Cooking for many people feels therapeutic. That's also the reason why many of us love experimenting and cooking a lot of different things. But has it ever happened to you, when you are cooking, you suddenly realise that you are out of a specific ingredient? At such times, we always feel that our dish won't be complete or would lack a particular taste. However, that doesn't always have to be the case. If you are out of a specific ingredient and fear that your dish will taste incomplete, fret not. You can always swap specific components and have the taste you want. In fact, changing ingredients can also enhance the taste of your dish. However, if you are unsure of what all ingredients can replace and be replaced, a Reddit user recently enquired about the same. This thread has garnered many interesting tips. Take a look at them below:
Also Read: Healthy Diet Tips: 3 Nutritionist-Approved Tips To Detox After Binge-Eating
1. "Depending on the meal, I will replace liquids with other liquids. Instead of water, I will use stock. Instead of stock, I might use wine. Or vice versa, if I do not have stock, I will use water and then up the flavour elsewhere. If I do not have wine, I might use stock."
2. "I'm a south Indian in the US; fresh coconut is often difficult to come by, and processing it for future storage is also challenging on a busy schedule when you're cooking for one. I have found that coconut powder and flakes are excellent substitutes in many dishes requiring ground or grated fresh coconut; plus, they're shelf stable and can help adjust the dish's consistency too."
(Also Read: 3 Simple Diet Tips That Help Prevent Various Health Ailments - Expert Suggests)
3. "Sometimes, the best breadcrumbs are made by throwing all those dried-out little ends and crusts from various breads into the food processor. It must be spent on what you expect from your crumb choice, what kind of texture/flavour you're going for, and what you've got on hand."
4. "I replace unsalted butter with salted butter. Even in baking. I honestly like the extra salt, especially in desserts, since it balances out the sweetness."
5. "I'm vegetarian, so basically any dish that has chicken or pork in, I substitute it with tofu. It has a very neutral flavour, so depending on how you season and cook it, it can take whatever you want it to."
6. "When baking, dairy is interchangeable (mostly) with any other dairy. Sometimes you need to tweak it a little. Need milk, but have half-n-half? Thin it down a little with some water. Need buttermilk but have milk? Add some acid to milk, or thin down some yogurt a bit. I know it isn't exactly the same, but it always seems to work fine."
(Also Read: Skincare Tips: This Coconut And Turmeric Anti-Ageing Drink Is A Recipe For Healthy Skin)
7. "Wheat/gluten ingredients. There are so many alternatives! Gluten-free flour blends. Or use tapioca, rice flour, potato starch, buckwheat, etc., depending on the outcome."
So, the next time you cook, keep these tips in mind!