How-to Techniques

Neither you need to take up for a course in a culinary school, nor to get expensive equipments to help you. You don’t even need that much of an experience. All you need to be a better cook today is a little bit of knowledge. While most recipes you see are easy and straightforward to follow, there are many others do require a bit more skills. So on this page, I share with you some prepping techniques and tips I have relied over the years.

“Detoxify” Your Vegetables & Fruits

We can’t see them but it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Pesticides are present in the fruits and vegetables we eat, more or less. Primarily used during the process of cultivation, most of them remain as residues. They are toxic and bad for health, so it is always a good practice to “detoxify” your fruits and vegetables during your prep work. There are 3 common effective ways we can follow – Wash with salt, Vinegar soak and Blanch & Peel. Different methods work for different fresh produces. To find out more, click on the links below.

How to prep a Japanese Daikon.
How to prep a Burdock root, Gobo.
5 easy steps to cook fresh Edamame.
How to peel off Yuzu (citrus) peels.

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Prep Your Dried & Processed Foods

Because they have been treated prior sealing up in bags, there bound to have artificial food additives and preservatives added in most dried & processed food. Not only harmful, they raise your risk of having health problems if consume over long period. One good way to minimise the impact is by washing/soaking the dried and processed food in running tap water prior cooking or boil/blanch them in hot water. It can greatly reduce the harmful substances found in them. To find out more, click on the links below.

How to soak Dried Hijiki
How to soak Dried mushrooms
How to cook Soba noodles
How to remove excess oil from Aburage

Make Your Own Sauces & Dressings

One most intimidating truth about ready-made sauces and dressings is that you never get to know what are the real ingredients being put into the bottles. So as to create a sensational aftertaste, artificial colours and flavourings are very often added. Needless to say, none whatsoever is beneficial to health. This is why even if it takes time & effort, making your own is exceptionally worthwhile. It’s healthier and keeps calories, fat and salt levels to the minimum. Most importantly it tastes real and fresh. Check out the links below.

How to make Garlic soya sauce
How to make Mayonnaise
How to make Onion dressing
How to make Ginger-Sesame dressing

Make & Preserve Your Own Food

Able to enjoy seasonal food at its peak is marvellous but it would be even more impressive if we prolong their existence for the following seasons. Preserving your food isn’t difficult. Techniques like drying and freezing are easy processes that effectively lock your food in flavour and nutrition, whereas canning and fermenting require more skills and time. Store your food in jars and optimise their taste with a medium like salt, vinegar, sugar, soya sauce or even Japanese miso, home-canned foods are free of preservatives and they easily last through a year. Give food preservation it a try and check out these recipes below.