Layering flavour - part 2

Key Flavours: Richness

Richness and creaminess are really important when it comes to texture and how a food feels when you eat it. They help to create that full picture of flavour. We are talking here mainly about fats and oils.

In my kitchen, I frequently use both full fat Greek yoghurt and coconut yoghurt. I use yoghurt as a fat to provide creaminess as well as for its moderate acidity. Yogurt is a healthier option to add fat in a variety of cooking settings. I frequently use yoghurt in place of mayonnaise, such as in a coleslaw, in place of some or all of the eggs.

Oils and Fats That Are Full of Flavour

Olive oil is a brilliant way to add richness and depth to your food. I normally have a couple different olive oils in my kitchen, a fruity one and a more peppery one, that I use for finishing most of the things I finish on my table. Olive oil is an excellent flavour carrier; you can put herbs and chilies in it and let them infuse the oil.

Ghee is one of my favourite cooking ingredients because it is so versatile. Ghee offers the depth that butter provides but because it's been clarified (which simply means that the milk particles have been removed leaving only the fat) it doesn't burn or blacken in the same way.

Coconut oil has a distinct coconut flavour that works well in Indian, Sri Lankan and Thai cooking, as well as Caribbean food, and a variety of other dishes. If you want to cook using coconut oil but don't want the coconut flavour, you can buy an unflavoured version. Because coconut oil has a high smoke point, it is ideal for cooking with at high temperatures.

Sesame oil has a distinct sesame flavour that is both nutty and toasted. You can get toasted and untoasted sesame oils, which vary greatly in flavour and colour, with the toasted oils being darker and more intense. At home, I use toasted sesame oil sparingly, only a few drops at the end for finishing a dish, more like a dressing than a cooking oil.

Key Flavours: Bitterness

Bitterness divides people more than any other taste. Bitter foods are more diverse as you might think and when well balanced, bitterness is a great addition to cooking. Bitter foods are great at kickstarting our digestive system.

My Favourite Bitter Things in the Kitchen

Cocoa - The addition of sugar and milk helps to hide the bitter and acidic taste of cocoa. Cocoa is excellent in sweet baking, but it can also be used in stews and chillis.

Coffee - Coffee is a classic bitter taste, the bitterness comes from the caramelisation when coffee beans are roasted.

Bitter lettuces - Bitter lettuces like chicory and endives add a subtle bitterness to a meal. I would pair them with blood oranges, which are in season at the same time and make sure the dressing has a level of sweetness.

Bitter fruit - Fruits like bergamots or grapefruits are great at bringing this bitter element. Other citrus fruits such as limes, lemons, and oranges, have a natural bitterness in the pith, which is generally too harsh to eat raw. However, when roasted the harshness of the pith mellows.

Tahini - Tahini has a mildly bitter taste that is rich and rounded as well as slightly sweet.

Key Flavour: Verdant Green

This is one that doesn't get spoken about all too often, but I believe that in cooking, adding that verdant green grass flavours is really important in bringing freshness to a dish, and offsets other flavours in a great way. I'm thinking about soft herbs like mint or parsely, or leafy green veggies.

Putting Flavours Together

We know which flavours are best friends with each other. If you think about tomatoes and basil, peanut butter and chocolate or lemon and chilli. All of those classic flavour combinations work so well together.

If you're trying to put together a dish at home,thinking about some of those classic pairings as a a great place to start. It is a really good basis and then from there you can so fill in the other elements of flavour.

My Mental Checklist

1. Can I taste a bit of saltiness?
2. Can I taste a bit of acidity?
3. Can I taste a bit of chilli spice?
4. Can I taste a bit of umami?

Additionally if I need them

Can I taste some bitterness?

Does my meal have that verdant taste?

Further Reading

For further reading about flavour I strongly recommend the following books. The Flavour Thesaurus and Lateral Cooking both by Niki Segnit are great starting points. The Flavour Thesaurus provides you with recipes and ideas for creative cooks, discussing endless flavour profiles and food pairings. Lateral Cooking is a great practical guide to flavour combinations and variations.

Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi is a must-read book that combines simple recipes with noteworthy meals. The book is divided into three sections: process, pairing and produce and is a great read for those interested in deep-diving into vegetarian flavour-packed dishes.

The Vegetarian Flavour Bible by Karen Page is a cooking reference book, this book incorporates extensive interviews and research with prominent chefs to deliver expert culinary advice. This book is a personal favourite of mine; I especially appreciate love the emphasises on creating successful flavour pairings and the importance of sustainability in cooking.