but also among many who want to reduce sodium intake. To obtain celery salt, buy a ready-made product at nature stores or alternatively make it at home:

• Wash and dry celery stalks without the leaves.
• Place the dried stalks on a baking sheet and dry in an oven heated to 250°F (130°C) for about 20 minutes or until they are completely dry.
• After drying, place the stalks in a spice mill and grind well.
• Transfer the contents to a jar and store in the refrigerator.

14. Stop stirring food all the time

If you watch people while they’re cooking, you’ll often see them standing in front of the stove constantly stirring the contents of the skillet or pan for fear that the food will burn. However, there is no need to mix food all the time, and this only delays the cooking time and prevents the ingredients from turning the golden or seared color we’re often looking to achieve. It is important to note that this tip depends on the recipe because some foods do require constant mixing or stirring, so read the recipe well and pay attention to this detail.

For my other blogs, I'm giving the links below, feel free to view and comment too.

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. for all cancer and health related topics
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement