The beauty of food lies in the taste, and the beauty of taste lies in the seasoning. If the taste is right, the dish will be successful; if the taste is missing, the dish will be ruined. It can be seen that seasoning plays a decisive role in the quality of dishes. Do you know how to season food without getting confused? Here are the cooking seasoning tips I have compiled for you, I hope it can help you.
Cooking seasoning skills
Salt
1. The role of salt in cooking: seasoning and enhancing flavor. When used in sugar-based pickled vegetables, add less salt to make the sugar more delicious;
2. Time to add salt: The timing of adding salt during cooking can be summarized into three categories, namely: ① Add salt first Cook after salting; ② Add salt in the middle of the cooking process; ③ Add salt in the later stages of cooking (before the dish is taken out of the pot). When using different oils for cooking, the time for adding salt is also different: when cooking with soybean oil and rapeseed oil, in order to reduce the loss of vitamins in the vegetables, salt should be added when the vegetables are almost cooked; when using peanut oil for cooking, it is best to add salt first, which can improve the cooking quality. Oil temperature, and reduce aflatoxin (carcinogen) in the oil; when cooking with meat oil, you can first add half of the salt to remove pesticide residues in the meat oil, and then add the other half of the salt.
3 Specific method of adding salt: After adding the main ingredients, first add 1/3 of the total amount of salt, and then add the remaining 2/3 when the dishes are about to be cooked. This will not only adjust the taste, but also add the remaining 2/3. And it can prevent hot oil from splashing back. Of course, the timing of adding salt should be different when cooking different dishes and using different methods. For example, when cooking crispy chicken and duck, frying ribs and fish pieces, or steaming frog legs or fish, you must add salt before cooking, or rub the inside and outside of the raw material cavity with refined salt, or prepare it in advance. Soaking them in salty soy sauce will help the flavor of the finished product; when cooking small meat dishes such as braised pork and fish, or vegetarian dishes such as fried green beans and fried potatoes, the raw materials must be stir-fried or oiled. After frying, immediately add salt and other condiments, bring to a boil over high heat, and then simmer over low heat to fully penetrate the salt and fully release the flavor of the raw materials: simmer large pieces of raw materials such as chicken (duck) and trotters, etc. For dishes that need to be stewed for a long time, salt should be added about 10 minutes before starting the pot. Otherwise, adding salt too early will make the raw materials difficult to cook and will also affect the dissolution of protein and other nutrients in the raw materials. In addition, for vegetable dishes with high water content, such as stir-fried cabbage and stir-fried cucumbers, salt should be added before cooking. Otherwise, salt will be added too early and the water in the raw materials will be sucked out, resulting in "cooked vegetables". After the dish is made, it will be old and tough, and lose the crispness and tenderness it should have. In the same way, cold dishes such as cucumbers and shredded radish should also be added with salt before eating to ensure that the dishes are juicy and crispy. When making meatballs and fishballs, adding salt and stirring can increase the water content of the raw materials and make the fishballs tender and juicy.
4 The amount of salt used: (1) The amount of salt should be controlled at 0.8% to 1.2% when making soup dishes, while the amount of salt should generally be controlled within the range of 1.5% to 2% when cooking and stewing dishes (because The solubility of the salt solution that makes people feel most comfortable is 0.8% to 1.2%). People with a heavy mouth and salty taste (such as northerners) can add more salt when cooking. During the summer season, the human body loses salt through sweating, so you can also add more salt when cooking.
Kind reminder: (1) No more than 6 g of salt per person per day (1 g of salt is the amount of a toothpaste cap). Use a clay spoon for small pot dishes and a stir-fry spoon for large pot dishes: (2) If cooking dishes that require sugar, add sugar first and then salt. Because the raw materials contain moisture, adding sugar first can quickly absorb the flavor. If you add salt first, salt has a dehydrating effect and coagulates the protein of the raw materials. , so that the sweetness of the sugar is difficult to inhale.
Vinegar
1. The role of vinegar in cooking: remove smelly smell, relieve greasiness and increase aroma, reduce saltiness and freshness, reduce spiciness, preserve vitamins, promote calcium, phosphorus, Iron, etc. dissolve, improving the nutritional value of dishes.
2. The best time to add vinegar: add vinegar when the pot is hot.
3 Specific method of adding vinegar: Sour vinegar is one of the commonly used seasonings. Its main varieties are black vinegar and white vinegar. The specific selection must be based on the requirements of the cooked dishes, such as cooking sweet and sour yellow croaker. , When cooking sweet and sour pork ribs, you should choose black vinegar: When cooking sweet and sour cabbage and frying mung bean sprouts, you should use white vinegar. In the cooking process, the timing of using vinegar is also important.
