As a chef in China, choosing ingredients is my essential basic skill, which is the cornerstone of cooking mouth-watering food. Mastering this skill requires a chef to have rich and keen senses and insight into the mysteries of ingredients like golden eye.

Look at the color and freshness.

The first step is to observe the color of the ingredients carefully with vision. Fresh ingredients are often bright, full and shiny. The gills of fish are bright red and the meat is firm; Shrimp shells are blue-gray, and the head and tail are closely connected; Vegetable leaves are green and elastic, without yellow leaves or withering.

Feel the texture with delicate touch.

Then, using the sense of touch, gently touch the ingredients. Fresh meat is elastic and can rebound quickly after being gently pressed; Vegetable skin is smooth, without dent or damage. The fish is firm and tough, the shrimp Q is chewy, and the leaves are crisp and refreshing.

Have a keen sense of smell and distinguish smells.

Smell is equally important, it is used to distinguish whether the ingredients are fresh or not. Fresh meat, seafood and vegetables usually have a light and natural taste. On the contrary, if the ingredients give off peculiar smell, fishy smell or sour taste, it indicates that their quality is not good and they are not suitable for eating.

Taste the experience, taste the essence

Taste a small piece of food before cooking to further judge its quality. Fresh meat is tender and juicy, seafood is fat and delicious, and vegetables are refreshing and sweet. If the raw material has an odor or bitter taste, it should not be used.

Practice in actual combat and win in cleverness.

After mastering the skills of material selection, we should integrate them into practice. In the vegetable market or supermarket, don't blindly follow the trend, you should choose your own ingredients and shop around. Usually visit the food market more and accumulate experience in selecting different ingredients.

When selecting, it is recommended to observe the overall shape and color of ingredients from the outside. Then touch it with your hands and feel its texture and weight. Finally, smell it with your nose to see if there is any peculiar smell or musty smell. Through these three steps, we can basically judge the freshness and quality of ingredients.

Intimate tips to help you choose materials

For beginners, the following tips may help you choose materials more easily:

Remember, the fresher the ingredients, the better the nutritional value and flavor.

Different seasons have different seasonal ingredients, so you should choose seasonal ingredients, which is more delicious and cheaper.

When buying steak, it is best to have a steak with fine muscle texture and uniform fat distribution.

When choosing seafood, lively and active quality is better.

When buying green leafy vegetables, thick leaves and bright colors are more nutritious.

When buying root vegetables, the surface is smooth, the quality is good, and there is no rot or germination.

Selecting materials is a skill that requires constant practice and accumulated experience. As a chef, I always insist on carefully selecting ingredients, which is not only a respect for cooking, but also a responsibility for diners. Mastering the art of selecting ingredients, I believe you can cook more delicious food and bring a feast on the taste buds to friends and relatives.