Bring alive the magic of colours in your meal

According to a research, colour is the single most important product-intrinsic sensory cue when it comes to setting people’s expectations regarding the likely taste and flavour of food and drink.

We eat with our eyes first. Before the taste, looks make an impact. According to a research available on BioMed Central, a UK-based open access science publisher, ‘colour is the single most important product-intrinsic sensory cue when it comes to setting people’s expectations regarding the likely taste and flavour of food and drink’.

Colourful burgers from UK from with completely natural and vegan ingredients. (Photo: Instagram/Time Out London)

Colourful food pumps up the mood and after what we have been through last, a pop of colour on our plate is something that doesn’t fail to delight. “Food presentation matters more than ever”, says Sahil Arora, executive chef, Shangri-La’s – Eros Hotel. “Colourful dishes instantly brighten up a meal. Adding a variety of colourful elements to a dish not only makes it more picturesque they also whets the appetite,” says Arora.

Colourful cabbage grown by a Nasik-based farmer. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

Recently, colourful vegan burgers from the UK that went viral. Closer home, we saw colourful cauliflower by a Nasik farmer that broke the social media. “The world is bouncing back after months of lockdowns and gloomy forecasts. People are looking for reason to cheer and food is an indispensable component that can steer the feel-good hormones. Different colours evoke different emotions within us and bright and colourful dishes create a sense of joy. Even our good old Haldi Ka Dhoodh in its global avatar – turmeric latte, became a part of the western coffee connoisseur’s scene,” says Bhoopendra Singh, head chef, Whiz Café.

Lively colourful salad, with a pop of colour is something that doesn’t fail to delight.

There are several ingredients in home kitchens that can add colour and joy to food. “Colourful food and veggies are super healthy. Some common ingredients that naturally add colour to your plate are beetroot, crisp spinach, carrots, avocado, broccoli, orange/ orange peels, strawberries, bell peppers and zucchini. Boil vegetables also enhances the colour element. Spices such as turmeric and saffron also bring in colour. These ingredients are easily available, go well with a wide range of cuisines and add the playfulness to the dish,” says Aman Khanna, culinary experiences manager, The Connaught. “For a more diverse palette, you could use matcha tea for greens, paprika for a hot red, cocoa powder for a fancy brown and if you would want to go all out with experimentation, you could add activated charcoal to your dish for a black or ebony tinge,” says Singh.

Author tweets @ruchikagarg271

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