Salt to Taste
>> Saturday, 23 May 2009
When do you add salt to your dish when cooking - at the beginning, in the middle or at the end? And how much salt do you add? These are two questions I get asked often and I have given my answers in this week's column. Have a read and then for my own education and that of others, I'd love to hear how you salt your food and how you go about measuring how much salt to add.
This ham and split-pea soup was salted in layers - at the beginning when the aromatics were sauteed and then at the end, the salt was adjusted.
Last week I went to Pricesmart, our version of Costo and found some lovely large squid. You know that I couldn't resist. I brought them home, stuffed them with panko, fresh herbs and some creamy, cranberry studded cheese. Heavenly!
I am away for a few days and will catch up with your posts later in the week.
Happy Memorial Day to all my US readers
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE GUYANA!!!
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43 comments:
I season a little at the start, some in the middle and to-taste at the end. It's about building flavours.
That stuffed squid looks to die-for...bravo!
you had me at cranberry-studded cheese! hello?
I would love a warm Caribbean welcome right now too. :-)
I spent many months (as a child) in various parts of the Caribbean. I truly miss it.
Have a lovely holiday Cynthia--the squid look delicious!!
happy holiday to you too.....
Have a nice vacation and have fun.
I seldom use salt. Most of the seasoning I use has salt.
Have a great holiday! The squid stuffing is just awesome!
Let's see, I add it all throughout, as it seems to change the more I cook the dish :)
I have to say that I love the pictures. I salt when I start my dish, then taste it and add some more towards the end.
Happy Holiday!
Thanks to my higher blood pressure and lower salt requirement, and D's low blood pressure, and lavish love of salt (!), we salt our food on the plate only! It was hard to learn to do, but it works. Only in baked goods is salt actually used at our house. It's a pain, but it works for two various diets.
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day Cynthia!
I add salt at different stages depending on the dish. That's just how Indian cooking is! There are some vegetables that don't cook well if you add salt in the beginning, there are some curries where you have to add it in the beginning.. its all a big story :)
Happy Independence day! Enjoy your break Cynthia!
i cant make up my mind cynthia what i like better the studded cheese or your squids........awesome combination..........and as for salt I put some while saute-ing the onions and some in the middle and check the taste when its done and add the last bit them.
Oh, this looks delicious -- Just like all your other dishes. ;-)
Happy Independence day!
Paz
I add salt in different stages.
Happy independence day and have a nice holiday were ever you are.
Funny..just today i was trying to remember if independence day is in may or august. Guess Ive been out of Guyana too long :). The squid looks great...I bet it was very yummy! I have yet to try cooking squid but do love to eat it.
I normally season my food before I cook it if it's meats. If it's something like a quick stir-fry, I season it while it's being cooked. As far as pasta or rice, I make sure to add my salt to the water before I add the pasta/rice.
Oh, and that cranberry-studded cheese looks interesting. I like cheese and I like cranberries. :-)
Great post! I do something different in every dish....
I usually do it when I start cooking and adjust the flavor at the end. Happy Holiday!
Depends on what dish really...and how I feel =P The squid dish looks yummy!
Lovely recipe! I usually add salt in the middle and then adjust it at the end after tasting!
I was one of those who used to be frustrated about "add salt to taste". I didn't mind it so much in the ordinary recipes but when I made something special, like a pickle meant to stay for a long time, I would like some indication. When I expressed that frustration on the blog, lots of friends told me it was not possible to prescribe the amount as tastes vary. Someone else told me that's also because there are different kinds of salt and their saltiness varies.
I haven't thought often about which veggies to salt first and which later, your column is useful. I'm a bit conservative with the salt as the end result always seems to be saltier than when it's cooking, like you pointed out (salt getting concentrated). If I'm in a hurry, I add salt to frying onions (for any curry) so that they cook faster.
And I never, ever add salt to any dal when it's cooking, because it doesn't cook if you do. The same thing happens to a lesser extent with sour stuff like tamarind and mango so I make sure I soak the dal for at least 30 minutes before I add tamarind or mango to it. Even then, I only add salt after it's all cooked and mashed.
