SUBSTITUTES

There are often occasions in the kitchen when a particular ingredient is not available, and for most of us, this usually happens right in the middle of cooking a particular dish - unless of course you are one of those people who prepare everything before embarking on the cooking!!!

This need not be a catastrophe as there is often something else that can be used as a substitute, such as -

Saffron

Use a small amount of Turmeric instead.

                                                           Melvyn Hull

Breadcrumbs

Crushed water biscuits or cornflakes.

 

Cornflour/Cornstarch (1tbsp. as a thickener)

Use 2 level tbsp. plain flour.

 

Single Cream (1/2 pint/285ml)

Use 8fl. oz./225ml milk plus 2fl. oz/60ml melted unsalted butter.

 

Honey (8fl. oz/225ml)

8 oz./225g sugar plus 4 tbsp. water or golden syrup.

 

Dark Brown/Muscovado Sugar

White sugar and a teaspoon/5ml of treacle or molasses per 100g. 

Sue Wand

Lemon juice (1 tsp)

1/2 tsp. vinegar or lime juice.

 

Ice Cream

Frozen yoghurt.

 

Whole milk (1/2 pint/285ml)

1/2 pint/285 ml. skimmed milk plus 3 tsp. melted butter.

 

Noodles

Spaghetti

 

Tartare sauce (4 fl. oz/115 ml)

7 tbsp. mayonnaise plus 2 tbsp. chopped sweet mixed pickles.

 

Tomato Sauce

Condensed tomato soup or a packet of tomato soup made up with half quantity of water.

 

Seafood/Thousand Island sauce

Use 2:1 mix of salad cream and tomato ketchup. You can alter the quantities of each to taste.

                                                              Sue Wand

Gravy

Condensed tinned soup or packet soup made up with half the usual quantity of water.

 

Need sour milk or cream                      

Just add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to each half pint of fresh milk or cream and stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Or use natural yoghurt or smetana.

 

Run out of baking chocolate and you really must have that gooey dessert!

For every ounce (oz) of unsweetened baking chocolate required, mix a quarter of a tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder.

 

Recipe requires self raising flour and you only have plain. 

Plain flour can be used with the addition of baking powder.   The amount to add varies depending upon what is being cooked, however, a usual amount would be 1 level teaspoon of baking powder to 4oz. flour.

 

No baking powder.

This can be substituted with two parts Cream of Tartar to one part Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda.

 

No fresh yeast.

Two teaspoons of dried yeast can be used for 1/2 oz. of fresh yeast. Follow instructions on the dried yeast packed.

 

Short of an egg.

If you need an extra egg for a cake recipe that uses a raising agent such as baking powder or self raising flour, replace the missing egg with 15ml (1 tablespoon) of vinegar.  This will not affect the result.