8 recipe steps you can always skip
Everywhere you hear that you should read a recipe carefully before you start. And that’s true. But the more often you cook, the more steps you discover that you can actually skip just as easily.
Although I have no problem spending hours in the kitchen, I’m genuinely too lazy for some things. And you know what? No one can taste it if you happily leave out certain steps.
Peeling tomatoes
Unless you’re a professional chef, there’s really no need to peel your tomatoes when you’re making pasta sauce. That sauce has to simmer for a long time anyway, which softens the skins. If you really want a smooth texture, put everything in a blender or use a stick blender. Much less work.
Peeling ginger
I’ve never done it, and I never will. Chinese people even believe that you remove the soul of the ginger when you take off the skin. Something I’m happy to use as an excuse to skip this step completely in every recipe.
Toasting and grinding spices
Yes, you get the most pronounced flavor when you buy whole spices, toast them in a pan before using them, and then grind them into a powder yourself. But seriously, who actually feels like doing that? Cumin, coriander and allspice are all in powdered form in my cupboard. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Washing chicken
Maybe a little outdated, but many old recipes instruct you to wash chicken before you start working with it. Don’t. This step was once invented to wash any salmonella off the chicken, but the bacteria then spread throughout your entire sink. Not very helpful. They’ll die in the oven anyway.
Sifting flour
Almost every baking recipe says that you should sift the flour. This makes it airy, which improves the texture of the cake. Sifting is annoying, flour gets everywhere, and the good news is: you can just as easily use a whisk. Simply whisk the flour loose in the bowl and you’re good to go.
Using different bowls
If you followed some recipes to the letter, you’d sometimes end up with a hundred different dishes and mixing bowls — meaning a mountain of washing-up. Always read through the next steps in advance; you’ll often discover that you can manage with two bowls instead of four. You should never make salad dressing separately anyway. Just make it in the salad bowl, dump the ingredients on top and toss everything together just before serving.
Peeling cucumber and removing the seeds
Why would anyone do this? The skin is delicious. The seeds are delicious. Removing both takes time. Easy math, right? If you chop the cucumber really finely — or even grate it — for a raita or tzatziki, the end result may be a little more watery. But no one can taste that, honestly.
Measuring everything
It’s always important for flavors to be well balanced. But some recipes call for 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/6 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce. Just do it by feel. If you use a tablespoon, you can easily estimate all the proportions with it. And if that means using 1/6 instead of 1/8 teaspoon of something, it’s not the end of the world.
Washing rice
Many recipes say that you should wash the rice first, and yes, it does make the rice even tastier. Still, if you’re in a hurry, it’s absolutely not a must; unwashed rice is almost just as delicious.
