William's Filipino Recipes: Guideposts in Cooking

For those wannabes or anyone who likes to cook, these may be useful for you. Learn it by heart and make them as part of your cooking wisdom.

Tips in Cooking Vegetables

1. Choose the fresh vegetables. Cheap ones are not always the best buy.
2. Wash vegetables thoroughly before paring or cutting.
3. Don't soak potatoes, kamote and other vegetables in water and then throw the water away.
4. Cook vegetables until tender; don't undercook or overcook.
5. Use just the right amount of water; too much of it is double waste.
6. In cooking vegetables, be sure the water is boiling before dropping the vegetables in.
7. Cover most of the vegetables while cooking; exceptions are the strong flavored ones such as cabbage, onions, radish, etc.
8. Acids such as kalamansi, kamias, etc., should be added when vegetables are almost done; if added too early, vegetables will not become tender and the green color will turn brownish-green.
9. Should vegetables be pared, be sure to remove the skin as thin possible.
10. Serve vegetables as soon as they are cooked. Don't cook vegetables long before serving time.

Guideposts in Cooking

1. Don't use too much oil in sauteing. Oil is better than solid fat. Among these are vegetable oils, corn oil is one of the best.
2. Don't overheat oil when sauteing or frying. Fire should be moderately regulated. When oil smokes a certain substance is produced that causes irritation to the mucous membrane of the gastro-intestinal tract. Avoid too much frying as much as possible.
3. In cooking dried beans or legumes: Wash beans very well; then add enough water, bring to a boil, remove from fire and let stand overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours. Continue boiling until beans are done. (This method lessens the length of cooking time). Beans cook faster also in soft or rain water.
4. Condiments and spices should be used very sparingly.

Well, there it is! May these guideposts "guide" you in your cooking explorations. Till my next post here on William's Filipino Recipes, hope you can still wait for my the next stuff.

God Bless you all!