TIPS & TERMS FOR SAFE COOKING

CLEANLINESS
Hygiene in the kitchen is very important. Always wash your hands thoroughly before you start to prepare any food. Tie back long hair and wear an apron so that your clothes are protected. Use two chopping boards when preparing food, a wooden one for vegetables and a plastic one for meat.

Always wash the boards before and after use. Fruit and vegetables must be washed thoroughly before being prepared for cooking. Rinse raw meat under cold running water and then pat dry with some kitchen towel before using. Never leave the kitchen in a mess, always clean up the dishes and the work area when you have finished preparing the food.

BE CAREFUL
Remember to always think about what you are doing when you are using knives and the cooker and oven. Knives are sharp and the cooker gets very hot, so make sure you have a grown up to help you at these times.
Also remember that if you have to turn on electrical appliances when you are cooking, you must make sure your hands are not wet.
If you spill anything onto the floor, clean it up immediately so that you don’t slip, especially if you are carrying a dish of food.

EGG TEST
To make sure the eggs you are using are fresh, try this test. Place the egg into a glass of cold water. If it stays at the bottom and does not stand upright, or float on the surface, then it is fresh.

THE ABC OF KITCHEN TERMS

BAKING
Baking means to cook with dry heat in an oven

BOILING
When you bring a liquid to the boil, you heat it up on the stove over a high heat until it bubbles.

FUN
This is what you should be having when you cook!!

MEASURES
The success of a recipe depends on the exact measuring of the ingredients. Here are some abbreviations for measurements.

g gramme l litre tsp teaspoon dsp dessertspoon

PREHEATING
Before you place food into an oven, you have to bring the oven to the correct temperature. Reading the recipe instruction will tell you what is the correct temperature for each recipe.

SEASONING
Most foods need seasoning, such as salt and pepper and herbs, otherwise they can taste bland.

SIMMERING
Once food has been brought to the boil, the heat is reduced and the food then simmers, which means it cooks gradually over a moderate heat.

STEAMING
Steaming is a healthy way to cook vegetables. It means cooking with only a little water or liquid. The cooker is turned down to a low heat, the saucepan covered with a lid.

THAWING
Frozen foods usually have to be thawed out before you can use them for cooking. Always check the label on the packet for instructions.

Now let’s get started on your first recipe, just choose one from the list by clicking on the Orange Recipe button at the top of the page.

Have fun everyone!