Latest Cooking Answers

Special twist to make pasta noodles like the ones at Take Aways / Kebap Huts

You people out there are my last hope for finding my holy grail. I have tried dozens and dozens of recipes - none of them came even close to what I am searching

Balti versus European cookware

I've read about the Balti bowl (the cookware, not the dish). Apparently, one can cook specific recipes with it. For example, it is used to prepare a curry over

Crispy cold fried chicken

James Beard rhapsodized about cold fried chicken, and I agree with him: not as good as fresh, but still the best thing at the picnic. Of course, if you pull the

Wine reduction sauce a little too rich

I made a wine reduction sauce using a great merlot and some low sodium broth (onions and fond too!). I started by making a roux and then reduced the sauce. It h

Yorkshire pudding - how do the proportions of the ingredient affect shape, texture and taste?

Some very interesting posts, like this one, which has links to some more extensive discussions and websites that I consulted, too, describe some aspects of the

What are unique properties or advantages of tagine?

Recently I saw a tagine from Le Creuset and tried to gather more information about it (materials, usage, etc.). But I could not figure how it sets itself apart

Why does some mayonnaise burn when toasted?

I've been toasting sandwiches with mayo on the outside, and Sir Kensington's Classic Mayonnaise leaves burnt/black stain on the toaster. Other mayo (kraft...) l

How tight should the lid be when braising?

Much of the braising guidance I've read emphasizes the importance of a tight-fitting lid. For example, in All About Braising, pp. 18-19, Molly Stevens provides

Does leavened bread made with yeast require gluten to rise?

I want to understand which flours can and can't be used with yeast to get a rise for baking bread. From what I understand, yeast consumes sugar and produces car

Mixing vegetables in a blender (e.g. for soup) - does the percentage of fiber decline?

Imagine you have some food (e.g. 100g of mushrooms) and you mix them to a soup. To what degree the percentage of (insoluble) fiber is affected? I don't mean the

GIving that alcoholic taste to yeast-leavened cakes (panettones)

For the last 3 new year evenings I've tried to make panettones (both chocolate and fruit ones) and my recipe is getting better, with the last one being the firs

Are there different flavours of cumin?

I’ve recently cooked the same recipe with different batches of cumin. The first time when I added the cumin it gave off a Middle Eastern / Indian scent,

Pasta water usable with lentil pasta?

I'm planning on making a pasta dish tonight that uses the pasta cooking water in the sauce. Something like cacio e pepe. The pasta I've got is the high protein

Is natural yoghurt & soured cream a good replacement for khatta dahi (Indian sour yoghurt/'curd')

Dahi is a natural unpasteurised yoghurt eaten as-is and an ingredient in India, aka curd in Indian English (different to curd in Br/Am E. though). Khatta dahi i

Can I use a saucepan to cook non-liquid things, like making omelets?

I know that saucepans are good for cooking things in a liquid or with decent liquid content, but are they good for sauteing or making omelets, just things that

How to smooth a wooden rolling pin

My wooden rolling pin has a rough patch on it due to the grain of the wood. When I roll out pastry with it, the pastry tends to stick to the rolling pin at that

Pork substitute for Game Meat Pie

I found out my friend can’t have fatty pork products (grew up not eating it for religious reasons and now if she has really rich fatty pork products it ma

Do I use the Air Fry fan when baking with the Emeril 360 Air Fryer/Oven?

The air fry fan comes on automatically but the instructions seem to indicate I should push it off. Is it still convection cooking or is the Air Fry button for

Why does my cake lack air bubbles and looks like a molten mass?

I have tried to do cakes many times and I frequently have the problem of my cake not having the bubbly structure I expect, but rather looking like a smooth mass

bread made with egg safe to leave outside?

I have some bread that has egg in it. Safe to leave the bread at room temp after baking? Im asking because I wouldn't leave scrambled eggs at room temp but is

What are food additives that help popsicle/shaved ice melt slower?

What are food additives that help popsicle/shaved ice melt slower? Simple popsicle ingredients: water, sugar, flavoring I used agar agar and gelatin before,

panna cotta gelatine and size/form

Suppose I've found my "sweet spot" for the amount of gelatine for a recipe of panna cotta which has been tried only for individual portions that are either turn

Dried and Salted Fish Fillets (e.g. cod) Sous Vide

I don't have much experience cooking with dried and salted fish, but as far as I have read traditional recipes start with a long soaking time in water (and also

Cooking pasta in water temperature range?

I'd like to know what is the temperature range in which pasta can be cooked in water. I'd be interested in this in order to waste less energy/heat as opposed to

Cumin in Taco Seasoning?

I've noticed that I never taste cumin in the tacos I get at restaurants, yet cumin is often the most noticeable flavor in pre-made taco seasonings. When and why

Does the vendors’ storage method affect shellfish quality?

For the same shellfish (like Little Neck clams), Some supermarkets keep them in tanks with running water: While other supermarkets fridge them dry, without

What is the thick black soysauce that they pair with Hainanese Chicken Rice

In Singapore, whenever you order Hainanese Chicken Rice, they will give you three dipping sauces, including a thick black, slightly sweet soy sauce. It's very

How are food dyes affected by heat and ingredients?

I made a cake today using bog standard marge, white sugar, eggs, self-raising flour and a pinch of baking powder. I added enough pink food colour (supermarket

How do I know if water in supermarket's seafood tank is salty enough?

Undoubtedly no body is to taste water tank in supermarkets with live seafood! Don't ask me rely on supermarket salespeople. When I ask, they either don't know

Retain chilli powder taste till end of cooking

When I add chilli powder to an Indian curry, and let it lid-closed for next 5-7 minutes, by the time it's cooked, it loses it's taste and the curry becomes blan