Salt to taste...

Online recipes are a true blessing for people like me, who peek into the fridge on waking up late on a Saturday morning, only to find that they're out of frozen waffles and their only alternative is to put together a lunch using peppers, lemons, rice and a fabulous internet connection.

Last week, I got my reality check when I decided to shun the internet (very, very temporarily) and concoct something on my own. Having found avocado and mango in the fridge, I tried to make a mango-avocado dip. I pureed the two and added some Cayenne to it and ... decided never to try it again. (Although, I did save some of the pureed avocado and it made for a fantastic face-mask later that day. Also, for those who enjoy the challenge of putting together a dish from the most unlikely ingredients, may I suggest 'Chopped' on Food Network, Tuesdays 10 pm EST. One could learn a thing or two from that show..)

Now, I really admire all the food-bloggers out there who take the pains to share elaborate recipes with the rest of the world, complete with pictures, and down to the last detail in terms of how the pan must be greased and what temperate the oven must be set to. However, I can only wish that, at the end of a long list of ingredients and instructions, they didn't say 'Add salt to taste'. After painstakingly following all the instructions for a perfect dish, this is the part that leaves me utterly confused and clueless. How much is too little and how much is too much?

Now, we Indians don't take our salt lightly (pun intended). You could serve a perfectly cooked/baked/roasted dish, but if it's "missing salt", you'll see people wrinkle up their noses and tell u as much. Not having "enough salt" is just not excusable and until you've mastered the art of somehow figuring out the right amount to put in a dish, no matter who's coming home for dinner, you're not an accomplished cook. So, all you fabulous food-bloggers out there, I just wish that you would go the extra mile (or line) to tell us how much salt is to be added (just a ballpark will do), because, believe it or not, there are people who really need help in that area...