Cooking Tips to Share

[panda]

chopped onions -> put in airtight bag and freeze it. Or you can do the same as for garlic...
chopped tomatoes -> buy canned chopped tomatoes. If you are going to cook them, it's the best ones you can use. (Not so good for salads and on sandwich...  )
chopped bell pepper (capsicum) -> freeze it.

Vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, beans, spinach etc) -> cut in to pieces ready to be cooked -> blanche them and put them into freezer bags and store in the freezer. Can last up to 12 months! Easy to use too, just take out as much as you need and dump right into the pan. No need to defrost!

side note:
I find the freezer to be a sorely underutilized item in this country. Sure things are available in the market, but buying in big bulk can save a lot of money and time, without losing out on the freshness!! And it is not always the items you want are fresh in the market....

[kool]

thanks ,,really useful tips ,,wht is the rite way of blanching

[kochmeister]

- A little salt in the water.
- Wait till the water in your pot boils (bubbling)
- Immerse vegetables into boiling water until it changes color (may take a few seconds only)
  e.g. Broccoli will turn bright green.
- remove immediately and immerse into cold water if you want to stop the cooking process if you allow it to cool gradually, the vegetable will continue to cook due to the heat accumulated.
- Blanching is especially good for fibrous vegetables but not for pulses.
- Personally I seal mine in zip bags with a little moisture in them before tossing them in the chiller/freezer.

[nat.mum]

wow! kochmeister, are you a proff chef?