7 Tips For Daily Life In The Kitchen, Making Cutting Boards And Anti-mold Kitchen Knives Sharp In Seconds
The kitchen, the main place for cooking, is the core area of the home full of fireworks. However, it is also the place where all kinds of little troubles gather. Cutting boards that have been used for a long time will breed mold and emit unpleasant odors. When cutting meat with a kitchen knife, it is like a saw. Green vegetable leaves will wither and wither after a few days. Potatoes and onions sprout easily. Every cooking operation seems to be like going through many hurdles. These problems may seem small on the surface, but they actually have an impact on our mood when cooking and the health of our families. In fact, there is no need to invest in expensive tools or follow complicated procedures to solve these troubles. Many practical tips are hidden in various items we use every day. At this moment, I would like to provide you with seven practical tips for the kitchen that I have personally tested and verified to be effective. Each of them is simple and easy to operate. You can learn it as long as you learn it. I hope it can help you organize the kitchen more smoothly and cleaner.
To prevent mildew and deodorize cutting boards, add baking soda and white vinegar
If a wooden or bamboo cutting board is used for a long time, the knife marks on its surface can easily hide food residues, breed bacteria, and produce mildew and odor, which will directly pose a threat to food safety. Many people use boiling water to scald, but the effect is limited. Here is an efficient and environmentally friendly method: first wet the cutting board, then sprinkle a layer of baking soda evenly, and then squeeze in a little detergent that you use every day. Use the rough side of the scouring pad to wipe carefully, especially where the knife marks are deep. Then, place the white vinegar you usually use. You will see it react with the baking soda to form foam. Leave it for 10 minutes. During this period, the stain-removing effect of baking soda and the sterilizing and odor-removing power of white vinegar work together. Finally, rinse thoroughly with boiling water until thoroughly clean, and place vertically in a ventilated space to allow the moisture to fully dry. After this treatment, the cutting board has no odor at all, and has the ability to effectively inhibit the growth of mildew spots. When used again, it seems to be brand new and there is no difference.
Ceramic bowl base, sharpen kitchen knife in 30 seconds
Cutting with a dull kitchen knife is very difficult, and it is not convenient to send it to be sharpened. In fact, every household has a ceramic bowl or plate, which is a ready-made "sharpening stone". Turn the bowl upside down, and you will see an unglazed rough part on the bottom edge of the bowl. Hold the kitchen knife blade against the rough edge at an angle of about 45 degrees, and grind it forward and backward more than a dozen times as you would normally sharpen a knife. Remember that both sides of the knife must be polished evenly. The hardness of ceramic is higher than that of ordinary steel, which can effectively polish the blade and make it sharp again. From start to finish, it takes less than a minute. When cutting meat and vegetables, it immediately becomes easy and smooth. This emergency method is particularly practical.
Wrap roots with kitchen paper to lock in the watery texture of leafy greens
Such delicate green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and lettuce will easily lose water and wilt after being placed in the refrigerator for two days. In fact, the key to freshness is to properly protect the roots and maintain appropriate humidity. When the purchased vegetables come back, first cut off the dry or rotten portion of the vegetable roots to a small length. Then, pick a few pieces of kitchen paper and soak them in water, twist them gently until they no longer drip, unfold and wrap them around the roots of the vegetables. The processed vegetables should be put into a fresh-keeping bag, and a number of small holes need to be poked with toothpicks on the bag for ventilation. Finally, according to their growth status in the vegetable field, they are placed vertically in the refrigerated drawer of the refrigerator. Wet kitchen paper can continuously provide moisture to the roots. Vertical placement is in line with plant growth habits and can reduce energy consumption. Using this method, the vegetable leaves will still look juicy and plump after being left for a week.
