Split (1)

train · 95.7k rows

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What is direct heat? Why is it that when I check google images for Direct heat, I see pictures of a flame under a grid like surface? Is that direct, or indirect? And what'd you call sticking a marshmallow directly in a flame to toast it? no grid at all. Is there a unique name for that? <Q> Direct vs. Indirect Heat ar...	In the context of grilling, direct heat means that the meat is directly over the flame, whereas indirect heat would be a configuration in which the coals are on one side of the grill and the meat on the other (often with a pan of water or other liquid underneath).
What kind of peppers are used in Gochugaru (고추가루)? I'm trying to make kimchi, but I don't have any chili powder (gochugaru -고추가루). Does anyone know what type of chili pepper(s) this is made from? I'm trying to find it at a normal western grocery store (Wal-Mart, Kroger, Remke...) I figured if I knew what type of peppe...	You can buy dried chilis of many varieties from Latino and sometimes American grocery stores: anchos, de arbols.
What is the best way to douse a charcoal grill? When the heat of a charcoal grill gets too hot, what is the best way to douse the fire; the objective being to lower the temperature without putting the fire out completely? How much water should be used when burning charcoal in a very primitive grill or pit without a ...	Using water will cause your coals to smolder, which can give off creosote (less likely with charcoal than wood, but still a possibility).
What's the difference when smoking in a spherical grill and in a smoker? When smoking in a spherical grill like the Weber One-Touch, will the result be different then when a real smoker is used? What is the difference? <Q> No, it won't be different. <S> It is, however, a bit harder. <S> The issues are mainly: <S>...	The results aren't really any different between a Weber kettle and a smoker. In a smoker, the smoke from the coals has time to cool before reaching the meat, which cooks the meat indirectly, and at a lower temperature.
How do I get sausages to cook evenly in a pan? Whenever I cook sausages in the oven, they cook evenly. The issue is that sausages take about forty minutes in the oven. However, whenever I use a pan, they do not take an age to be cooked but they never seem to be cooked thoroughly (some appear to be raw in the centre as ...	I've found the best way to cook sausages in a pan is to do it very slowly over a low heat, turning occasionally.
how do I cook sausages without poking holes through them? I hear that when cooking sausages, you shouldn't poke holes in them as it will allow the flavour to spill out. But whenever I don't do that with fat sausages, I end up getting the outside charred but the inside uncooked. <Q> If you are charring the outside then...	I find that boiling the sausages first (in beer or water) until they are cooked, then lightly searing the outside with a little oil in the pan is the best way to cook sausages without splitting the casing.
How do I prevent burned chicken breasts when cooking on the stovetop? Ok I'm going crazy with this. I've tried everything, but no matter what I do, it always results in my chicken breast burning and becoming black. Here is what I usually do: Grab a chicken breast, wash it with water. Next, I season it. I usually add ...	Also, one of the best ways to combat the dry, overdone chicken breast is a quick brine ahead of time. Try putting a bit of olive oil in the pan, add seasonings, and watch them...
Best way to measure Spaghetti/Linguini portions? What's the best way to measure how much Spaghetti/Linguini is 1-portion. I know there are tools which basically measures the diameter of the bundle of dry spaghetti. But are there simpler tricks which don't require any tools? <Q> Italians weigh it <S> and it's really the...	Using a kitchen scale with a big bowl on top should work for just about any pasta shape. Well, one obvious answer is to look at the number of portions in the box.
Odour removing metallic soap: what is it and how does it work? When browsing for kitchen tools, I found a metallic soap. It's purpose is to remove any (food) odour from your hands. Here 's a cheap ($2.55) example. I am unfamiliar with this.Does anyone have any experience with it? Does it really work? If yes, how?Are...	But don't waste your money on one of those "metal soaps" - just use a metal ladle, or the handle of a knife, or any other metal surface, and rub it on your hands under cold running water. There's a ton of anecdotal evidence that stainless steel works; unfortunately there seems to be very little scientific evidence back...
Which baking dish is best to bake a banana bread? When I bake a banana bread or cake at home, I always use a square Pyrex(about 20cm in width and 7 cm high) dish. The batter only fill the dish at half its height or less and I set my oven to 350F. I bake the banana bread for 30 min in the middle of the oven and when I...	Recipes call for a bread pan simply because then it looks like bread and is easier to slice. "Best" is subjective.
how do you get sushi rice to not stick to your hands? I am laying out my sushi rice by forming it into a ball with my hands and spreading it on the nori. I watched some video tutorials on this, and it seems like the rice is not sticking to the chef's hands. How do you not get the rice to stick to your hands? <Q> Keep y...	Just dip the back of the spoon in water before spreading the rice. A moistened micro cloth helps as well.
Are there substantial benefits to grinding your own flour? I've read that most of the nutrients of wheat are stripped for the sake of shelf life. Is this marketing propaganda or is there truth behind it? It was my impression that white flour (even fortified) is nowhere close to the original thing but whole grain flou...	As I understand it, when you grind your flour it may not be as good as commercially ground flour if your grinder causes the wheat to heat up.
