Culinary Arts

11 Tips to Improve Your Cooking Skills

Are you interested in improving your cooking skills? These cooking tips might come in handy:

1. Start with a positive attitude and set your goal

Being optimistic in the idea of learning and improving yourself is the most important attitude that you need to wear to guarantee success in any endeavor that you wish to pursue. Ask yourself this: Do I really want to improve my cooking skills? If you do, think of the reasons why you want to improve your skills; these reasons will be your goal. Write them down and visualize yourself attaining them. This will help you to focus more on the things that need to be done.

2. Take time to understand cooking terms and learn basic techniques

Learning the basics of cooking is a prerequisite. If you seek for improvement, you must at least understand some terms used in recipes and cookbooks and be able to perform the basic cooking techniques. If you wish to learn how to bake a cake then you should have at least tried making simple pastries. Our previous post on the Definition of cooking verbs can be a good start in understanding common terms used in recipes and cookbooks.

3. Select the freshest ingredients possible

Different ingredients are needed to make a dish. The quality of ingredients that you use can make or break it. This might sound like an idiom but you ought to know that the success of a dish mostly relies on the ingredients used. You cannot make a fresh tasting fish dish with an old fish no matter how fresh your spices are – even the best chef in the world will have a hard time doing that. The best way to ensure that you are using the freshest ingredients is to get them on the day that you need them. If you don’t have the time to visit the market on a daily basis, refrigerating them can work too as long as you will consume them within the next 24 hours. If you are used to freeze meat and seafood, try to use freezer bags to trap the freshness and avoid burns. Of course, fresh foods are still best compared to frozen ones.

4. Invest in cooking tools and kitchen equipments

This is one of the areas that most neglect. Many of us might think that having a pan, a spatula, and a knife is enough to get things going. Some might term this scenario as a frugal way of living but if you are serious about cooking and honing your skills then you should consider getting additional cooking tools and kitchen equipment to assist you further and make your cooking experience as easy as possible. Every cooking tool and equipment serves a specific purpose: cooking pans are used for frying while cooking pots are used to make stews and soups; chef knives are used for slicing while paring knives are used to peel and carve. If budget is an issue, try using a Skillet instead of having pans and pots. Skillets can beautifully sear meat; it can also be used for roasting and making casseroles. When I’m not shooting cooking videos, I use my favorite cast iron skillet to get things done easily. As for the knives, it is best if you have a set of kitchen knife to make your slicing and cutting chores faster and easier. If a set is too expensive for you, I recommend keeping at least a piece of chef knife, paring knife, and filet knife. Some stores carry limited varieties of kitchen equipment and tools; I usually buy my kitchen tools and equipment online because the inventory is not limited and I can read reviews on the products that I wish to have.

5. Try to know the characteristics of every ingredient that you will use

Knowing the properties or characteristics of your ingredients is important. Having an idea on how your ingredient will behave or react while being cooked can help you plan ahead and decide the sequence or steps in making your dish. Let’s take calamari as an example. We all know that the main ingredient for calamari (calamares) is squid. Squid should not be cooked for a long time because it will have a rubbery texture. If you are aware of this, you will try to limit the frying time to preserve the optimal texture of the squid. This can also be applied to vegetables. Say I need to make a vegetable soup out of potatoes and spinach – I’ll put-in the potatoes first before the spinach because it takes a while for the potatoes to cook. Placing the spinach ahead of the potatoes will overcook the spinach producing an unpleasant texture.

6. Don’t be afraid to get messy but make sure to tidy-up

It is normal for beginners to use utensils while working with ingredients and plating. While this is not wrong at all (this is even recommended as far as sanitation is concerned), using your hands is also a fine as long as you wash them first (of course, there are instances when using tools are highly recommended). Don’t be grossed-out when you use your hands when marinating or making your presentation because sometimes you literally need to feel your food. There are also some unavoidable circumstances when you create a mess in the kitchen while you are cooking – this is normal. Don’t freak out when you see that your kitchen is messy; cleaning is also a part of cooking. Make it a habit to clean the mess that you created once you are done cooking. Always remember that a clean kitchen is a healthy kitchen.

