Master the skills
Being able to cook is an essential life skill.
Not only is mastering basic cooking techniques a great way to get your kids engaging with veg (and so more likely to eat them), it’s also teaching them skills they will use for the rest of their lives! We’ve made it easy (and fun) with our basic Kitchen Ninja skills list to be mastered…
Triplets in my kitchen
There are a bunch of skills you need to become a true Kitchen Ninja.
Here are eight simple skills for you to master with helpful how to videos from our expert friends Triplets In My Kitchen
1
Get soapy!
Always wash your hands before cooking. Make sure you use soap and warm water, and wash all the parts of your hands, for 20 seconds.
2
Wash it!
Make sure you wash your veg before prepping it.
Rinse well in cold water, making sure to get in between leaves and layers, and getting a veg scrubbing brush out for root veggies.
Don’t worry about washing onions or garlic – veg that comes in a ‘wrapper’ is all good to go once peeled!
3
Get ready!
Make sure you read a recipe in full, then weigh out the ingredients you need before starting.
Check the recipe for advice on how to prep each veg and how much you need of it, and use weighing scales when needed to make sure you have the right amount.
4
Try it!
Try the food as you go and adjust the flavours.
Veg can taste totally different at different stages of prep and cooking – just check with your adult that it is ok to eat if it is raw as not all veggies are!
Try bold and fun suggestions for how you think it can taste even better. Sprinkle over the extra bits, and have fun shaping and serving the foods, too.
5
Grate it!
Make sure a box grater is set on a chopping board or other stable surface so it won’t slip around, hold it firm and steady by the handle, and grate by moving your hand up and down slowly.
If you feel your fingers are getting too close, just ask your adult to help with the last bit!
Try grating hard, sturdy veg like carrots, courgettes, or red cabbage to start.
6
Mix it!
Stirring or whisking in a bowl is a simple matter of making sure everything is mixed well and nothing comes out of the bowl!
Have an adult help you when stirring over heat though – you will need to keep fingers off the hot pan, use oven gloves when necessary, hold handles carefully and use wooden rather than metal spoons or spatulas to avoid the heat reaching your fingers.
Have a go at stirring a sauce, stew, chilli, curry, stir-fry or other veg-packed dishes with the help of your adult.
7
Chop it!
If you are nervous about chopping, why not start simple with a butter knife and soft veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, or peppers?
When you feel ready, you could try some children’s knives before progressing to adult ones. Whenever you chop anything, have your adult there to help if needed!
Start with the “bridge”, perfect for rounder veg like cucumber or peppers. Stretch your thumb away from your fingers in a bridge shape and use that hand to hold the end of the veg steady while you chop carefully and slowly with your other hand, making sure to tuck your thumb in on your bridge hand and move it along as the knife gets closer.
8
Ninja claw!
The “claw” is great for dicing veg (chopping it into smaller pieces). Just tuck your thumb in and under your hand, and tuck the other four fingers in slightly to make a claw shape.
Use that shape to hold your veg steady and to chop slowly and carefully a little closer to your hand than you would with the bridge, making sure to keep your thumb tucked in at all times.
Download it!
Download the kitchen ninja chart to tick off the skills as you learn them.
Do you have a question you’d like one of our experts to help you with?
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