In Nigeria, the kitchen is the heart of the home, a bustling hub where magic happens. Yet, as much as we adore preparing pots of steaming deliciousness, time is a precious commodity and we must find ways to save it.
Here are some ingenious kitchen hacks to help you whip up your favorite dishes faster, leaving you more time to enjoy them.
Pre-marinate Meats
Meat dishes are central to many Nigerian meals. Save time by pre-marinating your meats. Prepare them and marinate in advance, then freeze in portions. When you’re ready to cook, thaw the meat and it’s already infused with flavor, cutting down prep time.
Easy-to-Use Ingredients
These are ingredients that make cooking easy and save a lot of cooking time. Say you are in the mood for a rich traditional meal, but just the thought of pounding yam discourages you from getting your fill. With our Ayoola Poundo Yam you can get a plateful of delicious poundo yam in as little as five minutes. All our Ayoola Foods products are easy to use and provide delicious and nutritious meals in every serving.
Ready-to-Use Stock
A rich, flavorful stock is the backbone of many soups and stews. Instead of making fresh stock each time, prepare a large batch and freeze it in smaller portions. Small plastic containers work perfectly. This way, you can add depth to your dishes without the wait.
Batch Cooking
Take a page from the book of efficiency: Prepare large quantities of stew, soup, or sauce when you have the time. Store them in the freezer in meal-sized portions. On busy days, just defrost and reheat. Your future self will thank you, especially when you can enjoy a hearty meal with minimal effort.
Pre-chop and Freeze Veggies
Imagine this: you’re craving some efo riro, but the thought of chopping all those vegetables makes you reconsider. Solution? Pre-chop your vegetables and store them in the freezer. Spinach, ugu, water leaf, and even bell peppers can be chopped, stored in zip-lock bags, and frozen. When it’s time to cook, you just grab what you need. It’s like having a sous-chef without the extra mouth to feed.
Utilize Kitchen Gadgets
Invest in time-saving gadgets like a food processor, hand blender, or slow cooker. These tools can significantly reduce the time you spend chopping, blending, and simmering. A food processor can finely chop vegetables in seconds, while a slow cooker allows you to set cooking time, freeing up your day for other activities.
One-Pot Wonders
Embrace sheet pan meals and one-pot wonders. Toss together veggies, protein, and seasonings, and let the oven do the work. Minimal cleanup, maximum flavor!
Remember, cooking should be enjoyable, not stressful. Check our previous blog post to see how to meal prep and save more cooking time. By incorporating these time-saving hacks, you can get delicious, healthy meals on the table without sacrificing precious time. Now go forth and conquer the kitchen!
