Of course life has changed nowadays and town life had caught up with the younger folk. When I grew up though, this was how we cooked some dishes:
Vegetables:
Boil water
Cut the vegetables into cubes, and place them all in the pot
Cover until cooked
Meat:
Boil water
Cut meat into cubes, wash and place in boiling water
Cook until desired tenderness
This is generally the method used for all dishes. No condiments are added whatsoever.
Try doing this and you would taste the natural and genuine flavor of what you are cooking.
I, however, prepared salt and pepper mixture, with meat because it is also a blast when you dip the cooked and tender meat in salt and pepper as you eat.
This explains why most people then had longer life spans. The food was our and unadulterated without toxic nitrites and harmful coloring reagents that could make you sick.
Try cooking a dish at home, especially if these are fresh products. Simply boil them and drink the broth; you’ll find out a unique taste you may never have tasted before.
