Smoke, Spice, and the Science of Flavor
This week’s menu: the chemistry of color, the magic of salt, and the spice blend I can’t stop using.
I can’t remember where I saw it or who wrote it, but they aptly described the weather in LA right now. It’s autumn in the morning, summer in the afternoon, spring in the evening, and at night winter sets in—all four seasons in one day. I never know what to wear, so I end up taking a jacket everywhere I go, just in case. And I learned my lesson well when I went out to dinner at the new Malaysian restaurant Rasarumah when
stopped in LA on her book tour. Vegetarians, this place has a separate menu just for you. I highly recommend the gado gado salad and mushroom clay pot, which we ended up ordering twice that evening. The cendol sundae with coconut ice cream and pandan jelly noodles was phenomenal.This week…
See what I’m cooking up in the latest episode of Flavor Forward with America’s Test Kitchen!
Learn about the science of salt in my salt deep dive (and get a handy chart to help with measurements for different types of salt)
Exclusively for my Paid subscribers, my recipe for Gunpowder Butternut Squash and New Potatoes
Tandoori Salmon: Turning the Heat Up
Tandoori food delivers some of the boldest, smokiest flavors in Indian cooking, and that is precisely why I love it. Growing up in Bombay, I would sneak out with my friends at night to eat tandoori chicken fresh off the grill, wrapped in buttery naan. The meat’s charred crust, its crimson hue, and the aroma of spices that reached you before the plate did were unforgettable. For this episode of Flavor Forward , I wanted to bring that same intensity to salmon. The broiler may not hit the 900 degrees of a tandoor, but its radiant heat can still mimic that smoky, high-heat magic.
Instead of the traditional yogurt marinade, I take a different route. A brief soak in a baking soda solution raises the salmon’s pH, keeping it tender and moist while allowing time for a dark crust to form. I then brush the fillets with lemon juice, which resets the acidity, just enough for the beet juice in my spice paste to hold its deep red color. The paste combines garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder, garlic, ginger, and kasoori methi, creating a rich, earthy heat. The result is buttery, smoky salmon with layers of spice and color that rival anything from a tandoor. Watch the full episode of Flavor Forward to see how it all comes together and learn the science behind this vibrant dish.
Missed an episode? Catch them all here at Flavor Forward.
Let’s Talk About Salt — and Why It Changes Everything You Cook
If you’ve ever wondered why salt makes food taste better, you’ll want to read this one. I just published a deep dive on the science of salt, how it sharpens aromas, balances bitterness, and even changes texture at a molecular level. It’s a quick, practical guide to understanding salt beyond “season to taste,” and it’ll change how you cook everything from pasta to pastries. You can read it here: The Science of Salt.
Recipe
