There’s no such thing as slaving away in the kitchen.
Food is a big part of our lives. Like, how are you even alive without it? Chimamanda once said, “Why would you leave something as important to your survival as cooking to someone else?”
So bring out your pens and papers or Chromebooks and stylus pens (for the ajebos)… here are some cooking tips to impress that guy or girl you’ve been meaning to ask out, redeem yourself in the eyes of your mother and shame your enemies.
And if you’re here because a friend is coming over soon, maybe you should just order Jumia Food or watch those ‘make spaghetti in 5 minutes videos’ because…
Tip 1: Start Small
A common beginner’s mistake is trying to recreate complex recipes from the web or something your mother can do in her sleep. Don’t do that. If you are just learning, start with the basics. Boiling water. Boiling egg. Boiling rice. Don’t start with efo elemi 2 billion. We know that you don’t want people to know you can’t cook but it’s not the end of the world. Besides, you have your whole life to learn. Why are you rushing?
Tip 2: Get Help From Youtube And Other Platforms
So who will teach you bai? Thanks to #RepresentationMatters, you no longer have to regret not paying attention when your mother was explaining how to get thick okra soup. There are so many African YouTubers who are willing to teach you how to cook everything from spaghetti bolognese to party jollof.
Tip 3: Set A Goal Dishes List
Whether you’re having a revival moment, learning as a hobby or you want to impress bae, get serious about cooking by setting some goals. Why not? You do it for money, work, health so why not food. Pick dishes you like or want to try and work towards them. For example, Jollof by month 1, amala by month 2, ofada by month 3.
Tip 4: Don’t Start With Expensive, Million Ingredient Dishes
Cooking can be expensive, that is why owo obe is always causing a matter. Mistakes are inevitable in a beginner’s journey but you can make them more bearable knowing it was a cup of rice that got burnt and not a whole pot of ugwu, crayfish and pepper.
Remember to start with recipes containing few ingredients and little preparation to boost your chances and confidence. You’ll need it for later.
Tip 5: Practice Practice Practice
Like any other skill, practice makes perfect. Cooking methods and tech are always improving, and new hacks are always being discovered. You don’t have to be using 19th century techniques for something that can be done with the snap of your fingers. Make your cooking easier by keeping up with the latest trends. I mean look at the rice cooker. A whole machine for rice. Ahmazing!
Do you have any cooking fails? Share your experience with us in the comments. Stay tuned for part 2 to find out what other cooking tips we have for you.
#TheGoodStuff serves up some light reading with 2 shots of humor and a dash of sarcasm. In this edition, learn 5 cooking tips to put you on top of your game in the kitchen.
