Flavourful Cooking Tips for Beginners
Here’s an idea – the next time you cook, don’t just reach for the salt (or sugar!) to flavour your food.
We know that too much salt isn’t good for the body, plus it dulls the taste of the other ingredients. Instead, try these three simple seasoning techniques to boost the flavour of everyday meals: add lots of herbs, add a variety of spices or – stay with us – cook certain foods in stock to enhance the flavour.
1. Go Wild with Herbs
Using fresh (or dried) herbs is a sure-fire way to lend an instant punch of flavour to any dish.
What’s more, every single herb you use brings with it certain health benefits. Parsley, for instance, is loaded with vitamin C, coriander can help lower blood pressure and fight infections, thyme is rich in antioxidants, and fresh mint aids digestive health.
If you’re new to cooking and unsure whether the kind of cuisine you’re preparing requires a specific herb, here’s a rough guideline:
- Almost any kind of savoury Greek dish will be enhanced by parsley, dill, or oregano.
- The herbs most often used in French cuisine include tarragon, thyme, chives, and parsley.
- South American food relies heavily on fresh coriander and bay leaves.
- Asian food pairs well with Thai basil, coriander, lemongrass, and fresh mint.
- Italian food calls for fresh basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
- Middle Eastern dishes often ask for parsley, mint, coriander, and thyme.
Try your hand at going big with herbs in these recipes:
Char-Grilled Steak with Salsa Verde
A good recipe to start your herbal introduction, because salsa verde is both loaded with herbs (it contains fresh basil, parsley, and mint!), and super easy to make. Round it off with Ina Paarman’s Garlic Pepper Seasoning and you’ve got a veritable flavour bomb on your hands.
Lentil & Crushed Wheat Salad with Mint & Feta
This simple salad is heavy on flavour thanks to the addition of fresh mint, parsley, and spring onions. Finish the dish with Ina Paarman’s Reduced Oil Lime & Coriander Dressing and you’ve got the makings of a spectacular vegetarian dish, or a wonderful side to grilled fish, lamb, and chicken.
2. Start Experimenting with Spices
Often, people hear the word ‘spice’ and think of hot spices like cayenne pepper or dried chillies. But there’s a world of (softer) spices out there just waiting to be incorporated to add depth of flavour to your cooking. We’re talking dried cumin, coriander, and cloves. We’re thinking of cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric. We’re dreaming of red pepper flakes and paprika.
For beginners, it’s wise to have a light hand when seasoning – spices like paprika, cinnamon, cloves, and turmeric can overpower a dish very quickly. In general, unless the recipe asks for it, or you’re big-batch cooking, you won’t use more than one teaspoon of these. Another good guideline: always add your spices on low heat, so they don’t burn and you can allow them to ‘bloom’ (i.e., let the flavours develop).
Some great recipes to try include:
Chicken Breasts Moroccan-Style
This baked chicken casserole makes use of dried turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon. Ina Paarman’s Peri-Peri Coat & Cook Sauce adds a further punch of flavour. Serve with fluffy couscous or a crisp green salad for a delicious dinner.
Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas
For breakfast or brunch with a difference, this baked, eggy dish (high in flavour thanks to garlic, cumin, and paprika) will go down a treat – a true one-pot wonder. To make things simple, the recipe uses Ina Paarman’s Tomato, Olive & Chilli Pasta Sauce as a solid flavour base.
Honey Pumpkin with Ginger
Enjoy something with a bit less spice, but still high on flavour, by preparing this baked honey pumpkin side dish. The ginger and cinnamon fragrance wafting through your kitchen will have your mouth watering – a wonderful accompaniment to serve with pork chops or roasted chicken.
3. Get That Stock Going
Yes, we all know that a good soup starts with stock, and of course, you can’t make risotto without it. But not everyone knows that you can use stock to impart flavour to a dish in other ways – like using it as a poaching liquid, or making use of the ‘absorption method.’ The latter simply means taking carbs that you’d normally cook in water (such as rice or pasta) and preparing them in stock, to absorb all those flavours. This is a wonderful way to add savoury flavour to recipes without having to resort to the salt grinder.
A few great recipes to try include:
Savoury Rice
Whether you use Ina Paarman’s Chicken Flavour Stock Powder or the Liquid Chicken Stock, the result will be the same: a highly fragrant rice dish loaded with texture, and the perfect accompaniment to your protein of choice.
Poached Salmon
Don’t let the ‘poaching’ part of this recipe scare you. You’ll simply be adding some of Ina Paarman’s Liquid Fish Stock to the pan, and letting the salmon (or trout) cook gently in it. In truth, it’s the simplest of recipes, but the result is a true showstopper.
Marinated Steak Stir-Fry
A flavour fiesta if we ever saw one. In this recipe, you’ll not only be cooking the noodles in Ina Paarman’s Beef Flavour Stock Powder, but the veggies as well! The recipe is a little bit more involved in terms of steps, but still simple and totally worth the effort.
Remember, flavourful, nutritious eating starts at home. For more inspiration, visit our wide range of delicious recipes made with Ina Paarman’s products: crafted from fresh, well-chosen ingredients packed with nutrients.