Do you use paper or cloth towel for patting a meat dry before frying? It is advised to pat a steak dry before frying. I've used paper towels in the past for this, but sometimes parts of them stick to meat. Now and then I've used a clean cloth kitchen towel for patting and put it immediately to wash bin for hygiene reas...	For large commercial preparation I wash the meat (as it is delivered cryovacted) and use a clean cloth tea towel or better yet, a chucks cloth to pat down.
What Old World Europe countries (apart from Germany and Italy) have their own unique pasta traditions? I was doing some research on websites and came upon a site where a German pasta company had been trying to sell their products into the US (the site is down, looks like the enterprise was not successful). There is a ...	In Germany, you get practically two types of noodles - Hartweizennudeln , noodles made with 100% durum semolina (the Italian type), and Eiernudeln , noodles with eggs added to the dough (not sure if they are always made with durum, Spätzle usually isn't). Kopytka - made of flour, potatoes and eggs.
Does meat need to be washed before preparation? I don't even remember where I have learned that, but I've always thought it common knowledge: Before a piece of meat gets seasoned, or malleted for tenderizing (sorry, don't know the English word for that), or marinated, or thrown into the pan, or ground, it should be fir...	I always pat my meat dry but never wash it with water.
No broiler - is there a way to fake it? My range (oven) does not have a broiler (grill), but I've been coming across recipes lately (for pizza, in particular) that require one. Any suggestions on how to fake it? One thing I've tried is to preheat a baking stone, placing it above where I'll put other things. Unfort...	If you're looking for a crispier crust you can try putting the pizza directly on the oven rack.
Which spice gives brown colour to Indian curry? Many of the premixed curry pastes and curry dishes I have eaten have a brownish / reddish colour to them. I have a nice collection of spices that I cook with, but my curries seem to always look and taste quite similar. Most of these are a yellowy colour, dominated by tur...	The red of the chili powder with the yellow turmeric & green/brown of the coriander with browned onions in suspension give the reddish brown hues many Indian curries have.
What impact does the order of assembly have when making cookies? What is the impact of assembling a cookie batter in a different manner than that described in the recipe? What's the best general order for combining the creamed fat & sugar, the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients? For instance, the Toll House Cho...	There was a mention on Serious Eats that mixing baking powder with the sugar before creaming gives you a dough that you can wait longer before baking (as the butter coats the baking powder keeping from reacting with the liquids until it's baked.)
How do I replace sugar with golden syrup in a cookie recipe? I made Toll House Cookies using this recipe this recipe . They turned out fine, but you could feel the sugar crunching under your teeth (I used half brown, half normal granulated sugar). Next time I want to try for a more chewy texture and I read that this c...	Corn syrup would give you the chewy texture you are seeking.
What is liquid glucose? Two days ago, I was making ganache as a topping for cupcakes. I needed, as expected, cream and chocolate. But '1 teaspoon of liquid glucose' was also on the list of ingredients (for 12 cupcakes). I didn't think I had that, so I used 'fondant sugar' (powder sugar with a bit of water, described h...	First of all- glucose is a different sugar than table sugar.
What is the purpose of baking soda in chocolate-chip cookies? I thought baked goods which include baking soda should be put into oven immediately, otherwise they won't rise. But some cookie recipes call for cooling the dough in the fridge or even freezing it, which seems would negative the leavening properties of soda....	As already pointed out, one of the main reasons for adding the baking soda is to raise the PH, which speeds up the browning process.
How can I cut lots of cherry tomatoes in half quickly and evenly? Is there a tool to cut cherry tomatoes in half? Since they are so regular it should be possible to build such a machine. Alternately, what can I do to improve my speed and accuracy when halving them with a knife? <Q> Yes there is. <S> It's called a kn...	Take a serrated bread knife and cut the tomatoes in half between the lids. If you're nervous about cutting yourself, and you have plates that have a bit of a lip if you flip it over, you can put a plate down, upside down, fill the center with items to be cut, place another place on top, then while holding the plate dow...
Are there carcinogens in grilled foods? I do a lot of grilling (various vegetables and meats), but was recently told this will have similar effects to smoking. Is there much merit to the concerns over grilled foods containing carcinogens? <Q> Short answer: <S> yes. <S> Long answer: depends on what you're cooking. <S...	Grilling some popular food items can produce cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) There's little risk associated with grilling vegetables.
How to get rid of the taste of flour in homemade bakery? I usually get random cookie and cake recipes from the internet and try them. They are good but all of them have floury taste to me. Possible culprits are the flour I use and how I mix and bake dough. I use Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour and my hands to mix ingredie...	It's also possible that you could be mixing insufficiently. I recommend using either a food processor or a sifter to sift your flour adequately before measuring.
Why is butter usually labeled "Sweet Cream"? Most (or even all?) butter found at the grocery store is labeled "sweet cream". Is there a distinction between this and another type of cream, and if so, what is it? <Q> It means the butter is made from cream that hasn't been fermented. <S> Sweet cream butter tastes, well, ...	Butter made from fermented cream is known as "cultured cream butter", and it has distinct sour, lactic acid notes.
