Ever wondered how some people make basic meals taste out of this world, but when you try the exact same dish, it doesn’t have the same zing? We’re here to spill the beans on all those secret cupboard staples that can really enhance your meals with very little effort.
Did you know that cinnamon really brings out the flavour of a shepherd’s pie? Or that cheese rinds really help deepen the flavour of a soup? Well, here are a few tips to keep up your sleeve.
For the ultimate pasta bake… crush a pack of ready salted crisps, mix with grated Cheddar and then scatter over before baking – trust us!
For a light and silky chocolate cake… add a few tablespoons of mayonnaise into the batter.
To thicken the texture of a tomato-based curry… slice up a banana and add it in.
To make a chilli richer… grate dark chocolate into the mix when cooking.
Don’t believe us? Here are a few more.
If you’re making a meal that involves a tomato based sauce, whether that is for pasta, curry, stew or otherwise, especially if you’re using tinned tomatoes, make sure to squeeze in a little ketchup during the simmering process – it’ll help take out the acidity and add a little sweetness without having to add sugar. Similarly with cheese sauces, add a teaspoon of mustard as this will make it a little lighter and really compliment the flavour.
Are you cooking meat? You can add ground coffee beans when cooking a beef or pork joint to your seasoning to really bring out the flavour. If you’re cooking breaded chicken, you can keep it moist during the cooking process by coating the breast in mayonnaise before rolling in breadcrumbs
