Do you dare to pair?
When it comes to cooking and being comfortable in the kitchen there are obviously a few fundamentals…
1. Quick prep ability - which I’m terrible at might I add, but working on it lol
2. A pantry full of your basics and staples like oils, herbs and spices, grains, pastas etc.
3. A good set of knives, that are sharp and taken care of (don’t put them in the dishwasher)
4. Pots, pans and kitchen utilities you choose to use
However, these fundamental elements that make the production of a meal possible, are impossible without the knowledge that comes with pairing flavours and ingredients in a way that will deliver a delicious meal, regardless of which cuisine you choose!
I once had someone tell me they were afraid of attempting the recipes I have shared because the ingredients I used were too ‘highbrow’, when in reality most of what I have purchased is either from Woolworths, an Asian grocer or a fresh produce store.
There are obviously a whole range of recipes out there that are tailored to different skill levels and experience in the kitchen. It is, however, my belief that the more confident you become with the flavour profiles of ingredients and matching them appropriately - e.g. the sweetness of honey complimenting the acidity of lime and saltiness of soy sauces/tamari, the more likely you will be able to successfully execute ‘more complex’ meals, because the balance of flavours will be correct!
Some also like to piece together a meal by referring to the macro food groups - which I am by no means against! I do, however, sometimes feel that a ‘healthy’ and super clean meal has become associated with the chicken, broccoli and roasted sweet potato plate, because of the reference to macros and those who count calories.
Wondering why I’m even talking about this? Well it’s because who wants to eat chicken and broccoli everyday, when you can eat just as healthily by investing a little bit of time into learning about the flavour profiles of perfectly healthy ingredients and using them to your advantage to eat everything from Vietnamese vermicelli bowls, chargrilled salmon with Asian greens and slow cooked Mexican beef bowls!
So… with this in mind, let me share the philosophy I follow when pairing flavours and piecing together a meal.
1. Practice restraint. Adding more ingredients doesn’t necessarily make a better or more flavoursome meal.
2. Basic and build. Start with an ingredient you feel like and add components from there. This will all depend on whether you feel like a finished product that is on the sweeter side e.g. a curry that’s champion ingredient is something like coconut milk/cream or saltier e.g. a stir fry whose star ingredient is something like soy sauce or fish sauce.
3. It’s important to think about taste versus flavour. Taste is the sensation we experience - sweet, salty, bitter etc. whereas flavour refers to our perception of that taste. What this means, is that flavour is the combination of taste, smell and our chemical sensations. This is why it is so important to match the aromatic compounds of foods, so that they taste better and because of this, we perceive the food favourably.
So… if you’re looking to pair ingredients, here are some foods arranged into categories sweet, salty, spicy, sour and bitter.
Salty- Salt
- Fish sauce
- Soy sauces
- Miso paste
- Pickled vegetables
- Hard cheeses like parmesan or pecorino
- Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Cured meats
Sweet- Sugar
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Jams/relishes
- Vinegars like balsamic and apple cider
- Molasses
- Most fruit
- Sweet potato
- Corn
- Fennel
- Sugar snap peas
- Beetroot
Spicy- Chilli
- Hot Sauces like sriracha
- Harissa
- Cayenne
- Wasabi
- Horseradish
- Dijon Mustard
- Jalapeño
- Watercress
- Raw radish
Sour- Lemon & lime juice
- Orange juice
- Vinegars like rice and red
- Tomato paste
- Yoghurt
- Sour cream
- Tomatoes
- Pickled vegetables
Bitter- Rocket
- Coffee
- Cacao
- Grapefruit
- Beer
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Kale
- Radicchio
Leave a comment below & happy eating !
