"You'll Notice A Difference Right Away": Latine Cooks Shared Their Go-To Cooking Hacks, And My Kitchen Is About To Be Smelling Delicious
I asked Latin American chefs in the BuzzFeed community to share the cooking hacks they swear by. Here are 14 tips and tricks that'll bring your food to a whole new level:
1."When making salsa, a tip my mom always swore by was to use two different kinds of chiles to make a spicier, more complex salsa."
2."If you ever over salt a dish like rice, soup, or anything with a lot of liquid, add a half-peeled potato. The potato will absorb the salt and balance out the flavor instead of forcing you to start over. When I first started cooking on my own, I always added too much salt. Learning the potato trick saved me many times."
—Anonymous
3."For the best chicken soup broth base, start off by pan frying some tomatoes, onions, and garlic, and maybe some jalapeños for spice if you like that. Once your tomatoes are cooked down and onion is slightly transparent, add it to the water that the chicken is being boiled in. It adds so much flavor and a nice color to your broth!"
—Anonymous
4."I make camarones empanizados (battered fried shrimp) a lot in the summer as an appetizer. A tip that I use to make sure that they come out extra crispy is to double batter, dip the shrimp, then line them on a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge for at least an hour. It helps to keep the batter on the shrimp when you deep fry them, and they come out golden and crispy every time."
5."Use bouillon as a seasoning. It adds another layer of flavor and depth to anything you make. My favorites are chicken and tomato. One of the reasons Latin food tastes so good is because it utilizes salt, sugar, heat, and umami. Lots of Hispanic seasonings have MSG, sugar, pepper, and salt. Bouillon cubes are no different. You’ll notice a difference right away in your sauces, rice, beans, stews, etc.
6."Before you add spices to a marinade or grind them for a seasoning, toast them in a pan. Doing this releases oils that bring out the flavor and make it bolder."
7."I hate deseeding spicy peppers. A hack I use to make it easy is I cut them in half, then use a spoon to easily scoop out the seeds. Now, your eyeballs aren't at risk of accidentally getting a spice attack, especially if you're chopping onions next and forget. Not that I would know."
—Anonymous
8."If you have a gas stove or access to a heat element, char your own peppers, tomatillos, etc. to really boost the flavor profile!
9."My number-one tip to all home cooks when making Mexican food is to MAKE YOUR OWN SALSA. It probably seems a bit daunting, but it's actually quite easy, and it makes the world of difference in your recipes."
"Here is my go-to recipe that my mami taught me when I first started cooking:
3 Roma Tomatos
1 Serrano (or more if you want it very spicy)
2 dried Chile de Arbol (or another chile of of your choosing)
1/4 onion
2 cloves of garlic
Wrap tomato, garlic, onion, and Chile Serrano in foil, and put it over an open flame. Flip every two minutes for about 5-6 mins until roasted. (You can broil these same ingredients instead for 2 minutes on each side if you prefer). Throw all ingredients into the blender until combined, but still slightly chunky. Season with salt. Optional: Top with some chopped cilantro.
Enjoy this salsa with chips, over tacos, on a burrito bowl, eggs, etc.!"
10."When I'm making rice and meat for dinner, I always cook the meat of the meal first. Then, after toasting the rice, I cook it in half water and half meat drippings instead of just water. It yields flavorful rice every time!
11."If you're new to using a tortilla press, make sure to put parchment paper on both sides before flattening the masa. It'll prevent it from sticking or breaking, and makes it much easier to remove."
—Anonymous
12."When I'm refrying beans, my trick is to first sauté chili peppers that have been cut into chunks — either chiles de árbol, jalapeños, or serranos — in the pan. Then, after the chiles are cooked, I add the beans. It brings the flavor to a whole new level."
13."Here's a breakfast recipe you might not have tried before, but definitely should. Gallo Pinto! Add some onion, garlic, and bell pepper to rice when cooking. Once it is done, add some olive oil, onions, and garlic to a pan. Fry them, then add 1 cup of cooked black beans and 1 cup of cooked rice. Mix everything together. Add cilantro, cumin, and just a tiny bit of mustard. Finally, add 2 basil leaves, and turn off the heat. Mix again...and voilà!"
"You can serve it with fried eggs, bacon, and a toast. 10/10 a great breakfast."
14.And finally, "When I make a salsa verde, I roast the tomatillos and chiles before blending them together, instead of just cooking it after it's already blended. It gives it a much deeper flavor."
Did we miss any? If so, share them with us in the comments below or via this anonymous form!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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