7. Try to master simple dishes before moving-on to the next level

Most of us might be guilty on this. You want to cook your favorite dish so you searched a recipe from the internet or bought a cookbook. As you were skimming on the recipe, you noticed that the procedures are quite complicated and you don’t have a clue on how it should be done – or you tried doing the procedure but the result is always unsatisfactory. Don’t blame the cookbook or the recipe on this. Try to ask yourself why you were not able to follow the procedure correctly. If all recipes have accompanying videos like what we have here in Panlasang Pinoy then you should have no problem at all – but that is not the case. Remember that you first learned to walk before you started running. Try to walk slowly by mastering simple dishes. Try to master the art of egg frying first before attempting to cook breaded pork chops. When you feel confident enough and you think that you are ready, that is the time that you take on the next challenge. Cook pork adobo or chicken adobo next then master them. If you follow this advice, you’ll be able to make morcon, chicken pastel, dinuguan and other more advanced level dishes in no time.

8. Timing is everything

Have you tried watching a baseball game? Observe how the batter hits the ball – there is a proper time when he swings the bat towards the approaching ball to hit it. That is timing my friends. Proper timing is one of the factors for a successful dish. Imagine that you will fry fresh fish on a regular pan (not the Teflon coated or non-stick pan that we use today). You turned the heat on and poured-in the cooking oil in the pan. You then placed the fish immediately even if the oil is not hot enough. When the pan and oil starts to heat-up, the skin of the fish will stick to the bottom of the pan since the fish sits directly on the metal end. When you try to flip the fish to fry the opposite side, you’ll see yourself scraping the spatula just to let the fish loose. You won’t be in this situation if you only waited for the oil to be hot enough before frying the fish. Develop a sense of timing by knowing when to start and when to stop.

9. Think outside the box

How many times have you heard this phrase? This might sound overused but if you’ll ponder on it and read between the lines you’ll see a whole new meaning that you can apply to almost anything. Sometimes living a square life and following everything by the book is boring. Try to hype things up. Improvise a recipe by adding ingredients or do some cooking experiment and develop a new recipe. Try to combine two dishes and see how it goes.

10. Plan ahead of time

What has this got to do with improving your cooking skills? If you think that cooking starts when the pan is heated, you need to rethink and look at the bigger picture. A good cook should be able to plan a menu. Are you aware on the consequences of poor planning or not planning at all? This is a big waste of time, energy, and money. Planning your menu ahead of time gives you control and allow you to select and purchase only the ingredients that are needed. This also gives you time to double check recipes and ensure that everything is in place. You don’t want to cook a dish if you are missing the major ingredient, do you?

11. Practice,practice,practice

This needs no explanation at all. I believe that you are determined to be a good cook if you were able to read up to this point. Do a lot of practice by cooking for your family everyday. You are hitting 2 birds with1 stone; you develop your cooking skills while making your family happy and satisfied.

5 Filipino Seafood Cooking Videos Worth Watching

Here are 5 Filipino seafood cooking videos from YouTube that can be of help in your menu planning.

Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry

Chili Garlic Crab and Shrimp

Seafood Curry

Aligue Fried Rice

Seafood Pancit Canton

12 (+ 8 more) Filipino Food to Have During the Holy Week

It has been a practice among Roman Catholics to abstain from eating meat every Friday during lent, and the entire holy week. It is not recommended to eat pork, chicken, beef and other types of meat during this time of the year.

However, you can always consume vegetables and seafood. Since lent is a time to reflect and focus on spiritual health, let me help you a bit by suggesting some dishes that you can prepare for this week so that you can concentrate on more important things.

The original article suggests 12 dishes; I added 8 more dishes and provided the links for the recipes, for your convenience.

May you find inner peace and be able to reflect on your relationship with our creator.

Here are the (12 + 8 more) Filipino food that can help nourish your body for this season:

1. Ginataang Tilapia

Ginataang Tilapia is a delicious dish where Tilapia is cooked in coconut milk (or cream) and served with banana peppers.

2. Inihaw na Pusit

Inihaw na Pusit (grilled squid) is a simple tasty dish that can be prepared quickly. It is best eaten with a spiced vinegar dip.

3. Ginisang Ampalaya (w/egg)

Ginisang Amapalaya is a dish composed of sauteed bitter melon or bitter gourd, tomato, onions, and beaten eggs. This is simply nutritious.

4. Sinigang na Hipon

Sinigang na Hipon or Shrimp in Sour Soup can be considered as a comfort food among Filipinos. It is flavorful and very easy to prepare.

5. Atcharang Papaya

Atcharang Papaya is the Filipino version of Sauerkraut. It is sweet and sour at the same time, though this makes use of green (unripe) papaya.

