You can season the finished plate all you want, but if the food itself tastes flat, something happened earlier.
One of the easiest upgrades in everyday cooking happens before the food reaches the plate. Pasta water, vegetable cooking water and the liquid used to cook grains all influence the flavor of the finished dish.
The move
Season the cooking liquid when the method calls for it. The goal is to give the food a head start rather than asking a pinch of salt at the end to fix everything.
For pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add roughly 1 to 1½ teaspoons of fine table salt per 2 quarts of water as a starting point. Use less when a very salty sauce is coming later. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
For potatoes: Add salt to the water before boiling. The potatoes will pick up some seasoning as they cook. Taste before adding more salt after draining.
For grains: Follow the recommended cooking-liquid quantity, then season that liquid based on what you plan to serve alongside the grains. Remember that stock and packaged broth may already contain substantial salt.
Why it works
When food cooks in seasoned liquid, seasoning has an opportunity to reach beyond the exterior. The result can taste more complete, especially with simple ingredients that don't have a heavily flavored sauce.
There's another advantage: you can build the meal in stages. The grain or potato has its own flavor, so the topping doesn't have to do all the work.
Where it works
Pasta, boiled potatoes, rice, quinoa and some vegetables benefit from thoughtful seasoning of their cooking liquid.
There are exceptions. Don't add salt indiscriminately to every cooking method, particularly when reducing the liquid into a concentrated sauce or when preparing foods for someone managing their sodium intake.
Common mistake
Salting the water until it tastes like the ocean. That's a memorable phrase, but it isn't a dependable measurement.
Start with a sensible quantity for your water volume and the finished dish. You can always adjust the final plate.
The ZSR application
Cook the potatoes in appropriately salted water, drain and let their surfaces dry before roasting or smashing them. Then add Zombie Breath and oil for garlic-onion flavor and crisp edges.
The salted water seasons the potatoes. Zombie Breath builds the flavor direction. Each step has its own job.
Grillslayer takeaway: Season early when the cooking method supports it, taste before adding more and make every ingredient contribute to dinner.