The Main Article, Balance of Flavors in Cooking

The cuisine is a distinctive style of cooking generally associated with specific geographic regions, cultural traditions and ingredients, and normally associated with a single culture or region. Regional food preparation habits, ingredients and customs often merge to form new dishes unique to a single area. Examples include Italian, Spanish, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisines; French, Portuguese, German and Thai cuisines; Japanese, Korean and Indonesian cuisines.

Style Cuisine Ingredient:

A main article in any cuisine is the ingredients used to prepare the food. As well as the main ingredient, there are a number of important others that can change the nature of the main ingredient and play a part in the taste and flavor. Some of these are the fat, oil and spices used; the duration of cooking; the manner of preparation and cooking (i.e. frying vs boiling, grilling or frying, etc.)

1. The first and foremost is the fat, it is essential for all foods whether they be boiled fried, broiled, steamed or grilled. It is also a great contributor to the taste and texture and helps the food to maintain its health and nutritional value throughout the cooking process.
2. The second most important ingredient is oil, it lubricates the food and allows it to cook properly; without which foods are usually either dry or rubbery. Spices add extra flavor and aroma to the food and are available in a wide range of forms from dried herbs to pasteurised garlic. Both of these are important contributors to food safety and cooking techniques. Of course the main ingredient is the food itself and this is where the real differences start to show.

Objectives of Cooking:

The main objective of all cooking techniques is to make the food as tasty and nutritious as possible. Although some techniques are basic and universal, others vary according to the regional preferences. For example, the use of oils in Indian and Chinese cooking is very different to the technique adopted in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cooking.

One of the most controversial issues in food preparation is the use of salt and fats. These are both essential in the main article, however there is considerable debate over the best approach to their use. The problem with using salt is that it removes the vital nutrients from the ingredients. Fats, on the other hand, are required for deep cooking and thus contribute to the nutritional value of the main article.

In conclusion, a balanced combination of ingredients will produce the most delicious dish. Choosing the correct cooking method for your particular recipe is very important. The best approach is to experiment and find out what the flavors are in your favourite ingredients and adjust your cooking method accordingly.

Happy cooking!