6. Lumpiang Sariwa

Lumpiang Sariwa or Fresh spring rolls is a perfect dish for lent. Although the original recipe makes use of pork, you can make your version for the holy week by not using pork or any meat ingredient.

7. Tortang Talong

Tortang Talong is a type of Filipino eggplant omelet. It is a quick and easy-to-make dish that I usually eat with banana ketchup and white rice.

8. Ginisang Togue

Ginisang Togue or Sauteed Mung Bean Sprouts with Tofu and Vegetables is something that you might consider for lent. It is nutritious and delicious.

9. Buttered Garlic Shrimp

Garlic Butter Shrimp is shrimp stir-fried in butter and garlic. You can complete this dish in less than 20 minutes.

10. Steamed Lapu-lapu

Steamed Fish or steamed lapu-lapu (grouper) is one of my favorites because it is tasty and the dish does not taste too fishy at all. It might be because of all the citrus blend that was added. It is simple and good!

11. Sardines with Misua and Patola

Sardines (in tomato sauce) with flour noodles, and loofah is what this dish is about. Flavorful, budget-friendly, and practical.

12. Ginataang Sitaw at Kalabasa with Crab

Crab, string beans, and calabaza squash cooked in coconut milk — OMG! This is one of my personal favorites. I am sure that most of you feel the same way. Give this a try and let’s see what you think.

Here are the additional 8 that I hand-picked for you:

1. Tuyo with Rice and Tomato

2. Kangkong in Oyster Sauce

3. Vegetarian Pancit Canton

4. Sipo Eggs

5. Bulanglang

6. Scallop Chop Suey Recipe

7. Inihaw na Tilapia

8. Monggo Guisado with Dilis and Malunggay

Have a blessed lent!

If you have questions, requests, or suggestions, you can contact me here.

How to Peel Peaches

Peeling peaches using a paring knife or peeler can be complicated and could end-up in a mess. Peaches are delicate fruits and peeling ripe ones require a proven technique to maintain the shape and quality of the fruit.

Remember the technique that we apply to cook vegetables while maintaining their crisp and color? It is called blanching. This is done by cooking fruits or vegetables in boiling water for a few seconds to a minute then soaking them right away in ice cold water. Using this technique will enable you to peel peaches easily without creating any mess.

Here is how it is done:

1. Boil water in a saucepan or cooking pot.

2. Put-in the peach and turn off the heat right away. Leave the peach for 40 to 50 seconds.

3. While the peach is soaked in hot water, combine cold water and ice in a large bowl. Transfer the peach from the saucepan to the bowl with ice cold water and leave it there for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Dry the peach and make an incision using a knife.

5. Peel of the skin starting at the incision using your fingers.

Pretty simple isn’t it? You should be able to enjoy your peaches without any hassle.

Do you have other food related tips to share? Be heard by commenting below.

What is the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder?

Our adventures in the kitchen lead us to try different recipes. Most of these recipes require ingredients that we are completely unfamiliar with – while others ask for common ones. However, there are still some of us who might not have any idea as to what make-up these common ingredients. I bet that you experienced this sometime while you were still learning to cook.

If you are fond of baking cakes and pastries, chances are that you’ve tried different cake and bread recipes that made use of baking soda, baking powder, or both. Why is there a variation between these ingredients? What is the difference between the two?

Both baking soda and baking powder are considered as leavening agents.

Leavening agents are ingredients that produce carbon dioxide when added or mixed with dough or baked in the oven (as a result of chemical reaction); the carbon dioxide produced inside the dough expands it and causes the bread to rise.

Baking soda is a compound known as Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3). When it is combined with acidic compounds and moisture, a chemical reaction takes place. The chemical reaction triggers the baking soda to release carbon dioxide which produces bubbles that expands the dough and makes it rise. The following are considered as acidic compounds that can cause reaction when mixed with baking soda: phosphates, cream of tartar, lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, cocoa, vinegar.

On the other hand, baking powder is a mixture that already contains Sodium Bicarbonate, acidic compounds (cream of tartar usually), and starch (this can either be corn or potato starch). The starch is also called the drying component because it keeps the acidic component dry preventing chemical reaction. Chemical reaction takes place right after combining baking powder with moisture. Nowadays, commercial baking powder can be categorized into 2 groups; the single acting and double acting powders. Single acting baking powder is set off by water or moisture while double acting baking powder releases gas first when combined with water or moisture then during high temperature where most of the gases are released.

