Beginner edition: Ways to get familiarized with cooking
If you are just starting out in the kitchen, then you might be unsure where to begin. Remember that cooking as a beginner does not have to be a difficult experience. You can prepare tasty meals for the entire family with the appropriate tips and practices and eventually get better at it. Cooking can be made fun and less stressful with these points.
Clarify the recipe
Reading out the entire recipe before cooking allows you to become acquainted with the meal and gives you a clear picture of which ingredients and tools you need and what you are on the hook to do. You will be more confident when you proceed this way. Take as much time as you need to review and thoroughly understand the instructions.
Make notes while you cook
As a beginner, everything may take much longer than you estimate. Allow yourself an hour or more to cook your dish, irrespective of what the recipe says. Additionally, while preparing the meal, note down everything you have observed in your process of making it. This makes it easier to go back and refer to the notes the next time you make the same dish.
Trial and error method
Initially, you might try to stick to the original recipe as closely as possible. However, eventually try experimenting with it by replacing a few ingredients, playing around with the measurements, etc. Not always will you get a desirable result but keep going. Remember to follow your instincts and go with the flow. You may know more than you think.
Plan your meals
While starting out, you can do the preparations earlier. Keep chopped ingredients ready, the dressing ready, and do similar smaller tasks earlier so that you get enough time to cook. Likewise, you can also make two wholesome dishes instead of many with a little planning. Think about what you can make out of those ingredients or with the leftover food.