Usually, vinegar is added when the pot is hot to remove fishy smells or increase the precipitation of nutrients in the raw materials; vinegar is added before salt is added to stir-fry or in the middle of cooking to make the dishes crispy, tender and refreshing, and to increase the umami flavor; during cooking Vinegar is added later to highlight the taste of vinegar in the cooked dishes, making the sourness the main flavor of the dishes. It is used to remove smelly aquatic products or raw materials from internal organs, such as tripe, intestines, heart, etc., and can be soaked in vinegar in advance. For dishes such as fried shredded potatoes, it is best to add vinegar after the raw materials are put into the pot. This can protect the vitamins in the potatoes and soften the vegetables. For "sweet and sour pork ribs", "fried mutton with green onions", etc., it is best to add vinegar twice, after the raw materials are put into the pot. Adding it can remove the smell and smell. Adding it again before serving can increase the aroma and seasoning. When adding vinegar to stir-fry, slowly pour the vinegar along the edge of the pot. This will make the stir-fried dishes mellow and delicious.
4. The specific amount of vinegar: There are no strict regulations. It can only be determined according to the eating habits of the eater and the characteristics of the dish.
Kind reminder: (1) Cooking wine and vinegar should be used separately, that is, no vinegar is added when cooking wine is used, and no cooking wine is needed when adding vinegar. However, if you encounter raw materials with a strong smell, you need to add cooking wine and vinegar. Two condiments: vinegar. At this time, the steps of cooking the wine first and then the vinegar should be strictly followed. This is because the cooking wine has high permeability. Cooking the wine first can penetrate into the raw materials and evaporate to remove the fishy smell. In addition, cooking vinegar later is because vinegar can produce an aroma after being heated. If the vinegar is cooked too early, the aroma will evaporate, and the dishes will taste sour and astringent, and the flavor will fade away. (2) Avoid adding vinegar to fried spinach, because spinach contains oxalic acid and vinegar contains a variety of organic acids. The interaction between the two will hinder the absorption of calcium and damage teeth. (3) When cooking sea cucumbers, do not add vinegar, because sea cucumbers are rich in collagen, and adding vinegar will destroy the protein molecular structure and affect the taste. (4) For fish that is not too fresh, it is better to use vinegar than cooking wine. When using vinegar, you can add some sugar, which not only prevents the fish from being too sour, but also increases the umami flavor.
Soy sauce
1. The role of soy sauce in cooking: coloring, fixing and improving color.
2. The best time to put soy sauce: put soy sauce before the dish is about to be cooked.
3 Specific methods of adding soy sauce: Soy sauce is not only one of the commonly used condiments in cooking, but also the main coloring agent in cooking. It is indispensable when cooking braised dishes and other dishes. Regarding the timing of adding soy sauce, except for cooking processes such as low-fire stewing, it is usually recommended to add soy sauce before cooking. This will not only facilitate the seasoning effect of soy sauce, but also prevent the nutritional value of soy sauce from being reduced. When frying meat slices, in order to make the meat fresh and tender, you can also mix the meat slices with starch and soy sauce before frying. In this way, the protein will not be lost and the fried meat will be tender and smooth. You can add soy sauce to the cold dishes after mixing them to make them more fragrant and delicious.
4. The amount of soy sauce: There is no strict rule, it can only be controlled according to the characteristics of the dish. Generally, each portion is about 10 to 15 g for stir-fried vegetables and about 50 g for braised vegetables.
Friendly reminder: (1) When dipping in soy sauce or mixing cold dishes, heat it before use to prevent the harmful bacteria contained in it. (2) When cooking green vegetables, you should add less or no soy sauce. Adding more or more soy sauce will make the green and fresh color become dull and dark brown, which will not only affect the appearance but also cover up the natural deliciousness of the vegetables. (3) Try to use iron-fortified soy sauce to prevent or control iron deficiency anemia.
MSG
1. The role of MSG including chicken essence in cooking: to increase freshness.
2. The best time to add MSG: add it when the vegetables are fried (MSG dissolves best at 70 to 90°C and has the most umami flavor).
