Recently while making Ginger-Jalapeño Tofu Marinated Soup with Fried Rice Noodles, it happened again. I realized my food would have turned out better had I taken time to carefully read the recipe and check over my ingredients prior to starting.
I had the veggies prepped, the broth started, and the noodles soaking in warm water. The noodles were to be fried into a pancake. The recipe said, “Put into a bowl of warm water and soak for 5 minutes.” Five minutes passed and the noodles weren’t soft enough for frying. Ten minutes later, and I was in a bit of a time crunch, so I went with “good enough.” I could have easily prevented having to succumb to “good enough” had I read the recipe thoroughly and bought the right type of noodles.
When you come to The Chopping Block for a class or an event, you get a packet of recipes. Many instructors say something like, “You can follow along if you would like, but I will walk you through the recipe, and you will find success without even referencing it.” This works in class, but it won’t work at home. For some, reading a recipe is like reading directions to a game, not that much fun. Let this post be a reminder that reading a recipe is pivotal to kitchen success, efficiency, and enjoyment of food preparation.
Important Reasons to Read a Recipe Completely in Advance
Ingredient Availability
You want to make sure you have what you need and in the right quantities. Substituting or running out of in the middle of cooking creates undue stress and substituting demands alternate ingredient availability. When you start cooking, putting the ingredients in order of use, which may or may not be how they are listed, is another way to ensure you’ve got what you need.
Procedural Understanding
Recipes present procedures in varying ways and with a variety of terms, forcing flexibility and interpretation. Just take a look at the cookbooks mentioned in 5 Cookbooks I Can’t Live Without, for verification. In reading the recipe you can look up any new terms instead of battling the alternative, dirtying your devices. It can be helpful to picture yourself completing each step and thinking about your tools and equipment and where in the kitchen each step will take place.
Equipment Needs
Just like thinking about ingredient needs, it’s important to consider what tools and equipment you have and what will work. If your pan is too big maybe you will need to split the work into two pans and vice versa. Consider what you can use if you don’t have the tools suggested.
Time Management
Knowing the cooking time, prep time, and any necessary resting or chilling periods allows you to plan your cooking schedule effectively. You won’t start a three-hour project for which you have budgeted one hour. Taking the time needed for each step ensures an optimal result. For example, chilling and rest times can be essential to a quality dough texture.
Here is a video modeling a comprehensive reading of a recipe and how to consider the tools, time and ingredients needed.
In the end, a thorough review helps you avoid overlooking something important, that could lead to a less-than-desirable outcome and/ or experience. While eating is a necessity for life, let cooking, a vehicle for sustenance, be a fun part of the process. Set yourself up for success.
As always, there are a multitude of classes coming up at the The Chopping Block featuring delicious recipes including, hands-on Mediterranean Boot Camp on Saturday, March 22 at 10am at Lincoln Square. You'll get plenty of practice reading recipes as well as observe methods for organizing ingredients and tools.
