Why your food lacks flavour: Chef reveals six common cooking mistakes
Chef Mohammed Shaib of Tribe Hotel says mistakes often happen not because of a lack of skill, but because of overlooked details that affect how ingredients interact during preparation and cooking.
Whether you're a seasoned home chef or a weekend cook, it's easy to make small mistakes in the kitchen that can significantly affect the flavour, texture, and overall success of your meals.
What many people don’t realise is that cooking is as much a science as it is an art. Timing, technique, and how you handle ingredients all play a crucial role in the outcome.
Chef Mohammed Shaib of Tribe Hotel says mistakes often happen not because of a lack of skill, but because of overlooked details that affect how ingredients interact during preparation and cooking.
1. Timing matters: When you add ingredients
“One of the most important aspects is how and when ingredients are combined during the cooking process,” Shaib said in an interview with The Eastleigh Voice on Wednesday.
“Adding certain components too early or too late can throw off balance, dull flavours, or create undesirable textures.”
Equally important is giving each element time to develop. Browning, caramelising onions, or allowing ingredients to simmer gently helps unlock deep, rich flavours.
“For example, you have to let the onions brown first. When cooking, adding onions and tomatoes at the same time prevents the flavours from developing as they should. Let the smell and the look guide you; when the onions turn golden and aromatic, that’s when they’re ready for the next step.”
Seasoning is another area where many go wrong. Instead of waiting until the end, seasoning gradually throughout the process builds layers of flavour and prevents bland or overpowering results.
2. Too much water or ingredients
Another common pitfall is mismanaging water and heat. While water is essential for boiling, simmering, or steaming, excess moisture can dilute flavour, change textures, and stop key reactions like browning.
For example, when sautéing vegetables or browning meat, too much water in the pan prevents caramelisation—the chemical reaction that brings out flavour and colour. Instead of browning, vegetables like cabbage or spinach steam in their juices, resulting in a soggy, watery dish.
“In meals like stews or sauces, excessive water can thin out the consistency and mute the balance of spices, herbs, and aroma. It can also lengthen cooking time unnecessarily, which sometimes overcooks delicate ingredients,” Shaib added.
Professional chefs recommend adding water slowly and allowing it to reduce naturally to intensify flavours.
“Instead of adding water all at once, control how much you add gradually and also choose the right ingredients, because if you add too many spices and ingredients, you risk washing away the soul of the dish.”
3. Use the right size sufuria or pan
An often-overlooked factor is the size of your cooking pot or pan. Overcrowding can cause ingredients to steam rather than brown, leading to uneven cooking and a loss of texture and flavour.
“Patience and proper pan management help ensure that food browns beautifully, developing complex aromas and satisfying crispness of the meal you are making,” Shaib says.
He adds that how you handle proteins and vegetables before cooking also affects the final flavour.
“What you do with your beef or chicken before you cook it also changes the flavour of your dish. If you want to fry the chicken, grill your meat before you cook it—it will make a huge difference when you cook your meal.”
4. Choosing the right cooking oil
The type of oil or fat you use can dramatically influence the final result.
Chef Shaib advises choosing fats and oils based on the cooking method, especially their smoke points and flavour profiles.
For example, extra virgin olive oil works best for low-heat cooking or drizzling over dishes, thanks to its fruity notes. But it burns quickly at high temperatures, making it unsuitable for deep-frying or searing.
Ghee (clarified butter) and beef tallow are better suited for high-heat cooking. Ghee offers a nutty, buttery flavour and holds up well under intense heat, making it ideal for chapatis, stews, or sautéing.
Beef tallow, once a kitchen staple, adds rich, savoury depth—especially in meat dishes—though it may carry a beefy aroma.
Neutral seed oils like sunflower, canola, or soybean oil are versatile for everyday frying or baking, though their highly processed nature often raises health concerns.
5. Mishandling tomatoes
Tomatoes are among the most commonly used ingredients, but how you prepare and cook them makes a big difference.
Whether you dice, blend, or peel them—and when you add them—each decision affects flavour and texture.
Chef Shaib explains that different preparations serve different purposes.
“Blended tomatoes are ideal for smooth sauces and stews, while diced or chopped ones give you more texture and body,” he said.
“But what really matters is when and how you cook them.”
Adding raw blended tomatoes too early can make dishes watery and overly acidic. Instead, they should be cooked down until they darken and lose their raw smell—a sign the acidity has mellowed and flavours have blended.
Peeling tomatoes is another step home cooks often skip, but it makes a difference in refined dishes like pilau or biryani. A quick blanch in hot water helps remove the skin, improving texture and mouthfeel.
Adding tomatoes too soon can also interrupt the browning of onions, garlic, or meat due to their high-water content. That’s why many chefs wait until the aromatics are fully sautéed before adding tomatoes.
6. Cutting technique matters
How you cut your ingredients—onions, tomatoes, hoho (capsicum), garlic, ginger—can affect the texture and appearance of your meal.
From mincing garlic to pounding ginger into paste, each technique reflects tradition, preference, and purpose.
Some slice onions thinly for sautéing, others dice them for stews. Tomatoes might be roughly chopped or blended, while coriander and hoho may be chopped fresh or turned into pastes.
If ingredients like onions or tomatoes are cut too large, they may not blend well into the dish and can disrupt its consistency.
“Good food starts with good cooking techniques,” Shaib said.
“Small adjustments can make a world of difference, turning everyday meals into memorable dishes.”
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