I am guilty of saying "salt to taste" in my recipes! :D
That's mostly because, as you said, different people have different tolerance levels to salt. I tend to use less salt in my cooking (that's how I like it) yet my husband prefers his food well salted.
As for when I add salt, depends on what I'm cooking. Mostly I add it to the vegetables while they're cooking except in some cases.
Elephant yam does not cook if salted, so the salt goes in much later. The same when cooking lentils.
In Kerala, when raw plantain chips/ wafers are deep fried, the salt is dissolved in a bit of water and this water is added in small spoonfuls to the oil when the chips/ wafers are almost done!
Hi Cynthia, enjoy your holidays! Though I mention 'salt to taste' in all my recipes, it really is difficult to mention exactly when to add salt because it totally depends on the dish, the ingredients, the recipe. For some veggies, esply green leafy vegetables like spinach, there is salt content and whenever i make curries or dry dishes with it, I add salt towards the end. For any non-veg dish like chicken and fish where marinade is involved, salt is part of the marinade. In case of lentils, the salt is added towards the end. In case of onion tomato based dishes, the salt is added initially after the tomato is cooked and then later adjusted in the end as per requirement. In case of Indian breads (parathas), I usually add salt when kneading the dough or to the filling depending on the ingredient. For rice based dishes, like a biryani, part of it is added to the vegetables or the non-veg base, and part to the rice. So it is all rather difficult to specify each time:D
Fabulous photos Cynthia - your pictures always make me hungry.
I always wonder about salt measurements when writing recipes too. :-)
I season at the beginning and adjust at the end of cooking time usually.
My hubby will always had some extra in his plate... A matter of taste !
I start to be hungry looking at your pictures...!
Cynthia...how have you been ? Long time no see..and thats bcoz I was away.
love the fact that you paid respect to 'salt'...it played an important part in Indian history in the Gandhian era when we were fighting for our freedom.
Happy independence to u :)
Salt can over power a dish, I add it in steps also ... a little to start, and "to taste" at the end. I would have to say I go lightly with salt (preferring spices and herbs)for those who want more .. they can add it to their own taste :)
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day :) Actually it depends when I add salt. Usually a little bit in the starting and then I add in the end. Have a nice vacation!
Have a lovely holiday Cynthia!
I season a little at the start and then taste the end result when cooked if any other seasoning is required.
Happy Independence Day!!
So smart with the squid--I'd really like to try that recipe. First, though, I will have to locate some squid!
I love the article about salting--I found most of this out by trial and error, for sure. I'm surprised you didn't write a bit about salting and beans--I've debated that one with a few different chefs ;)
Enjoy your holiday, Cynthia!
I usually salt as I go: a little in the beginning, middle, and end.
Cynthia,
Happy independence day
adding salt ,it depends on the dish.sometimes i add in the middle .
Enjoy ur holidays
prajusha
www.icookipost.com
It depends what I'm cooking. I salt my sauces at the end. When I am cooking with layers I season each component so the overall dish is in balance.
And that split pea soup looks fabulous!
Cynthia! These look so delicious & I like your idea of the flavored cheese. Yum!
Love the squid! Looks so yummy.
Cynthia,
It depends and I add at various stages of cooking..sometimes even while eating!! we prefer to use iodised salt than the plain salt..
Pics are making me real hungry..
hugs and smiles
I'm all for seasoning all the way through. Gives you more excuses to taste.
I always salt my boiling green AFTER they are boiled (peas, beans, etc.) to preserve their greeny-ness -
Also pendulate between kosher, sea and regular iodized salt -
cheers!
Gabi @ Mamaliga.
Hey Cynthia, hope life is good, sorted on the book front yet?
As for salt - at the end every time. Taste before seasoning, that's my mantra!
Cheers
David
I generally add the salt near the beginning and then taste test and adjust near the end.
That split pea soup looks great! The ham itself adds a lot of salty goodness to the soup.
Hey Cynthia,enjoy your vacation!I almost always salt the dish in the end so that there is greater control over the amount that goes in, then taste to check.
cynthia i love this post. usually i season my dishes at the middle and then at the end.
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