Cooking tips for beginners AMA

phcitywarrior

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@Caca-faat I want to start experimenting more with fish and seafood. I think I have a good grasp of chicken, beef and the rest. But with fish, my dishes are "uninspired". I haven't found a good way to season fish without overpowering it. Now, I opt for salt, pepper and maybe a little lemon.

I feel like with fish you want to go more with sauces?

Wanna hear your thoughts.
 

Caca-faat

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@Caca-faat I want to start experimenting more with fish and seafood. I think I have a good grasp of chicken, beef and the rest. But with fish, my dishes are "uninspired". I haven't found a good way to season fish without overpowering it. Now, I opt for salt, pepper and maybe a little lemon.

I feel like with fish you want to go more with sauces?

Wanna hear your thoughts.

1. To help with the over seasoning consider if your fish is a river fish/fresh water fish or a sea fish. Fish from the sea doesnt need as much salt in my opinion as compared to fresh water fish due to the saltiness of the sea.

2. If you're marinating the fish for a while, season with everything but salt and put the salt on the fish just before putting it into the pan. The flesh on most fish is not as dense at flesh from other meat and the fish is quite porous so the salt penetrates quick.

3. Are you cooking with a fillet of fish or a whole fish? A fillet is obviously smaller and thinner so over seasoning is very easy. Salmon is considered a meaty fish even in fillets for reference so can take more seasoning., compared to a sea bass where the fillets are quite small.


4. Sauce: If im going to cook a fish in sauce it has to be either a meaty fish like salmon fillet or a whole fish like Red Snapper. (Im not American so I don't know what fish you have available to you, so sorry if you don't know which fish im referring to.)
Whole fish are less fiddly to deal with and is more forgiving when it comes to over cooking. Also you would need to think about how salty your sauce is going to be when seasoning your fish. So go light on the salt when seasoning. I like whole fish cooked in a coconut sauce with carrots, onions, tomatoes etc. You can also cook salmon fillets in this way.

5. A pan fried peice of fish fillet can be really nice as long as
A: you make sure the pan is hot enough to crisp the skin, but not too hot to burn like a medium high. (If that's a thing. Lol)

B: Always fry your fillet skin side down, be wary that if the fillet is thin the fish can curl up, so be sure to press on the edges lightly for a minute or so in the pan to seal the crispness of the skin and prevent curling.

C: When panfrying use oil AND butter roughly equal parts 1.5 tbs of butter to 1tbs of oil for e.g , butter for flavour and oil for heat. You will know the fish has started to cook when the flesh has started to go opaque, when its 3/4s of the way cooked,flip it.

You can put a couple crushed garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme in the pan half way through once you have flipped over your fish. Spoon the melted garlic butter over the flesh of the fish till all the fish has gone opaque. Then serve immediately and spoon a little of the butter onto the plate. Great with mash and fried cabbage.

D: Fish cooks super super quick so dont take your eye off it. Especially the fillet.


6. Thick fillets of fish like salmon can also be cooked in the oven. I roast the fish fillet in the oven, in another oven tray i have, chopped zucchini, quartered red onion, sliced broccoli, whole baby tomatoes and carrot sticks. The vegetables just need a little salt and maybe some chilli flakes and a spash of olive oil, placed uncovered in the oven on about 380 F for 40 minutes or so.

Put the fish in half way through, flesh side down, skin side up to crisp up. Sprinkle that last minute salt on the skin and roast.

While waiting make some cous cous with chicken stock and butter. This takes literally 5 minutes. When veg is done, toss the roasted veg into the cous cous with some chopped mint and pomegranate seeds (trust me). Then place the whole salmon on top. Dinner is done in 1 hour, perfect for week days.


7. Which kind of fish are u cooking with? I may be able to help with specific fish. Except Catfish, I've never had it before.

8. All fish are not the same, some fish has tender flesh like a strawberry grouper for example. If you can ask when ur buying your fish which is which that would help.

