For many of my life, I assumed that baking soda was good for 2 issues: baking (duh) and absorbing odors. Bakers have good purpose to like the stuff; when the chemical leavening agent gained reputation within the mid-Nineteenth century, it mainly revolutionized the American dessert scene. However I am not a lot of a baker—in my family, the oven is used for braises, roasts, and pizzas, not cookies and truffles. Which is why, till just lately, my major relationship with baking soda was restricted to shoving an orange field of Arm & Hammer into the again of my fridge when issues began to scent a bit of funky.

However in the previous couple of years, I’ve realized a factor or two. For one, there are higher methods to neutralize fridge odors. And, a lot to my delight, there are some fairly stunning culinary makes use of for baking soda that don’t have anything to do with baking. Let’s have a look.

Snappier Shrimp

After we make shrimp cocktail, shrimp skewers, shrimp scampi, or shrimp wontons, we have discovered {that a} fast brine of salt and baking soda works wonders. The salt helps maintain the shrimp moist and juicy as they prepare dinner, whereas baking soda offers them a crisper, snappier texture. You may discover this enchancment in nearly any recipe, whether or not you are poaching or searing, however you may get a bonus increase in the event you’re making use of direct warmth to the shrimp. As a result of baking soda is alkaline (that means it raises pH ranges), it additionally speeds alongside the Maillard response—the chemical course of chargeable for the complicated flavors of cooked, browned meals. Throughout the board, you are in search of about one teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 / 4 teaspoon of baking soda for each pound of shrimp; give all of it a fast toss, and relaxation the shrimp within the fridge for wherever from quarter-hour to about an hour.

Sooner-Browning Onions

For those who’re impressed by baking soda’s capability to assist shrimp brown quicker and extra effectively, you may love what it does to onions. Only a quarter teaspoon for each pound of sliced onions will yield in a matter of minutes the form of browning you’d anticipate from onions which have caramelized for hours. Sadly, it may additionally negatively impression the onions’ taste and texture, so we do not suggest utilizing this technique for a batch of French onion soup or for onions to prime your subsequent burger. But when you could brown onions rapidly and plan to mix them with a variety of different substances (as on this French onion dip), baking soda can drastically reduce down in your cooking time.

Balancing the Acidity of Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes are an ideal many wondrous issues, however “constant” is, sadly, not considered one of them—notably relating to acidity, which may range markedly from model to model. Fortunately, only a quarter teaspoon of baking soda can functionally neutralize extra acidity with out impacting their texture or general taste. This tip is vital to smoothing out the flavors of our thick and hearty Nordstrom-style tomato soup, however the identical precept applies to any sauce or purée constructed from an unusually aggressive batch of canned tomatoes.

Turning Spaghetti Into Ramen Noodles

Certain, turning water into wine is a fairly neat trick. However what if I instructed you I might flip angel hair pasta into ramen noodles? You possibly can learn all in regards to the science proper right here, however suffice it to say that ramen dough consists of an alkaline mineral element referred to as kansui, which provides the noodles their yellow hue and springy texture. What’s exceptional is you could get fairly comparable outcomes by including some baking soda to a boiling pot of spaghetti. Is it going to be similar to contemporary ramen noodles? No, not fairly. Nevertheless it’ll actually spherical out a bowl of ramen if you end up in an Asian-grocery desert.

There are only a couple of issues to remember. First, do not be alarmed while you add the baking soda—it’s going to trigger wonderful, foamy bubbles to kind, so you may need to be certain that the pot is not stuffed to the very prime. Second, the extra baking soda you add, the extra ramen-like the pasta’s texture will develop into, however go too far and it may develop a bitter, mineral taste. Our rule of thumb? For those who’re including the noodles to a light or delicate broth, stick to simply two teaspoons of baking soda for each quart of water. However in the event you’re serving them in a daring, full-flavored broth, like tonkotsu, you possibly can go all-in and add a full tablespoon of baking soda for every quart.

Softer Beans for Smoother Hummus

“Mushy beans” sounds extra just like the world’s saddest boy band than the important thing to smoother-than-store-bought hummus, however, nicely, that is precisely what they’re. And the quickest, best path to tender beans is baking soda, which raises the pH of the cooking liquid, serving to the chickpeas break down and tenderize extra simply. To prepare dinner one cup of dried beans, we dissolve one teaspoon of baking soda in six cups of chilly water, refreshing each water and baking soda after an in a single day soak. After that, only a few easy steps lie between you and an extra-flavorful, extra-silky bowl of hummus.

October 2016