We have a slightly unusual household in that my husband and I share a house with by husband's brother.

I do most of the cooking which in general goes down well. I make pasta sauces, curries, stews, stir fries and lots of other types of food. I generally prep everything from scratch and use plenty of spices and herbs to give flavour.

The brother-in-law also cooks about once a week but the problem is he manages to cook the blandest food ever!

Last night he cooked mixed veg, rice and salmon. I don't know how he does it but even the salmon tasted of nothing. In this instance he managed to overcook all 3 but usually everything tastes bland even when he doesn't overcook it.

Last night was so bad I got bored eating it and ended up discretely throwing half away (great for dieting though).

I don't want to appear ungrateful to him, does anyone have any ideas how to add something to food once it has been served to jazz it up a bit?

Salt and pepper?

Ketchup is your friend!

Is it possible that you've been over seasoning your food? If so, anything you eat that's been properly seasoned will taste bland.

If not, then maybe Tommy K?

I do put salt and pepper on but for some reason I didn't think of ketchup! we also have mayo and brown sauce in the fridge so I could try that too!

I could also try sprinkling a little soy sauce on too - that would have worked on last nights dinner!

I tend to use spices and herbs to flavour food and try and minimise salt when I cook. I don't think I over use it as whenever we get a takeaway I always notice how salty it is!

I would watch him next time and see if he actually uses any seasoning at all. If he's self taught and new to cooking he might not know these things and you could help him out.

Have a cupboard full of condiments handy for bland food.
Salt, pepper, dried herbs & spices, soy, fish sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, a range of vinegars etc.

He is very uncomfortable with being watched and actually bans us from the kitchen when he is cooking (which is very annoying when I need to top up my wine).

He used to live alone so he is used to cooking but I think he prefers bland food. When I stay with the in-laws they cook bland food too!

As he is only cooking for you once a week, wouldn't it be kinder just to eat what he cooks and go back to you highly spiced and herby food the rest of the time. Some people just don't like food that's 'messed about' with

Grin and bear it. It's only once a week. I would be very appreciative if someone took it upon themselves to cook for me just every now and then.

I first read that as 'gin and beer', and thought, yes please!

Excuse me but whose kitchen is it?Anyone who comes between me and my wine is walking a very thin line indeed!

I know what you mean i cant stand bland food either, its down to something lacking in the cooking process, shouldent have to cover it up with ketchup though.
I used to know someone who cooked a roast and made the gravy from water and gravy browning uurrgggh.

Maybe he hates the food that you make him eat for the other six nights!

Fish sauce can be especially useful here.

Worcestershire sauce as well.

How about some hot pepper sauce or chili sauce on the table?
There's a really great value Jamaican style one called Dunn's River and Encona is good too.
They give salt, spice, pepper, sweet, vinegar and heat all at once.

What you could do is let him cook one evening but then a couple of days later, you cook something similar with your herbs and spices or a different way to cook something and get ready for the compliments! Perhaps your in-law will take the hint and start being a little more adventurous.

If that doesn't work, say something to him.

If you set the table on the night he cooks, then put a bottle of tabasco or soy out with the salt and pepper and use this to add a bit of pizzaz.

As others have said, though, if it's only one night a week I wouldn't make a big deal of it as you would seem very ungracious. This is obviously the type of food he - and your husband - have been brought up on and he likes it. If he wanted to know how you make your food so flavourful no doubt he would ask.

Oh, and thank you for your thread title. Reminded me of the 'Goodness Gracious Me' sketch where they go out for an English and dare each other to eat the blandest thing on the menu.

Tabsaco sauce or Encona Chilly sauce. I don't like either but i'm sure they'll add a bit of kick. Opps someone's already mentioned them above.Or key dry chilly flakes (they're sort of moist) or sprinkle at the table.Turks use them.

Lemon livens up bland fishy dishes

Thanks for all the tips. I really do appreciate his cooking but after a while the blandness does get you down. I like the lemon idea. We don't eat at the table but I can add anything once he has grabbed his and left the kitchen.
I hope he does like my cooking and he often comes into our living room to tell me he really liked his dinner.
Maybe I should offer him some tips. He has started to add balsamic vinegar and herbs when he makes gravy so he is open to it.
Maybe I should teach him how to make a basic white sauce so he could then add whatever flavours he wants to.

Re - Goodness Gracious Me - bland scene - that is a favourite of mine too!

This tickled me as it sounds like a "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" type elocution exercise! I am practising it as I type.

I used to get complaints about the food being too spicy. So one day as a sort of ironic point I made vegetable pasties, which were simple puff pastry with normal supermarket frozen vegetables inside. No seasoning, no nothing. But, I then received compliments on how nice they were

For the OP, I recommend this. http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/i...e/CLEN1450.jpg But that's slightly ironic as while it tasted very, very, nice, it was too hot for me and gave me the burning runs.

Don't like people in the kitchen either, but I do announce a short refill amnesty between main body of cooking and the finishing assault on a dish

That would be waaay too spicy for me! I do like a bit of heat but nothing bonkers! I like my food seasoned and using things like herbs and spices etc to liven up meals rather than just applying heat.

I have found a bit of a solution. One of the things he cooks a lot is sausages and mash with veggies and gravy. I have started buying flavoured sausages rather than pain. This has definitely helped bring the meals to life.

I might buy him something to coat his chicken in when he roasts it to zing that up a bit too!