How to wash pesticides from fruit skins? We eat many fruits and veggies at home and I am concerned about the amount pesticides on fruits like strawberries. Is washing the fruit effective enough? Does a thorough wash vs. a quick rinse make any difference? <Q> A long term answer would be to grow your own if possible. <S>...	The best advice I have is to wash then soak fruits and vegetables in lukewarm water.
How to avoid cooked pasta soaking up sauce when stored? I often make up a box of pasta (dried) with some sauce that I make from leftover ingredients for work the next day. The sauce is always either tomato or cream cheese based. By lunch the next day, the pasta has soaked up a good amount of the excess sauce that was ...	I've started pulling out the leftovers before finishing cooking a pot of pasta, so that the leftover portion is only partially cooked, rinsing them and letting them cool before adding any sauce.
Reduce hotness of beef Jerky I made some beef jerky with Maddog 375 hot sauce (generously poured into the marinade). It's ridiculously hot and basically unedible (I can eat it but just slowly). This kinda sucks because I don't enjoy it, and it seems a waste to throw it out, can I do anything to it to reduce the heat ...	but if you really wanted to try to save as jerky, you might be able to tone it down a little by adding some sweetness to it. Chop it up and cook it into a stew.
Keep fettuccine from sticking/clumping while cooking? This question addresses how to keep pasta from sticking after it has been cooked. This question is what I want, but was wrongly closed. All the answers from the first address the sticking post-boiling, and my problem is the sticking during boiling. How can I pr...	In addition to that be sure to buy some good quality pasta.
Bowed bottom on Stainless Steel fry pan Is there a way to "fix" my stainless steel fry pan that does not sit flush on my cooktop stove? <Q> Had a warped stainless steel pot I was getting ready to toss, but decided to give it one more use since I forgot it was warped until I needed to use it right away. <S> Was making t...	Take a large rubber mallet (NOT a regular steel hammer!), and whack the centerof the pan a few times. I have had some limited success using a technique borrowed from large steel fabrication and construction, specifically ship building. If you dump out the contents and immediately put it under water, even warm water, th...
How do I ensure that I cook scallops all the way through? Whenever I cook scallops, they tend to shrink up quickly and burn on the outside. Even though I leave them in the pan for several minutes at a time, despite the shriveling and burning, they always end up raw in the middle. The insides are cold, fishy tasting, ...	First of all, I pat my scallops as dry as possible before putting in the skillet.
Kabobs to Fajitas - how to make the meat tender I made a bunch of kabobs. Now I want to turn the leftovers into fajitas. How can I keep the meet tender for the second dish? I'm using beef and chicken. The kabobs were (slightly over) cooked on a BBQ. <Q> Slice it thinly across the grain. <S> That's it. <S> If i...	Reheat the meat slowly in the oven (or slow cooker) at a low temperature (above 165F) in a tasty liquid. You could also use a rolling pin.
What can I do to make beaten egg puffier and fluffier? The way I cook an egg is like this. I take the egg, crack it in a bowl, pierce the yolk, then whisk it a bit. Then I add a bit of soy sauce, and fry it in a pan. However, the egg always come out a little bit flat, and hard, so is there a remedy to this? <Q> Yes, a ...	Adding cold water to the eggs will mixing will also help increase the fluffiness.
Why do we use so much water to cook spaghetti? Every time I cook spaghetti in a regular pot, I get the feeling that I could save litres of water if the pot had been created with spaghetti cooking in mind. This is especially true when I only need 1-2 portions. Cooking smaller pasta is more efficient. Is there a culina...	If you use too little water when cooking your pasta (on the stove), the starch to water ratio will be too high.
How can I get brownies to bake evenly? I can never get the middle of my brownies "done" without overbaking the outsides. The middle is tasty, but gooey. What is the secret? <Q> Oven Temperature <S> Most ovens keep inaccurate temperatures with respect to your setting. <S> You may be setting it to 350, but it could b...	If your problem is the center of the pan rather than the vertical center of the brownies, you could use "The Edge Brownie Pan" .
Stuffed peppers that don't burn on to the pot My wife and I enjoy peppers stuffed with a meat/rice mix (with spices). We start with raw peppers and uncooked meat, and put the peppers in a small pot (or tagine) with tomato puree or tomato paste-based sauce around them, and cook for ~40 minutes. The result is usually t...	One option would be to cook the peppers and filling separately, then stuff the peppers and simmer them only briefly with the sauce.
Can you make cheese curds with pasteurized milk? I have this recipe for cheese curds that I want to try: http://www.ehow.com/how_5106352_make-cheese-curds-poutine.html , but it specifically calls for raw milk which is near to impossible to get here. I make yogurt with pasteurized milk and it works no problem, but does...	I have found that pasteurized milk will make excellent curds as long as the milk is not ultra-pasteurized (UHT).
Why rinse basmati rice? Every Indian recipe I see seems to insist on rinsing basmati rice before cooking it. Why, I have no idea, because I never rinse it, yet I can discern no difference between my rice and rice cooked by other people that have, presumably, spent the extra 15 minutes rinsing. If the stickiness is th...	The idea is that it removes excess starch from the rice, which if left in can result in a 'gloopy' consistency. I used to rinse basmati rice prior to cooking by steaming in a closed pot.