9. Learn how to eat a whole fish when cooked, especially when cooked in sauce. Start with taking out the fin bones, then use your dinner knife to start lifting the fish from the tail up towards the head. The whole fillet will come off leaving the skeleton in the middle. Flip and repeat.
 
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phcitywarrior

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7. Which kind of fish are u cooking with? I may be able to help with specific fish. Except Catfish, I've never had it before.

Dap and will rep you when I can. That was great information.

To the question above, I usually do Salmon and Cod since those are "beefier" fishes. I've done catfish occasionally but it's usually been typical fried catfish. The next fish dish I want to do is a whole roasted Tilapia, West African style. See the pictures below. The Senegalese are particularly skilled in this type of fish.

I'll post the results in the main Cooking thread and tag you when done.

53f97069e882e58c3b538e7f557c0c1a.jpg


86f958cf767c05753ca285117eeb24fd.jpg
 

Caca-faat

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I posted this in another thread so it makes sense to post it here too.

Salad doesn't have to be boring.



Try adding ingredients for seasoning like olives, goats cheese, feta cheese, parmesan cheese. Pesto gives herby cheesy goodness.

Some roasted veg as you mentioned above, the sugars in the food caramelize as it roasts Caramelized flavors add nice richness to a salad, the caramelization gives a subtle, background smoky note. Quartered or halved carrots and red onions, beets, broccoli, baby tomatoes, bell peppers . Even squash is good, just slice it into crescent moons (Not too thinly) then sprinkle it with salt and oil and fling it in the oven till the edges brown. Chop it into cubes and fling it in. Most roasted veg add sweetness btw and you need some sweetness to give variety on your palate. Try adding some dessert pears (they caramelize nicely when cooked wrapped in foil in the oven). Fresh pomegranate seeds add freshness and the seeds are small, so they scatter easily and blend well when tossed, so they just pop with juciness in your mouth when you least expect it. :dame: (I heard it.)

Try chopped nuts; they give texture so your mouth doesn't get bored while you eat. Chuck in some chopped walnuts, peanuts, pumpkin seed, pecans. Pan-fry some broccoli, slice them long ways, sprinkle a little salt. In a dry pan on medium heat, lightly sizzle till the edges start to brown. They really come alive and they add a nice meaty crunch too.
Croutons - If you're eating carbs. Just get some stale bread that you have laying around chop or tear it up. Coat them with a little oil in an oven tray, sprinkle with salt and herbs if you want; toss it and dash in the oven on 375 for about 7-10 minutes.

Dressing:
Alot of salad dressings are slightly sour, they add a tangyness that salads often need to brighten up the flavors. You can make a quick lemon vinaigrette so your dressing is super healthy. All you need is a lemon, some honey, salt, mustard, black pepper and olive oil. Pour all the ingredients into any jar you have laying around, cover shake and your done in 3 minutes. Simple Lemon Vinaigrette

Miscellaneous items
Garlic mushrooms- chop up a handful, heat a small pan with a little butter, fling em in with a lil salt and some fresh or dried thyme; 4 minutes and your done.
Sundried tomatoes - I buy them jarred
Grilled Egg plant - Thinly slice them long ways, sprinkle with a little salt to draw out the moisture, after 5 minutes dab them dry and throw in a griddle or frying pan. You can oven them too so it healthier.

Protein: You don't have to add any; but if you do, you will find it really rounds out a salad and makes it feel like a much more whole eating experience that leaves you feeling full.
Oven roasted salmon - Season and pop in the oven for ease.
Boiled eggs - Don't knock it till you try it
Canned tuna
Roasted or rotisserie chicken

Freshness
Ordinary salad vegetables add freshness as they usually have the highest water content in a salad. Whilst they are the most boring, they play a vital role as freshening your palate so your mouth doesn't get overwhelmed with richness. You can choose your usual tomatoes and cucumber. Avocadoes cool your mouth down and give a nice fatty quality that coats your mouth. (Ain't no salads in Harlem breh):dame:

Leaves

I left them till last because leaves are never really the star of salad to me but they do serve a function, they are a vessel to carry all the saucy, crumbly, textured goodness. You can choose whichever you like but use more than one kind of leaf with varying texture, spinach, arugula, iceberg or romaine.

