These cooking tips were collected from chefs and farmers at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.

KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS

» Chilies offer more than just heat. Remove ribs and seeds and most of the heat is gone, allowing fruity nuances to come through. Chilies open up the palate, reducing the need for salt. — Sang Yoon

» Adding wine to a dish sounds like a European technique, but Asians have been doing it for a long time. Wine transforms a dish because it adds acidity. — Sang Yoon

» White pepper packs less heat, is more floral and more elegant than black pepper. — Chris Cosentino

FINER POINTS OF SOY

» Soy sauce should have just four ingredients: water, soy beans, salt and the bacteria needed to make the ingredients ferment. Look for the words "Naturally Fermented" on the label. — Ming Tsai

» Soy sauce may be salty but has its own flavor profile. Don’t use it in place of salt. If your fried rice needs a salty boost, for example, add salt, not more soy sauce, or you’ll end up with a mushy, dark brown mess. — Charles Phan

» As soy sauce ferments it separates, with dark sauce at the bottom and light sauce at the top. Dark soys such as Kikkoman are more viscous and sweeter than other types. White or light soy is light in body but very salty. Darks are good for dipping; lights for cooking. — Sang Yoon

FISHY FACTS

» When buying fish, ask to see a piece up close. Or rather to smell it up close. "If they’re not willing to let you smell the fish, move on. It should not smell fishy; it should smell like the sea. If it doesn’t, move on." — Ming Tsai

» Never serve steamed fish with the steaming water. It will smell fishy. This may fly in the face of a desire to waste not want not, but it’s better to discard the water and top the fish with a freshly made sauce. "You have layers of flavor that are really clean." — Charles Phan

RULES FOR BETTER  BAKING
From Christina Tosi; her Lilkoi and Chocolate Cake Truffles are pictured above.

» The creaming process (mixing of eggs and sugar, or butter and sugar) is the most important part of the mixing process because it bonds ingredients together. If creaming is not thorough, products can fall flat or bake unevenly. Don’t rush the process.

» When adding flour, unless you’re making bread, mix efficiently. Batter must be mixed fully, but be aware that every additional rotation makes the product more bready.

» Invest in an oven thermometer. Most ovens are 15 to 35 degrees off. Even if you did the two previous steps correctly, this final step could trip you up. If your baked goods are flat or dry, it could be related to oven temperature. “For around $20 this tool can assure that your baked good will come out perfect.”

» Dominant flavors in an item should have common qualities. Lilikoi and chocolate are good together because both have acidity, bitterness, earthiness, sweetness and floral qualities. They don’t mimic each other; they complement.

» Consider this cake-baking technique used at Tosi’s Momofuku Milk Bar: Cakes are baked in sheet pans to ensure even cooking. Then they are cut into shapes and layered.

» Instead of using chocolate chips, consider cutting or breaking a chocolate bar. This can add great texture to a dessert.

» A good shell coating for a dessert is a thin layer of white chocolate, which won’t overpower the flavor of the pastry. Wearing disposable gloves, coat your palms with melted white chocolate, then roll the dessert in your palms.

» If your cookies spread and flatten in the oven, put the dough in the freezer or refrigerator for a minimum of three hours, until it feels like solid cold butter. Bake straight out of the fridge or freezer.

» Dough that’s baked frozen will also yield a cookie that’s crisp on the outside and fudgy on the inside.

PUNCH OF SWEETNESS

An accent of mirin can lend a bright sweetness to a dish. Chef Anita Lo of Annisa in New York prepared a Kampachi Sashimi at “Under the Modern Moon” Thursday. The dish comprised raw fish, Meyer lemon, radish, pink Hawaiian salt, avocado purée, shiso and several tiny squares of konbu marinated in mirin for unexpected sweetness. In addition, says Lo, shiso pulls out the sweetness of a flavor profile

LOCAL PRODUCE DONE RIGHT

» A quick butternut squash preparation: “I used to roast it in the oven for half an hour, but then someone told me they put it in the microwave.” Cut in half and place squash in a pan in a shallow pool of water. Cook 10 minutes. Add butter or whatever seasoning you want. Eat! — Shin Ho of Ho Farms

» Easy ways to cook Hamakua mushrooms: A medley of alii, gray oyster and pioppini mushrooms is delicious in a quick sauté: Heat pan on high, add macadamia nut oil and minced garlic. Add mushrooms, saute a few minutes and season with Hawaiian salt and black pepper. For a great pupu or side dish: Slice alii mushrooms in halves or quarters, depending on size, then toss them in a bowl with citrus ponzu dressing, olive oil, Hawaiian salt and a splash of chili water. Grill 3 to 5 minutes. — Bob Stanga of Hamakua Heritage Farm

» Hearts of palm, three ways: Since the veggie easily picks up flavors, a quick way to cook it as an accompaniment is to chop it up and throw it in a pan that’s been used to fry up a steak or other main dish. For a fresh side, chop finely and mix with lime, chili and agave, then chill before serving. To use the stem of the heart of palm, peel apart the layers of palm and tear them into strips. Blanch and use as noodles — perfect for a gluten-free diet. — Leslie Hill, Wai­lea Agricultural Group

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION

» “PVC is awesome. You cut it, you sand it — perfect for parfaits.” Just don’t heat it. Get the right size PVC and you can use a Tabasco bottle to tamp down each layer of ingredients. — Ming Tsai.

» “I think our ears love to eat something with crunch. It’s been a philosophy of mine always to have something crunchy on the plate.” — Dean Fearing

» Steam foods on a serving plate. It’s easier to remove the food from the steamer, and your plate will be nice and hot for your guests. — Charles Phan

» Always serve risotto in a plate. The flat surface keeps it flowing, while a bowl will cause it to clump. — Chris Cosentino

» Keep tasting your dish. Taste all components, every sauce, each garnish as you add it. “You never know when a garnish might be bitter. You might think you know how much salt you put in, but it’s important to check.” — Anita Lo