What aspect of cooking does the term "bending" refer to?

The term "bending" in the context of cooking primarily refers to manipulating ingredients during the cooking process. This can include actions such as mixing, folding, or incorporating different components of a dish to achieve a desired texture or flavor. It emphasizes the physical interaction with ingredients to enhance the cooking process or finalize a dish.

For example, bending can involve the gentle folding of a delicate ingredient into a batter to maintain its texture or the mixing of spices into a sauce to create a balanced flavor profile. This physical manipulation is a critical skill in culinary arts as it directly affects the outcome of the dish being prepared. The other options either focus on flavor adjustment, herb incorporation, or presentation techniques, which are distinct elements of culinary practice but do not align with the specific definition of "bending."