If you’re used to only eating takeout, start cooking
Cooking is absolutely in my list of top three hobbies. If you’re trying to survive the boredom of being stuck at home and you want to stay healthy, cooking can be a great hobby to start obsessing over. Don’t fall into the trap of ordering takeout every day this month, instead order some basic ingredients from your favorite dishes and make them at home.
The best way to start is by making sure you have the basic kitchenware to cook—a sharp kitchen knife, frying pan, a pot to boil (with a lid), baking pans, and hopefully you have an oven for baking. If you have these tools, the next step is making sure you have the essential seasonings and cooking oil. Salt, pepper, and olive oil are the three fundamental parts of any dish.
If you want to give your pallet a great experience I also recommend adding these spices and sauces to your cabinet:
- Cumin
- Basil
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Garlic (garlic powder is okay)
- Ginger
- Soy sauce
- Lemon juice
- and oyster sauce
I have a preface for cooking Latin and Asian dishes but, I’ve found that most meals that have meat are better served with any combination of four spices from the list above, in addition to salt and pepper. Additionally, you want to learn how to cook three fundamental carbs:
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Pasta/Noodles
Taking your diet out of consideration for a moment, these three carbs are found in most Latin and Asian dishes and are great for your budget. Once you master cooking these three types of carbs, then you can start diving into cooking veggies and meat.
Another aspect of cooking you definitely want to start learning about is preparation. Prepping for a meal saves you time and makes the whole process of making food easier. The skills you’ll need to learn for prepping include knife skills, portion control and measuring, and learning how to marinate.
Lastly, to begin your journey into your new cooking hobby you want to start learning from these three Youtube channels:
No one article or video can encapsulate the world of cooking and this article in particular only scratches the surface. However, I hope that the lists above show you how easy it is to get started with a very productive and fun hobby!
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