As a writer, you can transform bland, ordinary sentences into tantalizing, spicy prose using adverbs.
But just like spices, if you use adverbs skillfully, you’ll add depth and flavor to your writing to delight your reader. But if you scatter them carelessly, you’ll create an overwhelming, unpalatable mess.
I love Indian cuisine.
Creamy Dal Makhani. Chickpea and potato Aloo Chana. Carrot, sweetcorn, and green pea Jalfrezi. Okra, bell pepper, and coconut Sabzi … I could continue!
As a vegetarian, I love that although these dishes are made with ordinary vegetables, their flavorsome bases are far from ordinary.
The secret is in the spices
Whole spices like cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds are ‘bloomed’ in hot oil or ghee to unlock their aroma and infuse the oil with flavor — a base to begin cooking with.
Ground spices are often cooked with fresh ginger, garlic, and onions, then pulsed in a processor to create a cooking paste that can be used for the curry sauce.
Others are harmoniously blended, depending on their flavor profile, to create a ‘masala’ — either warming spices for a Garam or slightly tarter for a Chana — then added to the dish while it is cooking.
There’s even a dash of spice added to the dish just before it’s served as a final accent flavor.
Imagine this alchemy in the hands of an experienced, patient home cook who loves delighting their friends and family with these tantalizing meals, compared to the impatient hands of a novice who thinks that throwing a heap of randomly selected spices in the dish will somehow replicate the nuances of authentic cuisine.
Similarly, as a writer, you can transform bland, ordinary sentences into tantalizing, spicy prose using adverbs.