Apples with potatoes, onions hanging from stockings
Potatoes will produce solanine once they sprout, and solanine is toxic, so it cannot be eaten; onions are prone to rot or sprout if left for a long time. Each has its own ingenious way of storing them. For potatoes, find a cardboard box or basket and put the potatoes in it, along with an apple or two. Apples release ethylene gas when they mature. This ethylene gas can effectively inhibit the growth of cells in the eyes of potato buds, thereby slowing down the rate of germination. By placing them together in a cool, well-ventilated place away from light, the storage time can be greatly extended. For onions, you can use old stockings. Place the onions one by one into the stocking, and after each addition, tie a knot between the two onions to separate them. Then hang in a cool, ventilated place. The stockings have good breathability and can be kept dry when hung. This makes the onions less likely to rot and can last for more than half a year.
Thaw with salt water, vinegar and water to quickly maintain nutrition
When many people are in a hurry to cook, they are keen to use hot water or even a microwave oven to defrost frozen meat. This will cause the surface of the meat to heat up quickly and deteriorate, but the inside of the meat will still be frozen, and the nutrients and flavor will be extremely lost. The correct way to quickly defrost is to use the thermal conductivity of water and the physical properties of salt. Place the frozen meat in a basin and add cold water (remember, never hot water) to cover the meat. Then add a spoonful of salt and a small spoonful of white vinegar. The freezing point of water can be lowered by salt, and the melting speed of ice is accelerated by salt; white vinegar can help soften the meat. Leave the meat for about 10 minutes before it becomes completely soft and evenly defrosted. Meat thawed in this way loses less nutrients, has a texture similar to fresh meat, and tastes better when cooked.
After high heat, add salt and fry green vegetables
Stir-frying vegetables may seem simple, but in order to stir-fry them until they are emerald green in color, crispy in texture, and water will not come out of the bottom of the dish, you need to grasp two core points. One is related to the heat, and high fire must be used throughout the process. Heat the pot until it is hot enough before adding oil and vegetables. The high temperature can quickly lock the moisture on the surface of the vegetables, thereby shortening the cooking time. This can prevent excessive loss of chlorophyll and cause signs of yellowing and blackening. Stir-fry quickly, and the total time should be controlled within 2 minutes. The second problem is the timing of adding salt. Salt must be added last before starting the pot. If salt is added in advance, the salt will force a large amount of water in the vegetable cells to precipitate, causing the vegetables to become soft and oozing water, and then lose their crisp and tender taste. Keep in mind the eight-character trick of "fry over high heat and add salt at the end", and the vegetables you fry can be as beautiful and delicious as those in the restaurant.
Add some salt and water to the cooked noodles to make them more chewy
If the cooked noodles stick together into a lump, it will not only look unpleasant to the eyes, but will also have a negative impact on the taste. If you want to cook noodles with clearly separated roots, chewy texture and smooth texture, then there are a few key steps that cannot be omitted. First of all, there must be a sufficient amount of water used to cook the noodles. After the water reaches a complete boiling state, a spoonful of salt must be added first, and then the noodles can be put into the pot. Salt can enhance the inherent gluten of the noodles themselves, thereby ensuring that the noodles do not stick to each other easily. Secondly, during the entire process of cooking noodles, the so-called "watering" operation needs to be performed. When the water boils again, add half a bowl of cold water to the point where the noodles float to lower the water temperature. When the water boils again, add another amount of cold water. The key point is to prevent the noodles from being overly gelatinized on the outside but still having a hard core inside, and to control the water temperature so that the inside and outside of the noodles are heated more evenly. The noodles cooked in this way taste chewy and chewy, and will never stick together into a ball. They taste great whether used to make soup noodles or mixed noodles.
Mentioned above are 7 kitchen tips that are very close to the reality of life. They do not require you to spend money to buy any special tools separately. They all use items that are already in your home. The key lies in the change of thinking and the application of some small skills. Only after the kitchen is properly organized, cooking will truly become a pleasant enjoyment. I hope these methods can really help you resolve the small troubles in daily life and make cooking more convenient and efficient. If you have your own unique kitchen trick, please let us know and share it for discussion, so that we can live a more enjoyable life together.
