Magic beans - Enhancing food flavour

Coffee tastes good, hot or cold. Whether it is your shot of espresso or good old filter coffee.

But, because of coffee’s flexible nature, it doesn’t have to be limited to just a drink. From simple desserts to a main course, coffee is used in various forms by chefs across the world.

Here are a few pointers by Chef Francis, ITC Kakatiya, on how coffee helps in enhancing the flavours of dishes.

• Coffee powder can be used while grilling food. Since the coffee powder already comes from roasted beans, it adds a smoky flavour to meat or vegetables.
• Coffee can also be used in the process of smoking meat. Sprinkle coffee powder over the wood that is used to smoke the meat and it will
• enhance the flavour.
• Coffee is also  used in desserts to create a balance. For example, in tiramisu, coffee is used to add a slight bitterness to a dish that would otherwise be sweet and heavy.
• Add a teaspoon of instant coffee powder when making chocolate sauce for a pudding. The colour and taste of the sauce becomes richer instantly.