Yogurt, Cucumber & Herb Bowl

Garlic is added in small pieces so it spreads through the dish. It burns in seconds, which turns it bitter, so it usually goes in after the onion, not before.

1. Pull one clove off the bulb. Trim off the hard little root end.
2. Lay the flat of your knife on the clove and press down firmly with the heel of your hand. The skin splits and slips off.
3. Slice it thinly, then rock the knife back and forth over the slices until the pieces are tiny. Or push the peeled clove through a garlic crusher.
4. In the pan it needs about 30 seconds to a minute, stirring, until it smells strong — then add the next ingredient.

Ready when: In the pan: fragrant and pale gold. Brown means it has gone too far.

The zest (the coloured skin) holds the fragrant oils; the white pith underneath is bitter.

1. Zest first, while it is whole: rub it over the fine side of a grater, turning as you go, taking only the coloured layer.
2. To juice, roll it firmly on the worktop under your palm, cut it in half across the middle and squeeze over your cupped hand or a sieve to catch the pips.

The large holes are for melting and topping; the fine side is for hard cheese like parmesan and for zest.

1. Stand the grater on a plate or board and hold the handle firmly.
2. Press the cheese against the grater only on the way down, in long strokes.
3. Stop when the piece gets small — eat the last bit or chop it rather than grate your fingertips.