2018 kitchen tips!

Florence Okah-avae is a great foodie on the GOURMET GUIDE FOOD CHANNEL ON WHATSAPP, she shared the following kitchen yips with the house! This is however the edited version!

Good evening great foodies in the house😃It’s good to be with you this wonderful evening. I’m Florence Okah-Avae.. A foodie😍!

Today I want to give us a few KITCHEN TIPS. It will be on both safety and culinary.

The kitchen as we know is where we prepare and Cook our meals either in the Home,  restaurants  or hotels.

• The number one thing is that that environment must be kept clean.
• You should have the right cooking utensils.
• These include Pots, spoons ,bowls, knives, mortar/pestles, blenders amongst others .
• Most importantly is you must have food to Cook😅😂
  

  Now ,let’s look at safety tips in the kitchen

• Depending on what you use, that is gas, kerosene stove, electric cooker etc –  If you use gas., always make sure it’s turned off from the knob after use.

• Electric cookers must be switch off from the Wall.
• And kerosene stove must also be put off after use.
• All this is  to prevent fire ,and also save energy and money.
• Use dry napkins and oven mitts to remove pots ,plates and all hot utensils form the stoves.
• Never use wet napkins to avoid burns.
• Cover your pots when bleaching oil, this is to avoid spills , fuming and choking.
•  In case of fire.use wet and thick cloth over the cookers to dampen and eventually quench the fire.
• For those who use kerosene stove, always put off by lowering the wick.
• Avoid quenching with water as is commonly done.This could cause fire.
• Always mop the kitchen floor when there is spill from water, soup etc to avoid trips and accidents.
•  Make sure you keep napkins and cloths and rags away from fire.

• When cooking with kids, put sharp utensils and matches away from their reach and supervise their use.
• Also remove kerosene close to water and if swallowed give plenty of water and seek medical attention.

        Culinary Tips

•  Now let’s look at some culinary tip’s and  if there is time, we will give more on safety😂!
• Cook most foods with little water so that the nutrients are better preserved.
• These include Meat, fish, chickens. Yam and  plantains amongst others.
• Exceptions include beans and corn as well as other must-cook-meals or food products.
• Cook all veggies on low heat.
• Fry potatoes, plantains, and beans cake – akara etc on moderate heat.
• Allow all frozen foods to thaw before cooking and cooking must also be on low heat.
• Foods cooked on low heat are better cooked and tender and this saves time and energy.
• Don’t cover ogbono soup[ Nigerian draw soup] while cooking or still hot so that it doesn’t get watery.
• Put foods away from rats and insects, remember lassa fever!
• Cover your food while cooking unless you are there from start to finish.
• For pounded yam, always cut  the yams into small bits and pieces so that it cooks faster and saves time.
• If your soup is too thick, add slices of Onion to lighten it.
• If your soup goes a bit sour,  use a little potash to liven it it but if it is too bad,  throw  it away.
• If you have a big freezer,  put the likes of semovita, garri, beans, rice, flour and others in the freezer to help  keep them  fresh and if there are weevils, they  will  all die.
• Always fry with less oil
• Fry  your mackerel or Titus fish without oil.
• Cut them up, put in the frying  pan, cover and fry  with its own oil.
• Moi – moi are better cooked with leaves.

• Left over yams can be turned to fried yam the next time so long as they are refrigerated.
• When cooking with crayfish, use less SALT in your food because crayfish already contains some salt .
• When your children or kids soak garri without sugar and could not finish, you can use for EBA. No wastes😃
• For healthy living and  eating, use less of oil and fat.
• Do more of grilling rather than frying.
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