Tricks to preserve chips (french fries)? Since I can remember I've always been crazy about chips (french fries for the Americans). As a result I always make too much when I make them for me. The problem I have and have always had is that they never seem to keep very well. The minute they cool off they become floury and...	prepare chips by frying at low temperature first, then put them to one side and fry portions as customers ask for them, but with the waxy varieties of potato used for chips in the UK they don't keep more than about two hours when they've been par-fried first - they lose texture and won't fry crisp.
Peeling and dicing potato before boiling it I've mostly seen people peel a potato after it has been boiled and then cutting it to pieces if required. Given it's muddy exterior, I find it cleaner (and probably takes less heat) to remove the skin with a peeler before boiling. Am I losing anything when I use my method? Wh...	If I HAVE to boil potatoes, I prefer boiling them whole, with the skin on.
What causes yogurt in sauces to split? How to prevent it? A lot of my favorite curry recipes have a yogurt based sauce in them, but on a pretty regular basis when I make them, the yogurt ends up splitting into basically curds and whey. What causes that, and how can I prevent it? As an illustrative example, last night ...	Stir a little starch into the yogurt before adding it to the hot dish & it will not split.
My tomato sauce is very watery It has flavor, but its consistency is too thin.Will letting sit over medium low heat evaporate enough to increase its density or is this useless?Would bringing it to a boil help more. I don't want to ruin its flavor and am afraid bringing it to a boil with high heat will do just that. <Q>...	Simmer - you can simmer the sauce at a low heat for quite a long time without affecting the flavour (generally improves it). Contra the previous answers: when using fresh tomatoes, one key to avoiding watery tomato sauce (and sauces based on many other kinds of vegetable purees) is to bring to close to a boil quickly a...
What causes a tomato sauce to have a bitterness and getting rid of it? My tomato sauce is coming out great, lots of flavor, especially after I was able to reduce it following the tips here However, it is still slightly bitter. What causes a tomato sauce to have a (in my case, slight) bitterness and how do you get rid...	Try to remove as many seeds as possible by squeezing tomatoes after blanching and peeling.
Is food immediately taken out of the microwave safe to eat? Do we have to wait a few seconds to let the microwaves go away, or can we eat it immediately? Of course, I assume that the food is not too hot to be eaten. <Q> Yes it is completely safe. <S> Microwaves do not linger in food. <S> The microwaves stop as soon as...	Regarding safety: I have eaten microwaved food on several occasions with no ill consequence.
Seasoning for Ground Meat I am trying to figure out how to season the ground meat in my goulash. Here are the ingredients that are in the dish. What seasonings would be best so that the dish comes together nicely? Other ingredients: turkey sausage corn red bell pepper green onions tomato sauce oregeno egg no...	Thyme is always nice in stew-style dishes, as is a bay leaf.
Does paneer have to be cooked? I want to just toss it into some indian food I have. Does it need to be cooked first or is it ok if it just warms up a bit when I throw it in the sauce? <Q> Paneer can be used as is. <S> Sometimes it is fried to extend shelf life. <S> This makes paneer very soft. <S> If you do cook pan...	Cooks will also sometimes fry paneer until it is slightly brown and then put the fried cubes of paneer in hot water for a few minutes.
Making patties from half-cooked ground beef My roommate decided to store a sizable purchase of ground beef in the freezer. For reasons I don't entirely understand, he would thaw it as needed at cook temperature in the microwave, then refreeze. Quite a bit of this beef remains, and it's been in the refrigerator since I...	I believe Cook's Illustrated uses this technique in one of their burger recipes to enhance flavor or texture.
Does the drying out of vegetables affect the taste after cooking? If I cut the onions and vegetables in the morning, they dry up till evening. Is there a taste change when you eat cooked vegetables, which dried out over 8 hours (before cooking)? <Q> 8 hours in still air is probably not going to be enough to thoroughly ...	The other thing that can be a factor is that once a vegetable is cut, some enzymes are released from the cells that can cause changes.
How to spice up a carrot cake I have made a carrot cake several times, and I like the way the cake turns out but I want it to have more spice flavors. The recipe only calls for 1 tsp of cinnamon, but since I want it to have more spice flavors I have tried adding varying combinations of the following spices: cloves a...	I also love a maple frosting with my carrot cake.
Why prevent apples from turning brown? It's somewhat well-known that applying an acidic solution to sliced apples prevents them from turning brown as quickly . I believe that the primary motivation to prevent the "browning" is aesthetic: slightly brown apples don't appear as appetizing as bright white ones. Is there...	Like some of the other posters have said, I also find that cut apples that have started to brown have a slightly altered taste and texture (bruised flavor and mealy texture).
Is my fancy cheese still safe to eat? A few weeks ago, I went to Amsterdam and bought several pounds of cheese, including one massive (3 pound) round of Edam. It was wrapped in wax paper and was told that I could leave it out on cold, shady spot of the counter until it was broken up, at which point I needed to refridg...	It looks to me that most molds you find on cheese are picked up from the cheese counter where you buy them!
