It was one of those evenings where everything that could go wrong, did. I had cooked a large pot of rice to accompany a simple chicken curry. I stepped away for just a few minutes to check on something in the kitchen. When I came back, the unmistakable burnt smell hit me—my perfectly fluffy rice …

There I was, after a long day at work, looking forward to a cozy bowl of homemade soup. I had carefully chopped the vegetables, simmered the broth, and added just a pinch of herbs to make it taste like heaven. Feeling confident, I reached for the salt—and poured in way too much. One taste, and …