Cooking can be a bit tricky especially when you don’t know where to start. Here are a few key basic cooking tips, skills and techniques to help you gain confidence while cooking.
How to boil a perfect egg
Always keep the eggs at room temperature to avoid under-cooking.
Soft boiled egg: Bring a pan of water to boil then lower the egg using a spoon and cook for 5-6 mins.
Hard boiled egg: Bring a pan of water to boil then lower the egg using a spoon and cook for 9-11 mins.
Once the egg has boiled, quickly place it in cold to stop it from over-cooking.
How to cook rice
When it come to cooking rice, you don’t need to have a rice cooker to make the perfect rice. You can use the absorption method using lidded pan.
The rule of thumb for cooking rice is to use double the volume of water to rice. Measure 2 cups of rice and place it in a pan, wash the rice then add 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt to taste.
How to cook pasta
Pasta should be served ‘al-dente’ which means ‘to the teeth – soft but still firm to bite.
Bring the water to boil and use double the water to cook your pasta. Add salt and carefully place your pasta into the boiled water. Stir within the first couple of minutes to prevent sticking to the pan and cook for about 12-15 mins.
Fresh egg pasta will cook faster than dried pasta.
Use pasta water to create a pasta sauce: Instead of throwing the excess pasta water, reserve a cup of it and add it to your sauce which will add more flavour and help your sauce to have texture and cling to the pasta.
How to bake a simple Victoria sponge cake
The quick and easy way to make a Victoria sponge cake is by weighing three eggs in their shells and using the same amount for butter, sugar and flour. Beat the ingredients into a smooth batter and cook at 180 degrees until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
How to make a perfect steak
Pat your steaks dry with kitchen paper and seasons just before cooking. Preheat a heavy frying pan until very hot. Oil the steak and not the pan and fry on medium heat for 2-3 mins each side for rare steak (it will be soft and yielding in the middle), 4 mins for medium steak: 6-7 mins and for a well done steak (will be firm and bouncy in the middle).
Rest on a warm plate for 5 mins before serving for maximum juiciness.
Easy way to cook fish
Drizzle a bit of oil in the centre of foil paper, add some chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, fennel, green beans and place the fish fillet on top. Sprinkle a bit of herbs, pinch of spice, salts and a splash of soy sauce, lemon juice or wine. Fold the foil up and bake in a hot oven for 20mins or until cooked through. Serve with rice or potatoes