Baking chicken in oven, but keeping it moist Here is the problem I'm facing: I am on a diet, which doesn't exclude fat, but doesn't encourage it either. So I am trying to bake chicken in the oven, while also removing the fat that comes out, while also preventing it becoming too dry. I am thinking of rubbing the chic...	Using the beer can chicken method is a way to keep a roasted chicken moist. Just put in a more detailed answer here , but basically, try salting it for 20-30 minutes before you put it in the oven, and cook it until it's safe, but no longer.
Identifying Strands of Dough I'm trying to write up a how-to guide for braiding six strands of dough. I figured that for comprehension I would instruct the cook to move the pieces of dough based on a color-coding scheme. E.g. I would say place the black strand between the blue and green strands. However, in order to ...	You can also do something that'll be friendly to the colorblind, like put numbers on them as well.
What are some appropriate accompaniments for satay? I have an excellent recipe for satay chicken, which I usually accompany with coconut rice. Last time, I also attempted a kind of Asian coleslaw of white cabbage, chilli, carrot and lime juice, but it didn't turn out all that well. Can anyone suggest a suitable accomp...	So check out some recipes for the Thai Cucumber Salad and use that for whatever ingredients you pick, but the basics are rice vinegar and sugar. I once did a very nice carrot slaw (jullienned carrots, left to sit in a rice wine vinegar dressing for a few hours), but I can't remember the complete ingredient list, and I'...
What would be a good accompaniment for Ostrich fillet with Port and Blue Cheese glaze? On the heel of @ElendilThetall's question: Accompiniments for satay , I'd like to know the following. About a year ago I found this great recipe for Ostrich Fillet , which is basically flash fried in the pan and then the leftover ...	Potatoes are a good choice - perhaps some roasted or parmentier-style, or even fondant potatoes.
Why add breadcrumbs to meatballs? Besides getting them to stay together, what other reason would there be for adding breadcrumbs to meatballs. Do they impart any particular flavor or texture? <Q> In meatballs or meat loaf or even burgers, breadcrumbs are sometimes added with egg. <S> The bread, if unseasoned, doesn'...	Finally, if the meatballs are fried, breadcrumbs can help crisp the outside of the balls (especially if the balls are rolled in breadcrumbs on the outside). The motivation is mostly textural.
Theoretical: why there's no gradient of doneness in bread? I was always wondering, why there's no gradient of doneness visible on the cuts of bigger breads. For example: This one was made in the baking form, it has a thin visible crust, but after that the texture is absolutely uniform. How is that happens that temper...	When the bread is baking the water in the bread turns to steam that, along with the CO2 from the yeast, inflates the gluten network. Note: There may also be a certain element of the process that is due to steam being trapped inside; the water vapor, like any gas, expands and distributes itself fairly uniformly througho...
Proper way to add marshmallows to brownies? I've had brownies with gooey marshmallow swirled in and find them delicious. However, when I try to duplicate this by adding miniature marshmallows to my brownie mix, I find that they just turn into overcooked sugar clumps which don't have a very good flavor or texture. What...	I have tried adding marshmallows into my brownies, but I've learned that putting the bigger ones on top then drizzling with more brownie mix is the way to go.
Is unnecessary refrigeration problematic? Our local grocery store's produce section has a few areas of refrigerated produce along the walls--mostly "wet" vegetables like lettuce, squash, peppers, green beans, etc. The rest, in the middle of the produce section is simply on shelves in bins, like potatoes, onions, corn a...	If food was chilled when you bought it, keep it that way and the mould growth will be slowed down.
Good book on English/British cuisine I am looking for a good book on British cuisine, and I have a specific type of book in mind. I tried looking on Amazon, but I couldn't determine whether a given book offers what I want. I am looking for a book which is more of a good read than a recipe collection. I actually inte...	A very reliable booklet of English baking recipes is the Be-Ro Recipe Book, which is only easily available to UK residents.
Quality of frozen salmon (fish in general) I've bought two different sets of frozen salmon with the same result. On thawing the salmon is bland and off color (more gray than pink). After cooking, the taste is OK, but the presentation and texture is totally off. I've tried to defrost this fish in the fridge and submer...	Pacific Sockeye freezes very well and is your best bet if you're buying frozen.
Should scones dough be sticky? I decided to make scones for the first time and picked a high rated recipe from allrecipes.com. It instructed me to combine the ingredients like a pastry dough (cold butter cut into the dry ingredients, crumble, then add the wet ingredients). Then: Turn onto a floured surface; knead...	It should be sticky, but more viscous than Nutella so that it holds a shape.
What ingredient adds the sweetness on Croissants in Europe? I'm travelling in Europe right now, and in France, Spain, and Italy I've had croissants and similar pastries. Unlike the ones I've had in America, these have a bit of sweetness to them - my intuition is that something like honey or agave nectar has been drizzl...	I suspect the sweetness you are detecting may be due to sweeter-tasting, European butter.
