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Although eating pasta and other elaborate means is quite eventful from time to time, there is nothing like having a comforting meal such as a bowl of soup or stew at home. Home-made comfort food is more sustainable in the long run and meals like a healthy stew help to maintain the health of the gut.
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The best part about homemade stew is that it can be made using whatever is available at home as there is no such rule or specific ingredients that one has to take care of. While making a stew at home, here are some important factors that one should remember to make sure that the texture and the taste of the stew are perfect.
* Tools
While a lot of people pay attention towards using the right type of ingredients to make a stew, the usage of the right kind of tools is also very important. First of all one needs to invest in a good quality blender that will help in mixing all the ingredients properly. There is no way a person can attain a perfect texture for a stew by simply mixing the ingredients by hand. Other kitchen equipment that needs to be of high quality is a good stock pot. This is a one-time investment as both these kitchen equipment are going to last for at least 4 to 5 years. So one should make sure that the utensils are of high quality.
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* Ingredients
As stated above, while making a stew at home, there is no such rule that a person has to follow. In terms of ingredients, one can use whatever is available at home. Making a stew at home is a good opportunity to make the best use of the leftovers at home. Any kind of spices, pieces of meat, cheese, soya beans, leftover vegetables, and other things can be added to the stew to make it more flavourful and complete in terms of nutrition. One doesn't necessarily have to buy new ingredients from the market as the very idea behind making a stew is to spend less time cooking it and making it from whatever ingredients are available at home.
* Adding Acid
While making a stew at home, a person should always add some type of acidic ingredient as it helps in bringing together all the ingredients cohesively. By acidic ingredient, the simple meaning is some type of citrus juices that may include wine, coffee, vinegar, and tomato paste. One should always add these ingredients after all the other ingredients have been added. Not only will it make the taste of the stew better but it also enhances the flavours of the other ingredients. The stew will become less heavy to consume and will remain quite delectable.
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* Chunky
The very factor that distinguishes a stew from a soup is the fact that it's a bit chunky. Always remember that the texture and the consistency of the soup are a bit chunky and thick as compared to soups. So it is always better to add different types of ingredients, such as rice, vegetables, cream, some sort of protein and chunks of tomatoes. Also, another important thing that one must remember while making a stew out of all these ingredients is to add everything at once. One should always start with adding ingredients that take a relatively longer time to cook such as potatoes and other root vegetables. It is only then that a person should proceed with adding other ingredients that are relatively faster and easier to cook.
* Starch
Adding some source of starch in a stew is important to give it the right kind of consistency. A stew without starch is going to be very runny and thin in consistency. Hence, a person has to choose the right source of starch depending on what kind of stew they are making at home. One of the easiest ways to add starch to a stew is to add rice or noodles. These instantly transform the consistency and the texture of a stew. Other things that one can add are starch and rich vegetables like potatoes. One can also add some buttery crackers or oyster crackers, depending on what they're making.
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* Serving
One should always remember that no matter how much hard work they put into cooking a dish, the plating in the way that it is served also makes a huge difference. Soups and stews taste better if they are served in the right kind of vessel. Always remember that the bowl that is used to serve stew should always be wide and deep. Serving the stew in a small bowl is going to make the task very difficult for the person as they will have to pour the stew again and again into the bowl. Serving some sort of bread with the stew is also a great idea.
