1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper can be substituted with 4 drops Tabasco sauce OR 1/8 teaspoon red pepper or chilli flakes/powder. You can also use paprika, however it’s milder so you will need to use about twice as much.
Cooking and Baking Basics
What can I substitute for baking powder?
1 teaspoon baking powder can be substituted by ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ teaspoon cream of tartar OR ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ cup sour milk, buttermilk or plain yoghurt.
What can I substitute for buttermilk?
1 cup of buttermilk can be substituted by mixing 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup milk and letting stand for five minutes OR with 1 cup whole milk and 1 ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar OR with ¾ cup of plain yogurt and ¼ cup of milk OR with 1 cup…
How do you cook pasta?
Fill a pot with a litre of water and a teaspoon of salt per 100g pasta, and bring to the boil. Add the pasta and stir. Keep stirring occasionally to avoid the pasta sticking together. Fresh pasta will cook in 3-5 minutes, thin dried pasta in 6-9 minutes and thick dried pasta in 12-15 minutes….
How do you cook rice?
Rinse the rice first to get rid of excess starch, then use 1 ½ cups water for every cup of rice. Bring this to the boil on medium heat, uncovered. Turn the heat down and leave lid on at an angle – allowing steam to escape. When you see craters in your rice, put lid…
How do you prevent lumps in a sauce?
Lumps usually form in a sauce when you add too much flour or cornstarch at once. Instead of adding a spoonful of flour to the sauce, rather melt two tablespoons of butter per cup of sauce and then add two tablespoons of flour bit by bit – stirring continuously. When smooth, stir this mixture into…
What herbs go well with fish?
Fresh dill, parsley, lemongrass, garlic and chives go especially well with fish. However rosemary, basil, tarragon and basil are also widely used.
What herbs go well with chicken?
There are many herbs that go well with chicken, but the most classic and popular poultry herbs are sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary and basil. However garlic, turmeric, saffron, parsley and mint also compliment chicken very well.
How do you correct too much salt in a recipe?
The best way of getting rid of too much salt in a recipe – especially in stews, soups and casseroles – is to add a couple of sliced potatoes. This is because potatoes need salt in cooking to enhance their flavour, so they will soak up excess salt effectively. You can remove the potatoes after…
Why does my cake crack?
The most common reason for a cracked cake surface is an oven that is too hot – because the surface of your cake will set before the inside, and when the inside expands it cracks the surface. Another reason could be that you used too much baking soda or baking powder, so measure these ingredients…
Flavour of the month: Cayenne Pepper
The cayenne, also called Guinea pepper or bird pepper, is a hot, red chili pepper that can be used to flavour dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños and others. The fruits are generally dried and…
French Cooking Words to know before entering Culinary School
If you wish to enter culinary arts schools or culinary arts colleges, you should know the basic and common French words that are used in these schools and colleges for teaching culinary arts. Let’s take a look at the most important French cooking words that will help you when you enter a culinary arts school….