You can pick and choose from so many options as long as you stick to the core rules of having some of the highlighted segments above. You can prep the stuff from Sunday for the week and make different options so you can chop and change as you go through the week.

Good luck.


WxZNgKu.jpg

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Q6GL3Xh.png
 

Bless't

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I posted this in another thread so it makes sense to post it here too.

Salad doesn't have to be boring.



Try adding ingredients for seasoning like olives, goats cheese, feta cheese, parmesan cheese. Pesto gives herby cheesy goodness.

Some roasted veg as you mentioned above, the sugars in the food caramelize as it roasts Caramelized flavors add nice richness to a salad, the caramelization gives a subtle, background smoky note. Quartered or halved carrots and red onions, beets, broccoli, baby tomatoes, bell peppers . Even squash is good, just slice it into crescent moons (Not too thinly) then sprinkle it with salt and oil and fling it in the oven till the edges brown. Chop it into cubes and fling it in. Most roasted veg add sweetness btw and you need some sweetness to give variety on your palate. Try adding some dessert pears (they caramelize nicely when cooked wrapped in foil in the oven). Fresh pomegranate seeds add freshness and the seeds are small, so they scatter easily and blend well when tossed, so they just pop with juciness in your mouth when you least expect it. :dame: (I heard it.)

Try chopped nuts; they give texture so your mouth doesn't get bored while you eat. Chuck in some chopped walnuts, peanuts, pumpkin seed, pecans. Pan-fry some broccoli, slice them long ways, sprinkle a little salt. In a dry pan on medium heat, lightly sizzle till the edges start to brown. They really come alive and they add a nice meaty crunch too.
Croutons - If you're eating carbs. Just get some stale bread that you have laying around chop or tear it up. Coat them with a little oil in an oven tray, sprinkle with salt and herbs if you want; toss it and dash in the oven on 375 for about 7-10 minutes.

Dressing:
Alot of salad dressings are slightly sour, they add a tangyness that salads often need to brighten up the flavors. You can make a quick lemon vinaigrette so your dressing is super healthy. All you need is a lemon, some honey, salt, mustard, black pepper and olive oil. Pour all the ingredients into any jar you have laying around, cover shake and your done in 3 minutes. Simple Lemon Vinaigrette

Miscellaneous items
Garlic mushrooms- chop up a handful, heat a small pan with a little butter, fling em in with a lil salt and some fresh or dried thyme; 4 minutes and your done.
Sundried tomatoes - I buy them jarred
Grilled Egg plant - Thinly slice them long ways, sprinkle with a little salt to draw out the moisture, after 5 minutes dab them dry and throw in a griddle or frying pan. You can oven them too so it healthier.

Protein: You don't have to add any; but if you do, you will find it really rounds out a salad and makes it feel like a much more whole eating experience that leaves you feeling full.
Oven roasted salmon - Season and pop in the oven for ease.
Boiled eggs - Don't knock it till you try it
Canned tuna
Roasted or rotisserie chicken

Freshness
Ordinary salad vegetables add freshness as they usually have the highest water content in a salad. Whilst they are the most boring, they play a vital role as freshening your palate so your mouth doesn't get overwhelmed with richness. You can choose your usual tomatoes and cucumber. Avocadoes cool your mouth down and give a nice fatty quality that coats your mouth. (Ain't no salads in Harlem breh):dame:

Leaves

I left them till last because leaves are never really the star of salad to me but they do serve a function, they are a vessel to carry all the saucy, crumbly, textured goodness. You can choose whichever you like but use more than one kind of leaf with varying texture, spinach, arugula, iceberg or romaine.

