Tortilla has been a staple food in Mexico for many centuries now. They are even made for business or profitable purposes as Mexican foods were in demand to some places in America, Europe and Asia. Tacos, Burritos and Enchiladas are prepared with Tortilla. The following uses of Tortilla to some common food in Mexico are as follows:
1.      Tortillas are rolled and baked for Enchiladas.
2.      It is fried for Tacos.
3.      For Quesadillas, it is meant to be grilled.
Being the staple food of Mexico and with its many uses, you can never take away the engagement it might bring to the consumers.
Cooking Tortillas are an easy process. Take a look on how it goes.

The recipe of tortilla includes:

1. 1 ¼ warm water
2. 2 cups flour (masa harina in Mexico)
3. ½ tsp salt. Salt kosher (if using table salt, use less)

Let’s start cooking tortilla:

1. First, you should prepare the said recipes.
2. Second, get the flour and salt and mix them in one deep bowl. The size of the bowl depends on your preference.
3. After mixing the salt and masa harina(flour), add water.
4. Press repeatedly the masa harina and water together until the tortilla dough start to crumble.
5. Turn the tortilla dough into a ball structure, cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for at least 45-60 minutes.
6. Break the dough into pieces of balls by pressing them between your palms.
7. At times, the dough may be dry. Its indication is when you see cracks along its edges. You might add little water to the dough and knead it a little more until it looks smooth. The indication of too wet dough is when the flour sticks to your palms much.  Add more flour if that’s the case until becoming smooth and not sticky.
8. Break the dough by splitting it half four times. Thus, you’ll have 16 even pieces and roll them into balls again. Be sure to keep them covered with a damp paper towel while drying them.
9. At this time, you need to work at it on a flat plate. You need to press the dough to form perfectly flat the same size as the plate. You should rap your plate with plastic wrap to make easy the removal of the tortilla. You should maintain 1 1’/16 inch thickness of the tortilla. Do this over a preheat iron skillet over an average heat degree.

10.  Preheat an iron skillet over average heat.

11.  Then, put the tortilla to the skillet. Be careful not to burn your hand.

12.  Flatten any ruffles along the tortilla’s edge. They should be cooked on one side only. Remember that the tortillas should be half-cooked thus they should not be brown in color. Then store them in the fridge until ready for serving.

13.  In serving the tortilla, put them on an averaged heat pan. Flip them until they get brownish.

14.  When the tortilla has ballooned lightly and a little toasted in both sides, it is done. And they are ready to serve.

There are actually many ways to cook our food. These ways are done in such a way that it fits the recipe planned to make the food more tasty and satisfying. One method of cooking is baking. It is a method that makes use of an oven that requires heat to create the end product. The cook only needs to set the appropriate temperature needed to allow completion and recipes are usually baked at different temperatures depending on the ingredients used. Baking is commonly used in cakes, bread, cookies and other recipes that require heat in order for the ingredients used to be cooked. Frying is another way of cooking food. It involves the use of a wok and oil. Oil is placed in the wok and is heated at a desired temperature. The cook can then add pork, beef and chicken slices. When the color of the foods became golden brown, then it means the food is already cooked. It can be deep fried or not. If the food is not deep fried, the cook needs to turn the meat slices to its other side to ensure proper cooking of the food. Steaming is another way to cook food. It utilizes the heat of the steam in order to cook the food. Foods that are cooked this way are those that require less heat and need and easily deformed if immersed in oil or water. It s also a way to decrease fat in the diet since no oil is included. Vegetables are usually steamed by vegetarians. Grilling is another way of cooking, which utilizes fire or intense heat to cook food. Foods that are grilled include barbecue and mats. The cook can add flavors and oil upon during the cooking process to make it tasty. Nowadays, there are other new ways in cooking and this depends on the preference of the cook the recipe selected.

In cooking, utensils are very necessary in order to have accurate measurement and allow procedures to be continuous and less stressful. Common utensils used are knives. These are used to slice certain foods to desired sizes it can be meats and vegetables. Peelers are used to peel crops and fruits with its skin. Measuring spoons and cups are used to promote proper measurements to prevent miscalculations in the ingredients that may lead to failure in cooking or certain faults. Strainers are used to drain food from water or liquids. Other cooking utensils include spatulas; can openers, colanders, graters and pans. There are still many utensils but this mentioned are the common ones.

Cooking deals with food that is eaten by humans. Therefore, cleanliness is a major concern in dealing with the ingredients, utensils and in the cooking process. The area where an individual cook should be disinfected regularly before and after using. Utensils and ingredients should also be placed in a storage area wherein it can be free from rodents and insects. This will also allow the cook to easily find the utensils he will need. It is also important to cook the foods properly since some bacteria are not killed in half-cooked foods. This will prevent stomach upset to those who will be eating the dish. It is also very important to have the right choices of foods. It is best to choose foods that are of high vitamin and mineral content so it can provide nutrition to the body.

Cooking is not just for the sake of having something to eat. It can also be a form of a hobby. It can be a past time of individuals who want to explore the world of cooking and learn how to cook. Cooking is also a way of life for most, those who are skillful enough to cook are able to make use of their ability to have extra income. The world of cooking is really fascinating so it’s a good idea to visit and use our kitchen ones in a while.

From the word “basic” itself, this article is intended for cook aspirants who aim to cook foods at the little most time with success held at hand. Basic cooking techniques are specified commonly with the universal name among cookbook authors, schools for cooking and professional chefs time and again. Having the easy ways and means of basic cooking in mind is vital to all cooking related professions and even amateur cooks.

Here are some cooking techniques:

Parboiling. This is a technique which refers to the softening of the vegetables before moving to another cooking step. Also called as Blanching, plunging vegetables have done this procedure into water, preferably cold water. The soaking is made to prevent the veggies from being overcooked. This is done to remove unnecessary vegetable skins and the bitter taste of some vegetables.

Broiling. This is the most highly associated method to cooking. This procedure is the heating up of raw foods under direct heat. Commonly, this is the step when raw food turns brown. For some foods and veggies, such as eggplant, they can be cooked fully through mere broiling. Broiling also serves as a secondary cooking process just for toasting food tops. It is advisable that when one uses a broiler in cooking, the foods must be kept about 4 inches away from the heat source.

Steaming. This technique is the cooking of food or vegetables over a heated small quantity of water. This preserves the healthy nutrients of the vegetables. Steaming pots, a kitchen tool providing a hold of vegetables on top of heated water, are exclusively designed for this food preparation, which could be availed in kitchen stores.

Sautéing. Sautéing is another term used to describe the way of cooking vegetables on a high heat wherein usually such ingredients are placed in a specially designed pan. Saute is a term being used to refer the cooking technique or a purposely designed pan and as a name or fashion of preparation.

Cooking can’t be cooking without these techniques. The more you master the skill of these techniques, the more you conquer the world of cooking with producing well-made and delicious dishes.