Good Living

  Soups  are served rich and nourishing. It includes fish, vegetables and/or meat. Light Soups The ingredients for light soups determine their nutritive value. Light soups are easily digested, when the meat or fish used and served with them are tender. Thick Soups Thick soups are made with ingredients such as palm nuts, egusi, yam, cocoyam, or cassava. In soup making : 1) The flavor must be full and good. Make sure that the ingredients are in the correct proportion. 2) Soups must be well seasoned. 3) Make use of thickening medium to; a) Give the soup correct consistency. b) Hold ingredients in suspension  and so prevents them from separating and settle at the bottom of the dish.

  This stock includes green vegetables or root vegetables. The water used to cook these ingredients as stock for soups, gravies and sauces. Fresh and scrubbed vegetables are used to make vegetable stock. Shred greens or cut roots into small pieces, cover with water and cook gently.

  The head, bones and skin are used. Break up the bones and wash them together with the skin.  Soaking with cold water, add some salt, allow it to boil and leave to simmer until the goodness is extracted.

  The stock constitutes liquid in which bones, fish, meat, vegetables or cereals are cooked to extract the flavor and soluble food substances. It is the foundation of soups and sauces which give a good flavor and extra nourishment.

  Foods that are pressure cooked are cooked in steam under pressure. The temperature is above the boiling point of water. The food cooks very fast, this ensures that more of the valuable nutrients are retained. Also, cooking time, is saved to a very great extent.

  Baking is a way of cooking through heat in an enclosed space.  The enclosed air is heated and the hot air cooks the food. In most cases, an oven is used for baking. General Rules for Baking 1) Heat the oven to the right temperature before putting food in. 2) Do not congest the oven. This would prevent the hot air from circulating. 3) Do not bake foods that give out moisture, e.g. meat, with foods that should be crisp when baked, e.g. pastry. The moisture softens the pastry and this negatively affects the end result. 4) Close the oven door gently, to prevent cold air from getting in.

  Roasting is a method of cooking food: 1) In an open pot over a glowing fire, e.g. roasted groundnuts. 2) On a grid over smokeless cinders or charcoal, e.g. roasted plantains. 3)In hot ash or sand, e.g, toasted sweet potatoes or cassava. 4) In a little oil in a pot(pot roasting, e.g. chicken, whole piece of meat. Grilling Grilling is a method of cooking under, in front or over an open smokeless fire, from an electric element or gas burner directed down on to the food. It is a quick way of cooking. Grilling is mostly used for meat and fish.  General Rules for Roasting and Grilling 1) Only the best quality food should be used. 2) Use only tender cuts of meat and pieces of fish. 3) Using a hot, glowing, smokeless fire to brown the food quickly. 4) Heat the grid before using it; this helps to brown the food quickly. 5) Grease wet food before placing it on the grid, e.g, fish and meat. This prevents them from sticking  and also drying up. 6) Turn foods repeatedly to prevent overcooking on