Going back to our previous question; why is there a variation between these ingredients?

The main ingredients in a recipe call for the variation. For example, baking soda will taste bitter if does not fully react with an acidic component. This means that moderate amount of acidic ingredients should be present in a recipe to obtain optimal taste and texture when baking soda is used. Most lemon cake recipes require the use of baking soda.

If the ingredients are not too acidic, baking powder should be used. Using baking soda will just make the dough flat and taste bitter. It takes an acidic compound to trigger a chemical reaction. Since acid is already present in baking powder, only moisture is needed to activate the reaction and release carbon dioxide without affecting the taste.

Now that you have an idea, let’s revisit some questions posted in the comments section of our previous featured recipes.

1. The recipe requires for baking soda but I only have baking powder, can I use baking powder instead?

No. Although baking powder is also a leavening agent, using it as an alternative for baking soda might affect the taste of the cake or pastry.

2. The recipe requires for baking powder but I only have baking soda, can I use baking soda instead?

It depends. You may use baking soda as an alternative for baking powder only if you mix it with an acid compound. Using two parts of acid compound (such as cream of tartar) and one part baking soda should do the trick.

Did you find this article helpful? Do you have more information to add? You can always place a comment below.

Orange Chicken: First Place in SPCBA Culinary Competition

I was delighted to learn from one of our avid readers about her recent victory in the 2010 SPCBA Culinary Competition. Apple Instrella, a student at the San Pedro College of Business Administration bagged the first prize in the recently concluded SPCBA Culinary Competition. She and her teammate entered their twist of the Orange Chicken Recipe that we featured a few months back.

This achievement is significant especially for Culinary Arts students because they are able to develop self confidence and a more competitive attitude which will help them in their culinary career in the future.

I am honored that they chose one of our featured recipes as their entry. This event made me realize the value of quality that we are putting in each of our recipe posts. Expect us to continue concentrating in this aspect on the next recipes to come.

Congratulations Apple and Mark. Good Job!

How to Butcher a Chicken

Have you ever tried to butcher a whole dressed chicken? I remember the first time to butcher a whole chicken; it was confusing. Back then, I didn’t know where to start and I have no idea as to how many parts should I divide it into. I spent more than 30 minutes to complete the task and I created a mess. The chicken was torn apart; I can’t even recognize one part from the other.

After observing how my mom does it (not to mention several hours of watching several cooking shows on TV), I finally figured the steps and techniques to butcher a chicken appropriately. After that day, I practiced… and practiced… and practiced until I got it right.

This is a basic topic that most of you already know. For the benefit of those who want to learn the proper way, I listed some steps that you may use as a guide. Remember, knowledge is just the first part of learning. Once you know what to do, start to practice until you get it right. Also, take extra caution when handling sharp objects. Good luck!

1. Place the chicken on a chopping board (the back should be facing down). Using a sharp knife (preferably chef’s knife), slice between the leg and breast until you reach the bone. Stop right there; don’t attempt to cut the bone.

2. Loosen the hip joint by pulling the sliced leg away from the body while pressing the back of the hip joint. You’ll know that you are done when you see the leg bone pop-out from the joint.

3. Once the leg bone is disconnected, continue slicing through the joint until the leg and thigh are completely detached.

4. Separate the drumstick and thigh by putting the leg on a chopping board and cutting through the joint between the two parts.

5. Pull the wing out and cut it off at the joint then trim the wing tip. Perform step number 2,3, and this step to the other side of the chicken.

6. Remove the breast by making a slit down the middle of the breastbone then continue slicing alongside the ribcage while pulling the meat.

7. Turn the remaining part around and perform step number 6 to remove the breast on the other side.

As for the trimmings and remaining parts, you can always use them to make chicken stock so nothing goes to waste.

5 Things to Consider in Making the Best Fried Rice

Fried Rice is the result when steamed or boiled rice are fried in oil or animal fat. For practical reasons, the Chinese first used this method to preserve and recycle leftover steamed rice for consumption. Nowadays, several varieties of fried rice are enjoyed throughout the world.

Making fried rice seems simple and easy. When asked as to how this is done, you might say “heat some oil and fry the steamed rice then add the other ingredients that you have”. While this statement is true, there are more things to consider that may help you make the best possible outcome out of what you have.

