Have you ever tried halal cooking? What is it in the first place?
Halal cooking is fundamentally a type of cooking that doesn’t use impermissible or haram ingredients based on the dietary guidelines of Islam. This means avoiding the use of pork and alcohol and other things that contain byproducts of these two.
Predatory animals that have fangs and blood are also impermissible ingredients although these are not often consumed in the country, which makes them unheard of during discussions about halal cooking.
Basic Requirements for Halal Cooking and Eating
The most basic requirement for halal cooking is that all ingredients used in the process must be based on what is considered halal or permissible foods stated in the law of Islam.
Are There Cooking Methods Prohibited in Halal Cooking?
There are actually no specific cooking methods that are forbidden per se. But, anything that uses impermissible ingredients is not allowed. These ingredients include pork or alcohol and other types of non-halal ingredients such as birds of prey, animals with claws or fangs, animal carcass, parts of the human body, and blood.
For instance, cooking using alcohol that doesn’t burn off completely or even simply cooking with the bouillon or brought of animals not correctly slaughtered based on Islamic practice are all considered as non-halal.
Are There Special Equipment for Halal Cooking
There are actually no special pans, pots, cooking equipment, or utensils required to be used in halal kitchens. Anyone who wants to prepare halal food in their kitchen who didn’t know what was cooked in the equipment is advised to thoroughly clean the tools before use.
Where Can You Buy Halal Meat and Ingredients?
Look for Middle Eastern or Mediterranean markets although it is not recommended to assume that the meat is already halal just as what the butcher claims. Always ask the owner first about the source of the meat and how the animal was slaughtered.
Ask if you can also see and check the stamp of approval or certification of its authenticity of being halal. You also need to remember that halal foods must never touch or get mixed with non-halal foods so that these won’t be considered as haram.
The good news is that there are now Los Angeles Halal Markets where you can shop for the halal meat and ingredients that you need for your halal cooking.
Other Tips When Shopping for Groceries for Halal Cooking
All consumers these days are advised to check the product labels, a habit that Muslims have been doing all this time when looking for ingredients that can be red flags when it comes to their halal factor.
But, it still important to be wary since not all products claiming to be halal are free from artificial dyes, chemicals, sweeteners, and other types of synthetic elements that might not be food for you.
You might also want to go for products with the least number of ingredients and those with the most natural and real ingredients as much as possible.
