Potato cooking tips: Keep them firm with lemon juice or vinegar
Is there anything simpler in the kitchen than cooking potatoes? Everyone can manage this task. However, a few tricks can make it even easier and help the vegetables maintain a better texture. It's worth checking them out, especially if you want to prepare a salad with them later.
12 November 2024 19:09
How do you cook potatoes? Most people cook potatoes by covering them with cold water and adding salt. However, you can also place them directly into boiling water, which will speed up the cooking process. Although adding salt is a common habit, it is not necessary.
What to add to cooking potatoes?
Salt isn't the only addition you can make to potatoes. Lemon juice is also worth considering, especially if you want to use the vegetables for something other than a main meal. This addition will ensure they don't fall apart or darken. Instead of lemon juice, you can use vinegar. Vinegar will also enhance the potatoes' flavour. Just one tablespoon is sufficient.
A much more well-known method is to cook potatoes with butter. This enhances the taste of the vegetables significantly.
Why do potatoes darken and fall apart when cooking?
Although potatoes seem like a simple vegetable to prepare, they may not look as expected after cooking. They often darken or fall apart into pieces. Why does this happen? It's due to natural processes occurring in potatoes. Enzymes present in these tubers react with oxygen, causing a colour change. Furthermore, cooking them too long or using too much water can make potatoes soft and cause them to fall apart.