Six Tips for Top Flavour

Cooking food with good flavour is actually really easy, so we’ve compiled these six tips for top flavour

If you’re not a natural in the kitchen, watching people who instinctively cook can be a wondrous experience. A bit of this, a slosh of that, and a smidgen of something else. To be honest, the only difference between you and that person, is confidence with putting elements together to create something delicious.

In our household, we both enjoy cooking but we both have different levels of confidence, and also quite a different style overall with how we cook, and that’s okay! Although Graeme isn’t necessarily that okay with the dishes that I seem to generate, and the bench space I appear to require when I cook!

So, how do we add flavour when we cook? Here are our six top tips!

1. Experiment with Herbs and Spices

One of the least expensive yet most effective ways to flavour food is to use spices and herbs. We don’t mean hot spice, but cumin, turmeric, etc.

If you’re not sure how to find spices and herbs that work together, have a think about food you enjoy – think Mexican style, or Asian influence, Cajun style, Indian aromatics, the list goes on! Now, look up recipes that are influenced by what you enjoy and see what sorts of spices and herbs are used together to create those signature flavours.

Some natural pairings are smoked paprika and cumin, as well as cumin and coriander powder. As you experiment you will discover that there are a few spices and herbs you use the most and that cross cuisine styles, and they will fast become part of your standard toolkit.

2. Stock creates an umami base

Once you have found spices and herbs that pair well, have a think about how stock can be used as part of your cooking as a complement.

As a subtle umami base, stock is a winner. One stock cube to one cup of water is the general ratio, or a teaspoon of stock powder to a cup. Premade liquid stock is also available, and home made is easy to make and can be frozen and pulled out whenever needed.

Used in place of plain water when cooking rice, stock gives a boost in flavour and can enhance rice based dishes such as fried rice and curries. Stock gives casseroles, risottos, gravies, and more, the base flavour they need so that herbs, spices, vegetables and other ingredients can then add their flavours and textures. Soups are a classic example of where stock does the most heavy lifting.

3. Salt is a savoury enhancer, not a flavour

If you’ve ever tasted a dish you’ve been lovingly preparing and felt like it lacked something flavour wise, chances are by default you’ve reached for the salt. We have all been there.

Instead of adding more sodium straight away, allow a small sample of what you’re preparing to cool down and then try it again. Often the flavours are more easily assessed when cooler, and you’re not having to avoid burning your tongue!

Thinking about the flavour you are aiming for and the flavour you currently have, does it need a splash extra soy or Worcester sauce? Would a concentrated stock added slowly and re-tasted between additions help? Perhaps a little more of one or two of the spices, or a touch of a different herb might be the missing link. Make salt the last resort not the first, otherwise you’ve just got a salty dish that still isn’t the right flavour!

4. Keep it simple

Flavour isn’t about big gestures, it’s about small gestures done well.

Lemon and rosemary is a small flavour gesture that gives big impact when paired well with a stock, and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Worcester sauce and a little cumin and smoked paprika make a great marinade for steak.

As with many things in life, less is more and provides you with an opportunity to create big flavours with minimal fuss and cost.

5. Sauces enhance spice

Sometimes, the quickest way to crank up the flavour in a dish is a splash of soy or Worcester sauce.

Like stock, these sauces are flavour enhancers and can make the world of difference to a dish. A dark soy sauce added near the end of cooking sauteed veges can coat them with the perfect flavour, and Worcester sauce can do the same job.

Added into soups, casseroles etc., gives these dishes a subtle but perfect lift.

6. Use the internet

There is so much information hiding on the internet with flavour combos galore, so don’t be afraid to use other peoples recipes.

Cooking is all about trial and error and learning about flavour pairing. Sometimes the best way to learn is to simply do, and follow the guidance of others.

By learning a recipe and getting to know it, you’ll eventually start cooking it by instinct. When you do that, little additions or changes from the original will occur, and slowly but surely you’ll be cooking by feel and the original recipe will become a signature dish!

Cooking and baking is all about experimenting, and trying out flavour combinations. There is a wealth of resource on the internet to help you to discover new ways and methods and we’d encourage you to get in and give things a go! You’re always welcome to find us on our Facebook page (in fact, just click here to head there!), and we’d be happy to answer any questions you have. You can also check our our recipe page by clicking here!

Don’t lump cooking into the chore category (though parents, we understand you just do what you need to do to survive sometimes!). Make cooking an enjoyable ritual. Make a cuppa, pour a wine, or enjoy an iced water while you simmer and season your way to your signature dish!

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