A friend approached me a week ago asking for some advice on how to make fried rice similar to the ones bought from Chinese take-outs. He tried making one the night before but the outcome was not satisfactory; the rice was clumped and it had a soft and sticky texture. So, I gave him some pointers which I learned from my past mistakes (sometimes we need to commit mistakes to be able to understand the right thing; it’s okay as long as we learned something from it). Here is what I told him:

1. Choose the appropriate rice variety

The variety of rice that you will use can make or break your expectations. Can you still recall how the fried rice that you ordered in the Chinese restaurant looks like? Notice how loose each grain was? Determining the texture of each rice grain is one way to examine the quality of your fried rice. Based on my experience, sushi or calrose rice, Jasmine rice, and other rice with soft and sticky texture when cooked do not make good fried rice. Using rice varieties with firm texture will likely give you good results. The two varieties that worked well for me are Mexican rice (the one used to make burrito) and Sinandomeng. You may want to check my post on Garlic Fried Rice recipe wherein I used day-old Jasmine rice. The recipe was superb though the rice was sticky (even if I followed the next pointer #2). This mistake lead me to experiment more and come-up with this article.

2. Prepare the rice before frying

Making the rice ready before frying is a smart move. The ideal rice that we need to use should have a firm outside texture. Using day-old rice is a good idea but it will be better if the rice is placed in a Ziploc or similar plastic container and refrigerated. You may also put the rice in the freezer and thaw it before frying. Since making fried rice involves cooking oil and other liquid seasonings (depending on the recipe), having a firm textured rice means less liquid is absorbed. This avoids the possibility for the rice to soften and become sticky. If in case you want to make fried rice from newly steamed rice, you don’t need to wait a day pass by. One proven technique is the use of baking sheet or aluminum foil. Simply place the hot rice on a baking sheet or aluminum foil and set aside until room temperature is achieved then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Also, make sure to loosen the rice before frying. This can be done by lightly pressing the plastic container until clumped is loose.

3. Ensure that your wok or frying pan is hot enough

It is important that heat is well distributed in the wok or frying pan that you are using. Since frying rice requires the maximum heat available, having enough heat on the pan makes the grains equally cooked.

4.Perform the proper stirring/tossing technique

Frying rice requires the proper stirring technique (or tossing) to preserve the shape and texture of the grain; this also prevents the rice from sticking. The proper way of stirring the rice is to push the spatula downwards (45 degree angle) until the bottom of the pan is reached. You need to scrape the rice that is stuck on the bottom of the pan and toss so to evenly mix all the ingredients. Do not press the rice with the spatula.

5. Prepare other ingredients beforehand

The ingredients that you will use depends on the fried rice recipe that you are doing. Here are the rules that I practice:

Meat – This pertains to pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, scallops, and even tofu (if required). When using raw meat, make sure to first cook the meat before putting-in the rice. Through this method, the rice won’t get overcooked and excess liquid from the meat (that may soften the rice) will evaporate before the rice can absorb it.

Vegetables– Raw vegetables also need to be cooked beforehand for the same reason as raw meat. If you are using packed frozen vegetables, you need to thaw them first and drain excess water.

Eggs – There are different ways to prepare the eggs. You may cook the eggs separately then dice or shred it before adding to the rice. The best time to add this is when the rice is almost done. Another way is to use the egg as binder. Beaten eggs are cooked while the rice is fried; eggs are usually placed in the middle of the cooking process.

Seasonings – There are some fried rice recipe that require the use of liquid seasonings such as soy sauce. I usually pour the liquid seasoning on the side of the hot wok so that it will be enough when then bottom of the pan is reached. This also helps loosen stuck rice on the bottom of the pan.

Do you have other pointers to add? Please let me know.

Tips on How to Enjoy Eating Sardines

Are you a fan of canned sardines? I am posting this question because I know of some people who don’t like it; I’m a bit curious and would want to know the reason why.

Personally, I like eating canned sardines though I can say that this is one of the foods that I can live without. I don’t really crave nor experiment some recipe with it but I make sure to stock a few cans just in case the need arises.