Is pressed tofu what I want? I have been using extra firm tofu to make meals, recently. When I go out to restaurants and get, for example, Thai food, I see a much more thinly sliced form of what I assume it is tofu that is like 0.5 inches x 0.5 inches x 1 inch, and has a red coloration along the side, almost like a ski...	The tofu on your fork is a commercially pressed and seasoned tofu, most likely seasoned with a 5 spice Chinese blend.
How do I coat popcorn with flavor? There are commercial flavored popcorn (i.e. BetterMade) that aren't topped with flavor but coated like a potato chip. How do I re-create that coating at home? Specifically, I'm a fan or the 'hot' style coating (bbq, buffalo chicken, jalapeno, flame). I've tried oils, tossing in a...	A method I like to use is to pop the corn in a large steel frying pan, and adding the seasonings into the oil right before the kernels begin to pop.
How do I remove turmeric stains from metal/plastic cookware? As much as I value tumeric for its rumoured cancer-battling qualities, I find its tendency to stain anything it comes into contact with (including 'stainless' steel) discouraging to the point that I use it much less than I would like. In a previous question ...	Vanish can get rid of stains on clothes - you may find the stain is still there when washed, but expose the mark to sunlight on a washing line and it magically fades away.
Knife to Cut Dough What's the best type of knife [and/or method] for cutting raw bread dough? Is a special dough blade necessary, or will any blade suffice? <Q> I work in a fine dining restaurant, and the standard implement is a bench scraper AKA a dough knife AKA a bench knife . <S> It's basically a stiff, 6" wide ...	You should have a bench scraper as your go-to tool for handling dough, it is not sharp, it is wide and flat Any sharp knife will be ok
What's the difference between jam, jelly, and preserves? I assume the difference in name is due to their cooking processes, but am unsure what exactly makes them different. <Q> according to the Ball canning book (paraphrasing)... JAM is made by cooking crushed or chopped fruits with sugar, and is made of one fruit or ...	Jam is cooked like jelly, but the fruit solids are pureed or mashed and kept in the mixture.
Why would fresh tuna be salted? I bought a big piece of tuna about a week ago. I carved it up and put most in the freezer. However, as I am the proud owner of a vacuum sealer (as of a week ago), the worst part of the tuna got vacuum sealed and put into the fridge. Six days later, I took it out of the fridge to cook, a...	Tuna is relatively high in fat, and other studies suggest that high fat foods can also increase perceived saltiness.
Do honing steels wear out? We have a knife set that's approximately 15 years old, and as we were honing a knife tonight, a question arose. Do honing steels get worn down over the years? Should they be replaced? If so, how often? <Q> They are either made of surface hardened steel, which can't be realistically sharpened,...	Steels are coated in like a enamel tipe of coating and wears off over time
Frying - Straw potatoes in fryer I've stopped frying my straw potatoes in the fryer as the straws sink to the bottom and get stuck below the heating element. After a while, some of these raw straws float to the top and mix with the already fried potatoes. I now fry in a pan on the stove. Is there a way to prevent the ...	You can also use blanching basket, which is I think what we use for pre-cooking our fries in the restaurant I work at.
substituting white all purpose flour with whole wheat flour I thought it was one to one (more like, assumed) but I did it with a pound cake and let's just say the product could break a plexiglass window. Is there some ratio to substituting white all purpose flour with whole wheat? are they simply not interchangeable? <...	TLC confirms that whole wheat flour is higher in protein because it is milled from hard wheat which is naturally higher in protein, and then ground whole wheat flour is 25% higher in protein than all-purpose flour.
Availability of pure alcohol in the UK (or alternatives as fuel for alcohol-burning cookers) My friends from Portugal have a chorizo cooker (something, I believe, a bit like this ), and they would like to use it in the UK. In Portugal they burn pure alcohol in it, which they purchase from pharmacies. As far as I am a...	The way that excise tariffs are set up, you could buy pure alcohol in UK, but the duty would drive the price to about £75 per litre.
Olive oil gets bitter in blender? I read somewhere -- maybe a James Peterson cookbook? -- that putting olive oil in the blender for more than a few seconds will make it bitter. However, many recipes for hummus, aioli, and other things call for blending olive oil. At times I've felt that making hummus without the oil, a...	Whizzing olive oil in a blender aerates it, and the resultant oxidation increases the acid value, ie it gets more acidic and tastes "sourer".
How to approximate the Maillard temperature (154°C) in a pan? Are there any common (non-toxic) household substances with boiling or smoke points close to the temperature at which the Maillard reaction occurs, 154°C? I want to be able to check that my pan is around this temperature without using a thermometer before fr...	Butter is a bit too low around 121-149° C (250-300° F), but the vast majority of liquid oils - peanut, sunflower, corn, canola, sesame, even EVOO - all have smoke points from 150-260° If you really want to test it, corn oil's smoke point is 178°C, so if that starts smoking you're well on your way to browning anything y...
Is a little oven less hot than a bigger oven? Some months ago, I found a recipe for cookies and made them in a big oven; they were delicious and cooked very well (soft cookies) at 180 °C (356 °F) for 7 minutes. I recently tried the recipe again, but I have no longer a big oven, so I used my little one (with heat sourc...	My guess: With a little oven you probably don't preheat as long, and when you open the door you let ALL the hot air out.
