Latest Cooking Answers

How to shape the perfect bao dough

I made char siu bao for the first time last night and followed this recipe to make the dough. It came out great tasting but bad looking- I couldn't find advice

Flavour combinations - structural analysis

Without neccesarily going into molecular cooking (although we could): does any literature / website / theory provide information on flavor / flavour combination

How do I avoid dry meat and burned masala and rice in biryana?

I have tried to make Biryani several (3, lol) times using this recipe but never got it right. The meat gets too dry, and the masala and rice often get burned. H

What's the best way to keep sushi fresh for the following day?

I like to prepare makizushi in the night so that I can take it in to Uni the following day and have it for lunch. They're made using nori, sushi rice and some v

Looking for an Italian cheese similar/identical to the French Brie

I am looking for a an Italian cheese that I can use as substitute to Brie. It should have the same consistency and creaminess, as well as delicate flavour. Any

How can I attach printed rice paper decorations to cakes / cookies?

I bought some printed rice paper decorations (flat circles of rice paper printed with edible ink) for my son's birthday party. I'm not sure what the best way is

Brown Rice vs White Rice in Stuffed Pepper

I often make a stuffed pepper in my crock pot stuffed with a ground meat and rice mixture. For liquid, I pour some tomato juice into the pepper. I used to make

How do you make whole-wheat bread less crumbly? -- (Without adding gluten)

I usually make bread with 100% whole wheat flour, but I have never been able to make good sandwich bread that way, because it is does not have a very elastic te

dark black furrows in sweet potatoes

I have a large jewel yam. I peeled, diced, and boiled it with sugars and some spices. When I peeled it, I noticed there were deep darkish furrows in the potato,

Can I increase the cocoa content in fudge?

I've been using a standard fudge recipe that works great, and yet I only wish was that it was even more chocolatey, with more cocoa taste. If it was less sweet

What kind of cheese is the result of boiling milk with vinegar at home?

With this recipe http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cheese-at-Home, which out of the following required cheese will I get at home?http://www.food.com/recipe/incredibly

Do all varieties of cocoa naturally taste bitter?

Very simple question. I bought some roasted cocoa seeds and tasted them, they have a slight "bitter" flavour and not "sweet" as I imagined when I was a kid. No

How can I tell which fruits etc. contain proteases?

After my second attempt at making a ginger mousse with gelatin and finding that it fails, I've discovered that fresh ginger contains a protease. I knew that pin

Should flour be thrown out past its expiry date?

As the title says, is it safe to consume flour once its past its expiry date or should it be thrown away?

Is there a cholesterol-free substitute for egg noodles?

As the title says, I am looking for noodles that I can use to replace Japanese egg noodles, that are also low in LDL cholesterol. Can someone please suggest an

Do more peppers mean more heat?

I see a lot of the hottest foods having multiple peppers used in their sauce, with the infamous ghost peppers being among them. If the ghost pepper is the hotte

Homemade coconut milk in coffee compared to store bought

I've been making my own homemade coconut milk recently because I don't like the list of ingredients (thickeners, emulsifiers, etc.) typically found in store-bou

Help freezing chicken breasts

I buy a huge bag of chicken breasts at Costco (great deal...nice portions), but they come in this huge zip-top bag that was meant for food service. Each breast

Shirred eggs elements

I've found a number of recipes online for shirred eggs. Some have a fat (cream, ham) beneath the eggs; others don't (except for a bit to grease the ramekin). S

What do I need to get started with American style Barbecue?

With summer on the way here in the UK, I'd like to start trying some American style BBQ - ribs, pulled pork, brisket etc. as well as perhaps the odd steak and e

How to reduce the bitter taste in broccoli rabe

My typical way to cook broccoli rabe is to saute it in olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes for a few minutes and then eat it just above room temp. While I

Refreezing already thawed bread

I bought a loaf of bread some weeks ago, which the lady behind the counter explained was frozen (because it was leftover). This was okay for me. The bread was s

What should I use to build a parrilla?

Basically, I just need the grate. From what material should it be made, to make it food safe? Any idea how I can obtain it in a reasonable price? Per Wikipedia

What's the trick to wrapping tightly in plastic wrap?

In grocery stores, they seem to have some trick for wrapping produce and other items tightly in what appears to be standard household plastic wrap. At home, I

Is there something wrong with the corn kernels that don't pop?

Usually, at the end of a bag of popcorn, or when you pop your own on the stove, there is a certain number of kernels left unpopped. Why is that? Is there some

"Dry" foods from slow cooker

I know the basic usage of slow cooker is for stews, soups, pot roasts and various other foods that have high water content - essentially, simmered in some kind

When to add fresh basil to a tomato sauce?

Is it better to add fresh basil to a tomato sauce and then let it cook for say, 10 mins, or wait till the end and add just before serving?

Does a home produce refrigerator exist?

It seems there are many foods that benefit from 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit / 10 to 15 degrees Celsius storage temperature--herbs, peppers, tomatoes, etc. As i

candied mints storage and transporting long distance

I'm making mints for my nephew's wedding (containing powdered sugar, butter, white syrup). The wedding is in August. I have to travel more than 1,000 miles to w

Can I use cornstarch in fondant icing?

Can I use cornstarch instead of gelatin in a fondant icing? If so, what is the needed quantity of cornflour/starch given that the original recipe asks for 1 tea