If you grew-up in the Philippines, chances are that your pantry is filled with different canned goods and probably canned sardines make-up at least 25 percent of your supply. This has been the practice of most people because preserved or non-perishable foods are necessary in order to survive during typhoons (the Philippines is hospitable enough to welcome at least 15 typhoons a year). I think that this was the main reason that forced me to try sardines when I was still a child – and eventually got used to it. Aside from this, I also learned that sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids: this is responsible in reducing occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and may also decrease the possibility of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

I usually eat a heavy meal during breakfast. Any entrée would do as long as there is rice (plain rice or garlic rice) on the side. I usually consume the leftover foods from the night before (its one way to live a frugal life) – but today is different. There were no leftovers, I haven’t had coffee yet to give me some boost, and I’m really starving. This makes me a starving lazy man that would grab almost anything to satisfy that growling stomach. This is an emergency – I thought. Its time to open some canned sardines that have been sitting in the pantry for a few months.

Eating sardines fresh from the can does not work for me. It has to be cooked one way or another to make it more appealing. For this meal, I sautéed some garlic and onions before pouring the sardines (this is the regular canned Philippine sardine in tomato sauce) then allowed it to cook for a few minutes. I smell something fishy – can’t do anything about it since it is fish that I’m cooking. What I can probably do is to neutralize or lessen the fishy taste: I simply do this by squeezing some lemon or some local lime (known as calamansi) over the sautéed sardines. This is the simplest and fastest method to prepare sardines – at least that I know of.

There are other ways to make your sardine meal more enjoyable or at least encourage you to try having some. Here are some suggestions:

Add some vegetables – adding vegetable in cooking canned sardines is not a bad idea; in fact, it is considered as a healthy combination. Imagine getting all the health benefits that are already present in sardines plus the vitamins and minerals that you can derive from the vegetable of your choice.Bottle gourd (upo) and angled luffa (patola) are the common vegetables cooked with sardines. These vegetables are sautéed with the sardines; an addition of some spices and a little water is also needed. Aside from that, this is also a good way to manage your tight budget and save you money. You see – the vegetables also act as fillers that increase the serving size of your dish.
Combine with noodles – There are several recipes out there involving canned sardines and noodles. In fact, some are even delicacies in certain regions of the Philippines. The most common noodle added to sardines is the thin flour noodle locally known as “Miswa”. I was able to stumble upon Lalaine’s post in her blog about this; you might be interested in knowing how to cook Ginisang Sardinas at Miswa. Odong is another sardine dish that you might be interested in. Popular in the southern part of the Philippines, odong is cooked by adding short yellowish spaghetti-like noodles (also known as “odong”) with the sardines. Market Man elaborates this topic in his blog.
Create a fancy snack – A fancy what? You read it right; sardines can also be eaten as a snack (just make sure to brush your teeth afterwards). A fancy snack can be some kind of sardine sandwich or a pandesal pizza perhaps.I am assuming that making pandesal pizza is a no brainer for everyone. You can make pandesal anytime by following our pandesal recipe post – we’ll be using sardines for the topping –of course. All you need to do is slice the pandesal in half and top the cut part with sardines. You may also top it with some grated cheese of your choice if preferred.Don’t be grossed-out, I understand that this isn’t for everyone; you might need to develop an acquired taste to enjoy this.
Make a soup out of it – Have you heard of “Sinigang na Sardinas”? Yes, it is a sour soup dish similar to that of our “Sinigang na ulo ng salmon”; the only difference is that it uses canned sardines instead of fresh fish. This might be a bizarre idea that seriously needs an acquired taste – but my take on this is simple: anything new can be considered bizarre, you need to try and get used to it to be able to develop a sense of appreciation. Check out the video on 10 Peso Meals with Chef Edward Bugia.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9YLPeppp_A

What do you think ? Do you have other suggestions to add? Please feel free to post a comment

How to Dice an Onion

Part of our culinary adventure is learning the proper method of preparing the ingredients. This article is intended to visually demonstrate the proper steps in dicing an onion. There are no incorrect procedure as long as the goal is achieved but following best practices tend to make work simple and easier.

Are you also doing the same method?

1. Using a knife, cut-off the pointy end of the onion.

2. Stand the onion up using the cut end as the base and divide it into two equal pieces by slicing in half through the root then peel off the skin.

3. Position half of the onion (cut-side facing down) and slice horizontally on the center. Make sure you don’t slice too far so that the root part is still in one piece.

4. Make a series of vertical slices (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart) ; do not slice through the root.

5. Hold the side with the root then perform a series of vertical slices perpendicular to what you did in the fourth step. The diced onion pieces will automatically be detached after every slice.