My vegetables went watery

What it is

Use a bigger pan, or cook in batches. Get the pan hot before anything goes in, and salt at the end rather than the start.

Why it works

Vegetables are mostly water. In a crowded pan that water leaves as steam faster than it can escape, so the food sits in vapour at 100 °C — below browning temperature — and stews. Salt early draws water out and makes it worse.

When to use it

Mushrooms, courgettes, onions, aubergine, greens.

What goes wrong

One pan for a large quantity; a lid, which traps the steam; salting watery vegetables at the beginning; stirring constantly so no face stays down long enough to brown.

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My vegetables went watery

What it is

Why it works

When to use it

What goes wrong

More on this shelf

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