What to cook: how to get a practical recipe from available products

How input is structured and what to write in the fields

The interface is a web form with text fields. In the «Ingredients and quantities» field, list products and, if possible, grams or pieces: «potatoes 400 g, carrots 2 pcs., onion 1 pc., chickpeas 1 can, tomatoes 3 pcs.». Quantities are important, because without them the system may suggest a dish for four portions when there are enough products for two.

In the «Preferences and restrictions» field, indicate what really affects the choice: «no meat», «no gluten», «not spicy», «no dairy». Do not mix restrictions with wishes like «want something interesting» — it is better to formulate specifically: «want a warm dish, not soup».

The «People or portions» and «Available time» fields set the boundaries. If you write «2 portions» and «30 minutes», the answer will be more realistic than with an empty field. Remember the input limits: the first field — up to 8000 characters, details field — up to 1000 characters. The answer comes in a separate panel, it can be copied or downloaded as a regular TXT.

Potatoes 400 g, carrots 2 pcs., onion 1 pc., chickpeas 1 can, tomatoes 3 pcs. No meat. 2 portions. 30 minutes.

Scenario 1: dinner from what is on the kitchen

Situation: after work there is half an hour left, and in the refrigerator — a basic set of vegetables and a can of chickpeas. Task — to get not an abstract «stew», but a clear sequence of actions. Formulate the request so that the system understands: one main recipe is needed, not a list of ten ideas.

A useful answer usually contains: dish name, list of ingredients with quantities, step-by-step preparation and approximate time for each stage. A good sign — if the steps take into account your products, not add exotic components you don't have.

Result check: compare the quantities in the answer with yours. If the system suggests 500 g of potatoes, and you have 400 g, that is normal — just reduce proportionally. Pay attention to the order of frying: onion and carrot are usually fried before tomatoes and chickpeas.

Request: «Potatoes 400 g, carrots 2 pcs., onion 1 pc., chickpeas 1 can, tomatoes 3 pcs. No meat. 2 portions. 30 minutes». Expected result: stewed vegetables with chickpeas, indicating when to add chickpeas and how long to simmer.

Scenario 2: dietary restrictions

The second scenario — when there are restrictions: no gluten, no lactose, no nuts or vegetarianism. It is important to write the restriction explicitly and not count on the system guessing it from the context. Formulation «no gluten» is clearer than «eat healthy food».

A useful answer should either not contain forbidden products, or explicitly offer a replacement. For example, instead of wheat flour — corn or rice flour, instead of cream — plant-based. If a forbidden ingredient still appears in the answer, this is a reason to rephrase the request and add a clarification.

Check: read the composition and steps of the dish entirely, not just the title. Sometimes the restriction is violated in the sauce or in the side dish. If in doubt, ask a clarifying request: «the same dish, but no gluten, what to replace the flour with». This is not a medical consultation, a culinary hint.

Request: «Rice 300 g, chicken 400 g, broccoli 200 g, soy sauce. No gluten. 3 portions. 40 minutes». Check that the sauce is chosen without wheat, otherwise replace it with tamari.

Scenario 3: budget-friendly and for several days

The third scenario — cook an inexpensive dish for 4–6 portions, so it lasts for two days. It is useful to indicate that you want a large amount specifically, and list inexpensive basic products: cereals, legumes, root vegetables, cabbage.

A good answer in this case suggests a dish that stores well and reheats: soup, stew, casserole, grain salad. If the system suggests a salad of fresh vegetables for 6 portions, this is less practical for storage.

Check: evaluate whether the proposed quantities are enough for the stated portions, and clarify storage conditions. The tool does not give product safety guarantees — storage terms and cooling rules check independently.

Request: «Lentils 500 g, carrots 3 pcs., onion 2 pcs., tomato paste, potatoes 500 g. No meat. 6 portions. 50 minutes». Expected result: thick soup or stew, convenient to reheat.

How to check and refine the result

After generation compare the answer with your inputs by three points: products, quantities, time. If something is missing, do not rewrite the request from scratch — add a clarification in the details field. For example: «I have no oven, only stove» or «need no onion».

Check the logic of steps: does the system suggest frying what you planned to just add, and are there no missing stages like soaking legumes. If legumes are dry, not canned, the cooking time will be different.

Remember the tool limitations: answers may contain errors, queue and availability may change. The tool does not replace a doctor or dietitian, and with serious health restrictions consult a specialist.

Tool limitations and typical errors

«What to cook» works with text: you enter data, get one result in a separate panel. There is no batch processing, automatic saving, integrations and publishing. Export — plain TXT, manual copying. This is worth considering if you are used to complex editors.

Typical error — too general request: «something tasty». The more specific ingredients, restrictions, portions and time, the more useful the answer. A second error — ignoring quantities: without them the recipe may not match real supplies.

Third error — considering the answer truth in the last instance. This is a draft, which needs to be adapted to your kitchen, taste and restrictions. If the answer did not suit, change one variable and generate again.