When you live in the age of social media, there’s a new trend coming in every day. In recent years, a unique culinary movement has evolved, challenging traditional concepts of cooking and dining. With over 1.6 million views on TikTok and thousands on Instagram, ‘Chaos Cooking’ is a thriving trend. From award-winning restaurant chefs to those just getting started in the kitchen, all of us can profit from some chaos cooking.
What Is Chaos Cooking?
Chaos cooking has been around for decades, long before it was given its unique nickname and hashtag. Chefs have long combined elements that don’t normally mix. Yes, we call it fusion food. But this idea is being pushed to the next level by this new social media trend. Aside from using items that would not generally go together, another aspect of chaos cooking is to use whatever you have on hand. In other words, you look through your refrigerator and pantry, identify what you need and figure out how to combine it.
At its foundation, chaos cooking entails combining ingredients to create something far greater than its components. Essentially, it’s cooking without a recipe, and it’s an effective technique to reduce food waste. Chaos cooking is all about relatability, deliciousness, and creativity—instead of worrying that you could ruin a dish or fail to produce something incredibly gourmet. The trend focuses on enjoying yourself and striving to satisfy your palate.
Patrons can confidently explore, invent, and make the most of the ingredients in their kitchen. Would you like to season your omelette with everything bagel and kimchi? Take it on. Consider adding pretzels and tahini to the top of vanilla ice cream. Sounds fantastic! The main focus is on creativity allowing for unexpected flavour combinations and culinary innovations.
ALso Read: What Is Tuesday Dining, A New Trend Seeing An Uptick In The Australian Food Scene?
How To Ace Chaos Cooking?
The absence of a recipe allows chaos cooking to surprise you. Here’s how you can do chaos cooking like a pro:
1. Pick What You’re In The Mood For
This question is the ideal starting point for whatever new meal you’re thinking of. Start with rice, pasta, eggs, or chicken–something that you’ve cooked already before. After that, you can experiment with the other ingredients.
2. Pick A Theme
Once you’ve selected a main ingredient, it’s time to choose the dish’s flavour profile or theme. Think of one or two dishes that you could spotlight or combine with the items you have chosen.
3. Bring Diverse Ingredients
Gather the ingredients that you wish to include. Bring a range of ingredients from various cuisines and culinary categories to enhance the chaotic cooking experience. However, keep a check on the number of ingredients added. Don’t go overboard; each ingredient should be to serve the dish.
4. Experiment Now
Every cuisine contains elements of all five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and rich. Aim to add at least one source of them; either add with butter, soy sauce, etc. Then, focus on dialling in the correct level of heat and cooking time to finish off your dish.
Embrace the chaos, savour the experience, and revel in the joy of creating a unique meal!
Cover image credits: Canva
For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.
Good news! We are on WhatsApp! Subscribe to Curly Tales WhatsApp Channel to stay up-to-date with exclusive content and BTS. Join HERE.