Why We Should See, Taste, Smell, and Listen to What We Cook
And why recipes without technique will not get you the results you want
Recipes are stepping stones to greatness, but they are not going to get you all the way to a great dish. You need to hone technique to bridge that gap.
Let’s explore what I mean by that. Work colleagues, friends, and people online often ask for recipes — and I do share them. I have even taught a few friends how to cook various dishes. But what they cook never tastes the way it’s supposed to. Why is that?
In the case of one colleague, the curry was “too white” and not as dark as mine. In the case of a friend who I taught to cook a recipe, his results were inconsistent from one day to the next.
Every single layer, every single step, if not executed correctly, will give you a different result each time.
The problem in both cases stemmed from a lack of technique. The curry was too white because either:
- The onions had not been browned enough
- The curry had not been properly reduced after adding ingredients, which develops a depth of flavor.
- Too much yogurt had been added by accident.