You can pick and choose from so many options as long as you stick to the core rules of having some of the highlighted segments above. You can prep the stuff from Sunday for the week and make different options so you can chop and change as you go through the week.

Good luck.


WxZNgKu.jpg

vqDc36N.jpg

Q6GL3Xh.png

Great tips.

I make a ton of salads and the grilled egg parm I have not tried yet.

:salute:
 

Skooby

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My go-to salad is: avocado, cucumber, roma tomato, boiled egg, croutons, lime juice and seasoned with Salt and Pepper.
 
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Dad

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I want to try & cook beef stew in my air fryer. I just have a feeling it’ll be dry as shyt:stopitslime:.
 

Caca-faat

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I want to try & cook beef stew in my air fryer. I just have a feeling it’ll be dry as shyt:stopitslime:.


Yeah that sounds like an oxymoron. Do it in a pyrex dish in the oven covered in foil if you dont want to give it constant attention.
 
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Sukairain

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The best knives have good weight displacement. This allows the knife to do most of the work. The knives I have are global knives they have sand in the handle to allow more pressure on the item you are trying to cut without you doing as much work. Ideally your knife should have a heavy handle with a good strong blade in general. You will have to sharpen them either way so get a knife sharpener.

Have you ever tried cutting a tomato with a dull knife if the blade isnt sharp enough, while you are applying more and more pressure, you end up squashing the tomato more than anything. So its best to keep the knife blade SHARP whichever knife you choose even if the handle isnt weighted.
Some people like cerated knives they seem to stay sharper for longer.

TBH Good knives do cost a fair amount but they are worth it. I have been using my same knives for 9 years now so they are an investment.

Different knives do different things, my favourite is the big chefs knives. The blade is wide and tapered which makes it ideal for chopping so I can rock the knife back and forth. Then theres the meat cleaver. Good for chopping through joints and bones, making light work of a heavy task. I would start my collection with these two, the chefs knife can be multipurpose, I even use it to peel limes. Lol

Any knives suggestion? @Caca-faat

This is great advice, but a brand name would be even more helpful :feedme:

I also want to buy some whetstones. That will be easy enough to figure out, I'll treat it like sandpaper and buy stones of varying grit ratings, and then run the knife over each one when it's sharpening time. But as for buying the knives, I'm all at sea. The knives I've got came from the supermarket. They break every rule you've listed. Lightweight handle, bendy blade. They're rubbish. But they are cheap, and I feel that running them over a few whetstones would extend their usefulness for a little while
 

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How should herbs work as a substitute for powdered seasonings? Is the sodium difference substantial? Flavors comparable?
 

Caca-faat

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This is great advice, but a brand name would be even more helpful :feedme:

I also want to buy some whetstones. That will be easy enough to figure out, I'll treat it like sandpaper and buy stones of varying grit ratings, and then run the knife over each one when it's sharpening time. But as for buying the knives, I'm all at sea. The knives I've got came from the supermarket. They break every rule you've listed. Lightweight handle, bendy blade. They're rubbish. But they are cheap, and I feel that running them over a few whetstones would extend their usefulness for a little while

The knives I have are the Global brand knives, they have sand in the handle so the weight goes where i need it.

Invest in a good blade from the Germans or Japanese. I don't know many brand names.
 

Caca-faat

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How should herbs work as a substitute for powdered seasonings? Is the sodium difference substantial? Flavors comparable?

By herbs I presume you meant dried herbs as opposed to fresh.
The main difference is the sodium content. Each of these seasoning contain salt so as a collective, your dish can be very salty.

Dried herbs are not as pungent as fresh as they don't contain the natural oils, drying them changes the flavour of leafy herbs. Dried thyme tastes nothing like fresh.

If your going to have any dried seasonings go for woody spices like all spice, cloves, cardamom or nutmeg. These spices are best bought whole and toasted and grround yourself, pre ground spices spoil quicker.

TBH your better off buying the pure seasoning, garlic powder,onion powder and make your own blend. Then the flavour will be on point every time.
 
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