Thursday, August 12, 2010

Cooking Tips / Samaiyal Kurippukal

  • Avoid cooking at high temperatures; this may destroy some of the vitamins due to oxidation.

  • Avoid foods that are typically sprayed with pesticides.

  • Avoid using copper vessels. It destroys vitamin content.

  • Boil potatoes and beetroots with the skin.

  • Do not soak fruits for more than 15 minutes in water.

  • Do not strain the starch water from rice.

  • Don’t add too much of salt to your food.

  • Instead of frying, boil or bake.

  • Limit intake of pickles as pickles contain lot of salt.

  • Limit intake of salty processed meats.

  • Select lean meat cuts and trim the fat.

  • Steam or microwave the vegetables instead of boiling them.

  • Steaming is the good cooking technique. It retains more nutrients than boiling.

  • Store the vegetables in a refrigerator to retain vitamin content.

  • To prevent excess oil absorption, remove and drain on kitchen napkins.

  • Try to boil vegetables as whole and then cut. This will retain nutrients.

  • Use boiled vegetable water and lentil water for soups and gravies.

  • Use fat free chicken broth.

  • Use lemon juice, vinegar or spices to reduce need for salt.

  • Use less soda or baking powder as it irritates intestine.

  • Use low fat cooking methods like steaming, baking, poaching, broiling or grilling.

  • Use low fat milk instead of full cream milk.

  • Use low fat yoghurt or skim milk.

  • Use neat and clean tools for cutting, especially the knife and cutting table.

  • Use non stick cookware while you cook so that you use less oil.

  • Wash vegetables before you chop them.