This spring, I’ve been spending the time between my lessons in the kitchen—not only cooking, but learning. I’ve been exploring the science behind vegan cooking, and it has started to change the way I think about recipes. What I used to see as simple instructions now feels more like a small lesson in chemistry.

More Than Just a Substitute

When people start plant-based cooking, the first idea is usually to swap one ingredient for another. But the more I experiment, the more I realise that simple substitution can work sometimes, but it often doesn’t behave the way we hope.

Take nutritional yeast. It’s commonly used instead of Parmesan, and it does give a nice umami flavour. But it doesn’t have the fat that makes cheese feel rich and satisfying, so the result may taste a little flat.

In some recent vegan meatball experiments, I noticed that the flavour didn’t really “bloom” until I rebuilt the bite more carefully. The nutritional yeast gave the savoury base, but a small amount of refined coconut oil added the fat and texture that brought everything together.

So instead of thinking about substitution, I started thinking more about reconstruction—what the dish needs, not just what the recipe says.

The Language Connection

I’ve noticed that learning English can work in a similar way.

Many learners try to match a word from their language to an English word. It’s a natural first step, but it can sometimes lead to a meaning that feels slightly too strong, too direct, or just a bit different from what they intended.

That’s where a few simple “flavour elements” come in:

Vocabulary — The Ingredients
A word is helpful, but the meaning depends on how it’s combined with others.
(Just as nutritional yeast alone won’t give a full cheese flavour.)

Framing — The Fat
Framing helps guide the listener. It sets the tone.
Expressions like I’ve noticed that…, It seems like…, or I tend to think… can make an idea sound more thoughtful and easier to receive.

Hedging — The Seasoning
Hedging lets us adjust the strength of a message.
Words like maybe, a bit, possibly, or not quite soften the impact, the same way a little salt or spice changes the balance of a dish.

Rebuilding With Intention 

Spring is a good time to try learning in a slightly different way.
In cooking and in English, progress often comes when we stop looking for a perfect “one-to-one” swap and start exploring how to build the whole idea more gently and clearly.

When we adjust the ingredients, the framing, and the “seasoning,” communication begins to bloom—just like a well-balanced dish.

Useful Vocabulary & Expressions from the Column

(Grouped by theme — all taken directly from the text or lightly adapted from it.)

Hedging (Softening)

• a bit
• a little
• can
• may
• often
• tend to
• seems / it seems like…
• in my experience…
• I’ve noticed that…
• it doesn’t always…

Framing (Setting tone and intent)

• I’ve been exploring…
• I’ve realised that…
• the more I… the more I…
• I started thinking about…
• I noticed that…
• in a similar way…
• it depends on…

Vegan Cooking Vocabulary

• plant-based cooking
• umami flavour
• richness / mouthfeel
• savory base
• bloom (flavour bloom)
• reconstruction
• refined coconut oil
• texture

Learning/Language Vocabulary

• tone
• meaning depends on…
• direct vs soft
• build an idea
• clear communication