Making a New Dish

What if you want to make something you've never made before? Here's what I do:

1. Look up some recipes or video tutorials online.
2. If it's too complicated, stop here.
3. Try to understand the broad strokes of the recipe:
   • Why do they use the techniques that they use? (Braise, stir fry, stew, pan fry, sear, etc)
   • Why do they use these particular aromatics?
   • Can I replace any spices or ingredients with spices and ingredients that I like more?
   • Can I cut any corners and get a similar result?
4. After answering those questions, really quickly, in my head, I jump in and try to make that dish.

After all is said and done, the first version probably wasn't the best tasting or the most efficient. But, I'll have learned what worked, what didn't work, and I can tune my feelings accordingly so that the next time is a little bit more successful.

And I'll also be even more equipped to answer the question: Can I cut any corners and get a similar result? The next time I make the dish, my main goal is to make it taste marginally better, but expend less energy and time in making the dish.