Coronavirus: Tips, Tricks And Substitutions For Cooking At Home During The Pandemic
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — With so many people cooking and eating at home more, but making fewer grocery trips, what's a home cook to do when a crucial ingredient — hello, yeast — is missing?
Gabi Dimovska, the general manager of V DTLA, divulged a few of her tips, tricks and food hacks.
She recommends always certain key ingredients on hand, like onions and garlic, and is a big fan of beets.
"I think beets, garlic and onions, just regular onions, are just so good to have at home always," Dimovska said.
She says onions enhance the flavor of everything, and beets can be eaten in a variety of ways, and can last up to two months if kept at the right temperature and conditions in the refrigerator.
Eggs and apples are also staples, and even if you're an experienced home cook who swears by fresh herbs — the dried kind will work just as well.
"Just learn about the products you have at home, because normally you can do a lot more than what comes to the top of your mind," she said.
For everyone trying on a baker's cap, yeast is in short supply at nearly all grocery stores, but Dimovska has a hack for that — she says a baking soda and lemon juice will replace what yeast does, and just use a half tablespoon of each. But what if there's no lemon juice?
"Beer works," she said.
Yogurt can also be used in baking, but does not substitute yeast, Dimovska said.
"As long as you have either lemon juice or baking soda, it usually does the job for you," she said.
