Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Common Ingredient Reduction Procedure
• Part 2 of 3: Complex Ingredients
• Part 3 of 3: Additional Factors
• What do you need

Many home cooks were more than once upset when they found a great recipe, but the amount of ingredients in which was twice as much as necessary. The amount of ingredients in many recipes can be cut in half without worrying about a lot of uneaten food.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Common Ingredient Reduction Procedure

1. 1 Read the recipe carefully. As always, you should carefully read the ingredient list and all preparation instructions for the dish. Then you will know exactly which ingredients should be reduced, and which ingredients are not so important. You will also know when to reduce the amount of ingredients and if you will need this ingredient in subsequent cooking.
2. 2 Divide all ingredients in half. Follow the recipe carefully and cut all ingredients in half. Use half of the foods that are whole and measure out half of those foods that are measured in grams.
   • For whole foods, you just need to cut them in half or halve them. For example, if a recipe needs to use two apples, then you need to use one apple. If you need to use one apple in a recipe, then you need to cut the apple in half and use only half of it.
   • Those products, the amount of which is measured in grams, must be measured and used in half. For example, if the recipe says 450 grams of minced meat, then you need to use 225 grams.
   • When you reduce the amount of food, follow the following table:
     • 2 teaspoons (30 ml) instead of 1/4 cup (60 ml)
     • 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 ml) instead of 1/3 cup (80 ml)
     • 1/4 cup (60 ml) instead of 1/2 cup (125 ml)
     • 1/3 cup (80 ml) instead of 2/3 cup (160 ml)
     • 6 tablespoons (90 ml) instead of 3/4 cup (185 ml)
     • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon (7.5 ml) instead of 1 tablespoon (15 ml)
     • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) instead of 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
     • 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) instead of ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml)
     • 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml) instead of 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml)
     • 1 pinch instead of 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml)
3. 3 Be careful with your seasonings. Measure the required amount of seasoning carefully. Instead of sprinkling in half of the required amount of seasoning, try to pour in just a little less than half of the required amount. It is better to undersalt than oversalt.
4. 4 Think ahead of time which ingredients you want to replace. If you do not have an ingredient from the list, then you need to replace it with another ingredient with similar properties. Think about how many other ingredients you might need, and then cut them in half.
5. 5 Rewrite the entire recipe for convenience. You may find it easier to rewrite a recipe from scratch, including a list of ingredients and instructions. It is easier to use a rewritten version of a recipe than to try to remember what you changed.
   • ”When you rewrite a recipe, pay attention to the amount of all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe. For example, the original recipe says that you may need 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of salt, half of the salt may be needed at the beginning of cooking, and the other half at the end of cooking. Usually, the recipe says to use 1 teaspoon of salt (5 ml), and at the end use the rest of the salt. When you rewrite the recipe, indicate to use ½ teaspoon (2.5ml). ”
   • Also pay attention to the cooking times. Read the "Additional Factors" section of this article carefully.

Part 2 of 3: Complex Ingredients

1. 1 Break an egg. An egg is considered one of the hardest ingredients to cut in half. However, if you need to break an odd number of eggs, break the egg into a glass, mix the yolk and white, and use half the egg for your dish.
   • Before you measure out half an egg, measure it with tablespoons so you know how many milliliters a full egg contains. Then measure out half of the content.
   • A typical large egg is 3 tablespoons (45 ml), so keep that in mind when you halve the recipe.
   • You can also use an egg replacer or pack of broken eggs instead of whole eggs. Follow the directions on the package to correctly identify and measure half an egg.
2. 2 You need to crush the spices. If the recipe calls for a difficult-to-cut spice such as berry, you need to take the full amount of the spice, crush it in a mortar, and measure out the required amount.
   • If you want, you can buy pre-ground spices instead of crushing them yourself. You can use a cookbook to determine the amount of spice you need.Here are some examples of the most commonly used spices in cooking:
     • 1 anise star equals ½ teaspoon ground anise
     • A 9 cm cinnamon stick equals 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon, use ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) for half of the recipe
     • 3 whole cloves equals ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground cloves, use 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml) for half the recipe
     • 1 head of garlic equals 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml) ground garlic, use a pinch for half of the recipe
     • 3 cm vanilla pod equals 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, use ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) for half the recipe
3. 3 Measure the contents of the packages. If a recipe requires a whole package of a particular ingredient, you need to measure the amount of the contents of the package. Once you have measured the amount of content, you can measure out half to prepare the dish.
   • Some packages indicate the amount of content. But, if the quantity is not specified, then you can measure it yourself.
   • Don't try to spot half the bag by eye, especially when it comes to ingredients such as yeast.
   • For example, a typical package (7.5g) of dry yeast contains 2 ¼ teaspoon (11.25 ml) if you need to use half the package, use 1.125 teaspoon, or 1 teaspoon and a pinch (5.625 ml) of yeast.
4. 4 When in doubt, measure. In principle, any ingredient that cannot be simply cut in half must be brought to such a state that it can be measured with a measuring spoon, measuring cup, or balance. Measure these ingredients in full and then measure out half for the recipe.

Part 3 of 3: Additional Factors

1. 1 Change the size of the pan or utensil in which you will cook the dish. This is not very important, but you will have to cook half of the dish in a saucepan that is designed for the whole dish.
   • Typically, you will need to reduce the size of the pot or pan to keep the ingredients at the correct level. That is, if you need to fill a large baking dish with half the dough in order to bake the cake, use the smaller half dough pan.
   • This is important when the dish will fill the entire cooking container. If you use a recipe to cook a whole meal, you can use any size cookware. For example, if you are baking 12 cakes instead of 24, you can use the same baking tray. You will have free space, but this will not affect the finished product.
2. 2 Consider the cooking temperature. Typically, the temperature will always remain the same, even if you are cooking half a meal. The temperature at which you cook the dish should be indicative for you.
   • You should also consider the temperature of the ingredients if indicated in the recipe. Just like the cooking temperature, this temperature should not be halved.
   • You should only consider the cooking temperature if you are cooking more than one dish at a time in the oven. Then increase the temperature by 14 degrees Celsius.
3. 3 The dish should be cooked as much as you see fit. If you are cooking half of the dish in a smaller form, then you may need to reduce the cooking time. It is not always necessary to reduce the time. However, after half of the cooking time has passed, you can start checking if the dish is ready.
   • For half a pie, bread or brownie, the cooking time will take 2/3 or ¾ of the time indicated in the recipe.
   • For cooking meat or vegetables, the time is usually reduced. The only exceptions are when you are cooking whole cuts of meat. For example, a 1-pound piece of meat will take less time to cook than a 2-pound piece. But two 115 g hamburgers will cook as much as four such hamburgers.
4. 4 You should be aware of exceptions. While many recipes can be used to cook half a dish, there are also complex recipes. If it seems to you that it is impossible to cook half of the dish according to a recipe, think about it, it might be easier to find another recipe and not take risks.
   • Delicate dishes such as soufflés and yeast products are difficult to cook partially. You can always take a chance and try to cook half of the dish, but be prepared that the product will not always turn out the way you want.

What do you need

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Kitchen scales
• Pencil