What I can use to replace black beer on roast recipe? I have a "basic" recipe for roast beef that uses 1 bottle of black beer as an ingredient. I am looking for a non-alcoholic ingredient to replace it because my parents don't drink alcohol and I usually don't have alcohol on hand. <Q> Non-alcoholic beer makes sense. ...	Especially if black beer is exceptionally malty and sweet, Malta would be a good non-alcoholic substitute.
Wok: Carbon steel or cast iron? I LOVE stirfrying (I probably do it 4 times a week) and I want to take it to the next level (or 2). I am going to get this burner to cook my stirfry's out on the patio. I am wondering if I should also get a cast iron wok, or should I just stick with the carbon steel that I have been u...	A cast-iron wok would require a different technique for stir frying.
How to include soy milk in bechamel A visitor has left a nearly full bottle of soy milk in our fridge. Personally, I hate the taste of soy milk, I find it too sweet and nutty for me, yet I feel compelled to use it up somehow. I am going to make a bechamel sauce for a lasagne, and wondered whether I could use 1/3 ...	You might try baking with it, perhaps muffins, cake or biscuits - and substituting the soy for whatever liquid you would otherwise use.
Are bay leaves dangerous to (unwittingly) eat? When I first started working as a cook, I was instructed in no uncertain terms to only use whole bay leaves when cooking so that when the leaves were removed, still whole, one could be sure that no pieces had broken off and remained in the stew (or whatever). I was told ...	Given how often bay leafs must find their ways into people's digestive systems (they feature in our food), it is safe to conclude that only a tiny fraction of ingested bay leafes cause problems, else there would be more studies mentioning such cases. I don't think small fragments would do much damage however - certainl...
How can I maximize Wasabi flavor? A few months ago, I went to dinner with my brother-in-law, and he introduced me to Sushi. I was skeptical (I've gone nearly 40 years without trying it), but I enjoyed it. My favorite part, however, was the Wasabi. It's like horseradish but hotter. I can tolerate very hot foods, but I ...	So I suggest an experiment with blending mustard seed, water and fresh grated horseradish root to get the kick you crave. If you're interested in finding real wasabi, you'll need to look for it in a specialty grocery store (or online).
What makes oil stick to the pan so bad that it is so difficult to wash out? My parents went out of town for a bit and so I had to fend for myself with cooking! I made some chicken and some quesadillas on a particular pan. However, my parents got back and my mom is astounded to find the pan all dirty with oil still st...	If you get oil too hot, it can form a really sticky layer of the heavier oil residues.
How to fix the protein content of my minestrone? I love minestrone, but am concerned that it doesn't contain enough protein. It usually contains pasta, tomato, zucchini, savoy cabbage, carrots and garlic. What could I add to enhance the protein content while retaining the taste and feel of the soup? <Q> I noticed you ...	You might add some roasted, shredded chicken to keep a rustic feel, or perhaps some tofu cubes.
What features should a food processor have in order to make nut butters? I'm looking for a food processor that I can make nut butters (peanut & almond) in. No reviews on Amazon show any promising information about being able to blend nuts to a buttery texture and the ones I've bought so far have just ground them up in...	My little Cuisinart makes nut butters with just the regular chopping blade.
Thick carbon layer on wok? I just got a 100,000 BTU burner for wok cooking. Today when I used it, I got a very thick layer of carbon on the wok (see picture below). Is that normal? Should I remove it? If so, how? EDIT - FINAL RESULT: Ok so I took a combination of the advice here. I used an old metal baby spoon to s...	If the carbon is a little tarry, you can sometimes get a lot off by wiping with corn oil, then cleaning that mess off with neat engine cleaner. Burn it off , using the powerful burner or the self-cleaning cycle on an oven.
Looking to start cooking....but I'm a total noob. Where should I start? Possible Duplicate: What recipes should every high school graduate know how to cook? So here's the deal: I've told myself on at least 10 different occasions that I was going to learn how to cook. I've either given up or lost motivation on all...	There are tons of beginner's cookbooks out there - the Food Network's How to Boil Water gets good reviews. Yes, you'll need to learn a few really basic skills - but you'd be surprised at how little you actually need to know.
How do I stop my pastry shrinking? So I line a flan tin with shortcut pastry. It's quite a nice deep pan (sides are maybe 2 to 3 cm) so it looks like there's going to be plenty of room for a filling. But after 20 mins baking blind, I get the pastry out. The sides have shrunk right down to about 0.5cm in height. Almost...	Another thing you might want to try, is after you have put the pastry in the tin, then pop it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so (depending on the thickness of your pastry and the coldness of your fridge).
Why should one always use the same kind of coffee for an Espresso machine? I recently got a new espresso machine, a Gaggia Classic, and I sometimes hear statements like the following: "Always use the same kind of coffee for this machine!" "If you've found one that tastes good, stick with this!" Is there any truth ...	It's not related to the machine itself but to the user, because usually it takes some time to adjust the grinder properly for one sort of coffee.
