Farah Ansari, Food Writer

Farah is a trained cook who writes tested recipes and technique guides. She cooks every recipe at least twice before publishing.

Writes for: Food & Gastronomy

Covers: Indian recipes, baking, cooking techniques

Articles by Farah Ansari

A delicately plated fine-dining dish served at a candlelit table

Molecular Gastronomy & Avant-Garde CookingSep 16, 20269 min read

Deconstructing Flavors: A Beginner’s Guide to Molecular Gastronomy At Home

Spherification, foams and gels without a lab: a molecular gastronomy at home guide covering the food-grade tools, the science and three beginner techniques that actually work in a domestic kitchen.

Rustic sourdough and seeded loaves with wheat stalks on a floured board

The Science of Baking & Sourdough CultivationSep 14, 20269 min read

Demystifying Wild Yeast: The Chemistry Behind Perfect Sourdough Bread Crumb Structures

Why some loaves open into glossy, irregular alveoli while others stay tight: the sourdough bread chemistry behind crumb structure, from gluten networks to acid and gas.

Hands stretching a thin, translucent sheet of bread dough against window light over a floured wooden board

The Science of Baking & Sourdough CultivationAug 27, 202610 min read

Gluten Development Explained: Kneading, Autolyse and Bread Texture

What gluten is, how kneading and resting build it, what an autolyse really does, why salt and bran change dough, and how to read your dough with the windowpane test.

A vacuum-sealed chicken breast with herbs in a clear water bath, an immersion circulator clipped to the side of the container and a probe thermometer on the counter

Molecular Gastronomy & Avant-Garde CookingAug 11, 202611 min read

Sous Vide Cooking at Home: Temperatures, Safety and Equipment

A practical guide to sous vide at home: why time matters as much as temperature, the pasteurisation figures food safety agencies publish, how to chill and store bags safely, and what equipment is worth buying.

A close-up of a cast-iron pan with a deeply browned paneer steak and golden onions, a wooden spatula resting on the rim

Molecular Gastronomy & Avant-Garde CookingJul 26, 202611 min read

The Maillard Reaction: The Science of Browning and Flavour

Why a seared crust, toasted bread and roasted coffee taste the way they do, what heat, moisture and pH change, and how to get deep flavour without burning food.

A glass jar of bubbly sourdough starter at its peak, with a rubber band marking where it began, beside a bag of flour on a kitchen counter

The Science of Baking & Sourdough CultivationJun 24, 202611 min read

How to Feed and Maintain a Sourdough Starter

A practical, troubleshooting-led guide to keeping a sourdough starter healthy, from feeding ratios and schedules to hot kitchens, fridge storage, hooch and mould.