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Cooking Tips

How to use spices to make delicious and healthy dishes

According to dietitians, misuse or improper combination of spices may result in harmful and unappetizing.
In cooking, spices are used to enhance the flavor of foods, stimulate appetite and digestion. However, many housewives have a habit to use spices recklessly. The following are some tips for using spices properly and safely.Chỉ pha giấm với nước sốt cà và rưới lên sườn đã chín vàng, đunsôi vài phút, nhâc xuống. Khi chế biến các món, trộn có thịt, bạn nên dùng chanh thay giấm.

Vinegar: This spicy is used as a deodorant and flavor enhancer. Some cooks add vinegar too early to sweet and sour pork ribs (sườn xào chua ngọt). That way, vinegar’s flavor will overwhelm the unique sweetness and aroma of fried pork ribs and sugar.
It is advisable to pour vinegar mixed with tomato sauce on done pork rips, cook for several minutes and turn off the fire. Where meat is used, lemon should be used as a substitute for vinegar.

Cinnamon and anise:When used in plant form, cinnamon and anise should be used when mixing raw food with and cooking as well to utilize their aromas.
When used in powder forms, they should be mixed with a little water. Cinnamon and anise should not be put into hot oil to avoid burning them and producing a dish with bitter and pungent aroma.

Garlic and onion: The amount of garlic and onion used to season foods should be carefully considered because of their pungent aromas. If garlic and onion is overused for mixing with raw foods, foods’ special aromas will disappear.
When making fried eggs with onions, onions are often evenly mixed with eggs before cooking. This way, onion’s aroma is not be utilized while eggs and onions are not done at the same time. Properly, onions should be fried in hot oil first and then add eggs when fried onions have good aroma. It is not advisable to use onions and leeks to decorate dishes. They should only be used for mixing with other ingredients to utilize their aromas.

Honey:Honey contains a lot of healthy components such as carbohydrate, antioxidant, fatty acid, amino acid, vitamins and minerals.
These matters are easily decomposed when burned or distillated at high temperature. Honey should be only mixed with warm water, tea or milk at 40^oC or lower.
Honey should be stored in glass jars away from sunlight. They should not be kept in metal jars so that they will not become metamorphosed and toxic. Honey should not be used when it has bubbles.

Ginger:Ginger is commonly used to mix with raw meat, fish as a deodorant. Ginger contains zingibain enzyme which softens meat quickly. Ginger should be cleaned before use and ginger’s shell should not be removed since it serves as a medicine and flavor enhancer. Gingers that have been kept for a long time should be removed since they contain toxic sulfur harmful to human liver.

Pepper:Pepper is often mixed with raw food before cooking to create good smell. However, pepper burned at high temperature will lose its special aroma. The best way is to add pepper to cooked food.
Besides, pepper contains a small amount of oil serving as aroma keeper. Pre-ground pepper is convenient for use but its aroma will quickly disappear. Therefore, pepper should be kept in grain form and dry place. Grind it when using to keep its flavor.
Source: Health & Life Newspaper (Báo Sức khỏe và Đời sống)