Flavour and seasoning are often overlooked when it comes to recipes. That being said, they are an essential part of cooking. This is especially the case if you have some fussy eaters in your family. So, how are you meant to know how to add flavour, if you have never been shown? Find out here.
Learn how to Taste
A lot of people have no idea what they are tasting for. When they do taste, if it’s a little flat they end up adding more salt. If this sounds familiar then you need to remember that when the areas of the mouth are stimulated, your food will taste far more balanced. If one area of your mouth isn’t stimulated then food can taste too salty, sweet or fatty. If you think about French fries then you may normally add salt, which is fine. When you add vinegar, and then dip it in ketchup, you will be ticking all of the flavour profiles of salt, fat, sour and sweet. It’s all about balance, and when you are able to take this approach and taste your food properly, you will soon find that you see way bigger improvements in your cooking. If you want something to experiment with then find a great recipe on smoking a whole chicken at jerkyholic.com.
Always Finish with Acid
Lime juice, lemon juice, wine or vinegar are all very good options here. If you can add some freshness to the dish then this will lift the flavours and it will also cut through some of the heaviness, or the fat. A lot of people are used to seeing a lemon wedge on their dinner if they are having fish but don’t think about using acid for other meals. Acid is great at transforming vegetables and if you add this, along with some salt and butter then you will see a huge improvement in your cooking.
Mix up Textures where Possible
The way that you taste your food isn’t at all limited to the flavours that you have. At the end of the day, the texture of what you eat is very important. Just make sure that your meal contains a lot of textures, whether it is crisp, soft or crunchy. You also need to try and mix various textures by trying to layer your bowl. If you can do this then you will soon find that things work in your favour. Top your meals with toasted seeds if you want a crunch or drizzle some yoghurt on top of things if you want that mouthfeel.
Don’t Limit your Dressings
Why not make your own dressing? Homemade dressings are very quick to make and they are also very low in sugar and salt. Don’t limit them to salads though. You can also add them to vegetables, stews, soups and more. If you can do this then you will find that you can get the best result out of your cooking experience and you can also get more flavour too.