Recipes in the form in which we know them today did not appear until the end of the XNUMXth century. It was then that housewives began to prepare meals, referring to the list of ingredients and detailed directions. Since then, the pace of life has accelerated many times, people began to look for faster and easier ways to prepare daily lunches and dinners – and many are abandoning strict and precise recipes in favor of kitchen improvisation, when everything is measured by eye, and the ingredients are interchangeable.
The result of kitchen improvisation is often quite unexpected …In this situation, impeccable mastery of various culinary skills, a clear understanding of the physical and chemical nature of the processes occurring in the kitchen, and knowledge of the tastes of various products and their combinations come to the fore. Of course, such an experience comes exclusively with practice – and what if it is not enough yet? Well, you can return to boring but proven recipes, or you can give free rein to your imagination. The final choice is yours, and we’ll give you some tips on how to get the best results by improvising in your kitchen.
Five tips for kitchen improvisation
TasteDetermine which tastes you like and which work best with each other. Remember that not every product will taste the same every time. In addition, it is useful to know what flavor a particular ingredient has before heat treatment in order to catch its shades in the taste of the finished dish. Finally, start trying different varieties of the same product and describe to yourself the difference in their tastes.
Hone your skill
Using the right type of vegetable oil or heating the pan to the right temperature has a much greater impact on the final flavor of the meat than any seasonings or marinades. Learn basic skills like beating eggs or sauteing vegetables, and you can apply them to a variety of dishes. Also, cook different vegetables and types of meat to understand how long it takes to cook a particular product – this knowledge will be very useful to you in the future.
Cook semi-finished products
Broths and sauces that you buy ready-made can be prepared at home, it is economical and simple. If you have cooked too much, freeze and use in various dishes. For example, instead of throwing away chicken bones, cook broth out of them, and you can make soup from it, boil rice, make risottos, sauces, and so on.
Change ingredients
Legumes are often used interchangeably, cauliflower usually works as a substitute for broccoli, and chicken can be used as a substitute for pork in many dishes. This is how many new dishes are invented. Experiment!
Don’t be afraid to be wrong
Many dishes have appeared this way – someone made a mistake, added a few “extra” ingredients, changed the recipe to make it fit their taste. Make no mistake – you will never know what might work and what might not.Author – Alexey Onegin, based on materials from the source