Getting the lighter fluid taste out of burgers, after the fact My burgers came off the grill tasting and smelling like lighter fluid. Are there any ways to reduce or remove the taste and smell from the leftovers? In the future I'm using one of those charcoal chimney starters, so I won't need any lighter fluid at all. <...	You don't need starter fluid of any type, just old newspaper and some kindling sticks If they're really thick burgers, like my dad used to make, it's possible that the inside isn't as bad if you slice off the outside.
How to make a mustard sauce for salmon steak? I'd like to make a sauce for salmon steak, using a whole grain mustard. I would make a roux-based white sauce but I'd like something healthier because the roux has a lot of butter in it. Any ideas of what else I could use to make the sauce? <Q> Gravlaxsås is a mustard sauce...	I'd go with a bunch of mustard, bit of white wine, bit of olive oil or grapeseed oil, and small bit of horseradish to taste
Can I replace sugar with honey in tea? If I want to replace sugar with honey in black or green tea, can I add the honey at any point or should I wait until the tea cools down a bit? <Q> There is apparently evidence that some of the flavour compounds in honey deteriorate during heating: http://www.ibrabee.org.uk/compon...	It is preferable to add the honey into the tea when it is hot to let it melt a bit.
Alternative for shake and bake? I want to make my own shake and bake at home. The shake and bake you buy at the store is full of unpronounceable, non-organic ingredients and seasoning. I'm looking to make a good crust out of something that has whole grains any suggestions? Oh p.s. this is for Chicken. <Q> The way r...	I would think that any flaked cereal (eg, wheaties) would work.
How can I create a chicken substitute? How can I create a homemade product with that has the texture, flavor, and cooking properties of chicken, but is vegetarian (or vegan)? I'm inspired by the Lightlife, the Sipz orange "chicken", and Veggie Grill "burgers" but am looking for something more flexible that I can m...	But if you are looking for a veggie burger, then i found this great recipe for Black Bean cakes.
How do you properly cook cow tongue? In Mexico, "Tacos de lengua" (cow tongue tacos) are popular, and I've come to love them! I want to learn to make them in the U.S. What is the proper way to cook a cow tongue? I've seen the taco stands remove the skin from the already-cooked tongue before slicing it to serve on ta...	Just put it in cold water and bring that to a simmer (as what Bob said, let it soak for 2-3 hours). Throw in several slices of tongue, let simmer for 30 minutes, remove from sauce and put on fresh hot flour tortillas (Lengua de Res tacos, pure heaven)
What is the best way to store carrots? The carrots that I buy come in a sealed plastic bag. In the store they are not refrigerated. I've tried keeping them in the bag in the place where I keep things like onions, garlic, and potatoes (a cabinet with metal racks, and an air opening in the back - I keep the carrots on th...	Store your carrots in the fridge, either in one of those special veggies containers that Bob described or in the veggies fridge compartment (usually a bottom drawer with undulated bottom to trap liquids) if you have one. i think the best way to keep them from not getting mouldy is to cut the tops off the carrot itself
What is the proper way to bake meat balls in the oven? I tried baking meat balls with various temperatures and meat mixtures (regular to extra lean); however, every time, I end up with lots of water oozing out of the meat ball. How can I cook them with minimum lost deliciousness? <Q> One technique I have used is to su...	Low and slow - cook the meatballs in sauce in the oven or slow cooker at a low temperature (making sure to hit the minimum internal temperature required for the grind you're using).
How to fake salmon roe using jello A couple of days ago I made a first attempt at dessert sushi. Everything went reasonably well except for the salmon roe which I'd planned to make from orange jello. I made my own mould from plasticine covered in plastic wrap and imprinted all over using a small plastic sphere. This di...	I've tried making fake caviar with Jello and a syringe myself, but as far as I know, this is a fairly recent technique that became popular when molecular gastronomy piqued the interest of many, and no one has figured out how to do it with just Jello.
How long will homemade salad dressing stay good in the fridge? How long can I keep salad dressings that I made? Since this is probably affected by what it's made up of, let's say we're talking about different salad dressings made from a combination of the following ingredients: mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, s...	For example, if I had a mixture of oil, vinegar and pure emulsifier: Oil keeps for months because it has no carbs, so nothing for bacteria to eat. There is no rule of thumb encompassing all salad dressings.
How to remove the bitter taste from green bell pepper? Green pepper has a more bitter taste than red or yellow pepper. Are there tricks to remove or diminish this bitter taste? A special way of cooking, or adding a bit of sugar or something maybe? <Q> Green peppers are green because they are unripe. <S> Unripe fruit...	I have found that Mrs. Dash Tomato/basil/Garlic seasoning does wonders with the green bell pepper. Well, the obvious answer is to add a little sugar, though this probably won't make much difference to the actual pepper itself.
How does one tell if a jalapeno is spicy? It seems like it is always hit and miss when it comes to eating jalepenos. What are some ways to tell if the jalapeno is hot or not, besides tasting it? Thanks. <Q> The only way to test for capsaicin besides tasting is chemical testing, namely liquid chromatography. <S> Probl...	Hot jalapenos will be smaller than TAMS, and have some brownish stripes that many people who don't know their peppers find offensive.

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