3 Specific feeding methods: MSG is a seasoning that enhances the flavor and can be used for stir-frying, stuffing, cold dishes, soups, etc. For stewing, roasting, boiling, boiling, and steaming dishes, It is not advisable to add MSG too early. Add it when it is ready to be cooked, not in advance, and do not add it at the same time as the raw materials or in the middle of cooking. When using crystalline MSG in cold dishes, you should first dissolve it with a small amount of hot water and then pour it on the cold dishes for better results (MSG can only work at 45°C). Do not sprinkle MSG like salt, otherwise the MSG will not melt and have no flavor, and may easily cause indigestion symptoms after consumption. Note that it does not have to be used every day, but must be used in every dish. For dishes such as chicken, eggs, pigeon meat and dishes cooked with broth, they are fresh, fragrant and clear, and there is no need to use MSG. If you use MSG, it will mask the original flavor and make the dishes taste nondescript. For seafood, if you add MSG, the umami flavor will be gone. For eggs and sweet and sour dishes, MSG should not be used.
Do not add MSG when cooking eggplants, because eggplants contain a variety of vitamins, amino acids and mineral elements, which have a delicious flavor. Adding MSG to cooking will affect the taste.
4. The amount of MSG: more is not always better. Its water dilution is 3,000 times, and the human taste of MSG is 0.033%. It is suitable to use it at about 1,500 times. If the amount is too much, the dish will have a strange taste that is salty but not salty, astringent but not astringent, which will have the opposite effect. Generally, a dish of about 4 g is appropriate.
Friendly reminder: (1) The daily allowable intake (excluding original food) is 120 mg per kilogram of body weight, and a person with a body weight of 50 kg is allowed to eat 6 g per day; (2) It should not be mixed with Mix alkali, baking soda or foods containing more of these substances; (3) MSG should not be used in baby food under 3 months of age; (4) Chicken essence is fresher than MSG, and because it contains a variety of flavorings, its taste is more comprehensive and coordination. The solubility is worse than MSG. If it is used in soup, it should be dissolved before use. (5) 18 g of MSG is equivalent to about 1 spoon of white porcelain spoon commonly used at home. Cooking Skills
Borrowing flavors from other foods?
Flavoring refers to adding or borrowing the flavor of other foods. Although tofu, lettuce, potatoes, fungus and other vegetarian vegetables have high nutritional value, many people avoid them because they have little or very weak flavor.
For this type of food, we can use some special food ingredients or seasonings to "flavor", such as mushrooms, chicken soup, tempeh, garlic, fermented bean curd, shrimp, sesame paste, yellow sauce, shrimp paste, oyster sauce , as well as scallion oil, garlic oil, mushroom oil, star anise oil, chili oil and Sichuan pepper oil, etc., can give vegetarian dishes and tofu a very rich and delicious flavor, such as shrimp braised wild rice, sesame sauce hand-shred eggplant, fermented bean curd stir-fried water spinach, oyster sauce braised lettuce etc.; "Casserole tofu" uses chicken soup and broth to give it a rich and delicious flavor; "Muxu Pork" uses the fungus to make it rich and attractive with the help of meat and broth; onion, garlic oil, shiitake mushroom oil and star anise pepper oil can also be used ?Additional flavors?, such as potato shreds with pepper oil, gold and silver garlic soup with amaranth, etc.
Remove bad taste
Flavor reduction refers to reducing or covering the taste of food. Contrary to ingredients that need to be flavored, some ingredients have an unpleasant taste. For example, beef, mutton, aquatic products, animal offal, etc. often have a fishy smell. Spinach, wild rice, bamboo fungus, etc. have a slight astringent taste. If they are used directly for cooking It tastes terrible.
For ingredients with a fishy smell, you can use the following methods to remove the odor. First, do a good job before cooking. For example, after removing the scales of fresh sea fish, rub it with dry flour, leave it for a while, and then rinse it. Cleaning not only removes the fishy smell, but also ensures the freshness of the fish to the greatest extent. You can also blanch beef and ribs before stewing them; secondly, make good use of seasonings in cooking, such as Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, pepper, star anise and other spices, which can cause oxidation reactions with aldehydes and ketone fishy components, which can not only reduce the odor but also Adding flavor is generally used to remove the fishy smell of meats such as pork and mutton. Most of the fishy substances in seafood are alkaline, and acidic lemon juice can neutralize and remove the smell; third, find a good combination. For example, white radish can reduce the smell of mutton, tomatoes can mask the smell of beef, and tofu Can neutralize the fishy smell.
Astringent vegetables often contain more oxalic acid. After blanching and then cooking, the unpleasant taste will disappear. Research shows that spinach, wild rice and other vegetables can remove 40% by just boiling water~ 70% oxalic acid.