When I moved away from home, I needed to learn a lot of different things about cooking. Fortunately for TV cooking shows and the internet, I learned a few things here and there. I want to share some of the few things I wish I knew before I started my cooking journey.
1) Recipes passed down from generation to generation typically don't come with measurements for each ingredient! Don't give up on trying to recreate the dishes you grew up on!
When I would call my mom to make a traditional Filipino dish, I would ask for exact measurements. My mom's answer would always be "about a thumb size" or "2 and a half ladles." I would follow my mom's exact instructions, but things never seemed to taste exactly what I hoped for. Over the years, I've learned that a lot of cooking is by trial and error; and just practicing. Also, if you have the opportunity to make a dish with someone in person, DO IT!
2) Make sure you have ALL the ingredients you need for a recipe!!
For some recipes, certain things can be omitted or can be substituted for another ingredient; however, this is not always the case. Before you begin to cook a dish, double check that you have everything you need - this also includes a specific kitchen machines or tools. I can't tell you how many times I've started to cook something I realized I was missing an important ingredient. It's a sad time when you have to stop what you're cooking and run to the grocery store.
3) Prep before cooking (also known as Mise en Place - french term for organizing and preparing before cooking)
Have you ever cooked and had a million things everywhere (pots, bowls, ingredients, etc.). It turns your kitchen into chaos, and you sometimes either miss putting an ingredient into the pot, OR you burn/overcook something because you need to cut up a vegetable. The term "mise en place" means to prepare and organize. It a skill that I am still practicing today. I can't tell you how much easier and cleaner my kitchen is when I prepare all my ingredients before cooking. I have learned that cutting all my vegetables ahead of time, having all my seasonings out and ready, have cut down so much cleaning and cooking time - it allows you to really enjoy the process!
4) Always have SALT and PEPPER
If there are two basic seasonings that you always have in your kitchen - make sure it's salt and pepper. Over time, I have quite the seasoning collection in my cabinets - but these are the two most important ones to keep on hand.
5) Own at least ONE non-stick pan/pot
You don't need a lot of different pots and pans as the average person cooking at home. While it is handy to have a variety, something I learned was how AMAZING it is to have a non -stick pan. It definitely is a great investment, and one that can be inexpensive. A non-stick pot/pan makes cooking all things so easy, especially for clean up. You don't need to own an extremely high end model, trust me, a cheaper one will do the job perfectly!
6) Make sure the pan is heated evenly before cooking!
Cooking takes time and patience, even down to waiting for the pot/pan to heat. I've learned that waiting for the pan to come to temperature properly, prevents food from sticking to your pan. Allowing the pan to heat up will also cook your food evenly versus being over or undercooked.
7) Clean as you go!
Personally, I have found that cleaning as I go allows me to enjoy the cooking process more. Sometimes when you're waiting for something to simmer, or a step of the recipe requires something to cook for a few minutes - take the time to clean up some dishes or your cooking area. Cleaning as I go allows me to enjoy my meal after cooking, and the end clean up is not as bad as it could be :)
I hope some of these tips help you on your cooking journey and experience! Give them a shot, and if they don't work - find something that does!
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