Cooking techniques one needs to learn before moving Abroad:
When you move abroad to study, it is a common feeling to miss your favourite restaurants and dishes back home. Moreover, you may also feel the urge to try the new and cool restaurants in the new country that you would be in. But you should find the right balance between taking advantage of the opportunity to try new dishes and spending your month’s whole budget in a single week of eating out.
Therefore, you need to know some key cooking techniques so that you can become self-dependent and also save on money. This article will introduce you to just that!
Keeping it simple
To make the process of learning to cook fun, it is essential to keep it simple and easy. Don’t jump onto delicious-looking but complex recipes that you may crave to eat. Cooking with rice and pasta is a good start for most beginners. It is because you easily add a range of sauces and spices that you like. You should ideally start with pre-packaged sauces and then work your way up to making your own.
Stock up on basic supplies
Over time, you realize that a lot of recipes use the same base ingredients. Therefore, it is a good idea to stock on these basic supplies that would help you cook seamlessly. These include salt, pepper, mixed dried herbs, cooking oil, pasta, rice, tomatoes, flour, sugar, bread, potatoes, etc. While these may seem expensive at first, many of the ingredients are likely to last for years and save you a lot of money in the long run.
Get yourself that ONE pan
Many people believe that they would be able to cook better if they have a better assortment of pans. But you actually need just one good pan or a maximum of two.
It is recommended that you buy one fairly decent quality non-stick frying pan which has a little depth and a lid. You can cook a lot of things in a pan and the non-stick ones are very easy to clean.
Freezing food
Students who are on a tight budget absolutely need to know about freezing food. Freezers can help your food stay fresh for months. However, there may be a battle over freezer space if you are sharing your apartment or room with other students.
One thing you can do is use freezer bags instead of boxes and they take less space.
If you seriously cannot cook any food, because of genuine incapability or lack of time, you can always find a catering service that your university of student housing may provide. Nevertheless, you should know the basics of cooking to be able to live confidently.