Cooklang Recipe Formatting

Style Guidelines (IMPORTANT)

1. Capitalize ingredients and equipment

@Leek{1}           -- correct
@leek{1}           -- wrong

#Pan{}             -- correct
#pan{}             -- wrong

2. No adjectives inside keywords

Adjectives go BEFORE the keyword, not as part of it:

large #Pan{}       -- correct
#large pan{}       -- wrong

hot #Skillet{}     -- correct
#hot skillet{}     -- wrong

medium @Onion{1}   -- correct
@medium onion{1}   -- wrong

3. Prefer metric measurements

Use grams, ml, litres instead of cups. Teaspoons and tablespoons are OK:

@Flour{250%g}      -- correct
@Flour{2%cups}     -- wrong

@Milk{500%ml}      -- correct
@Milk{2%cups}      -- wrong

@Stock{1%litre}    -- correct
@Stock{4%cups}     -- wrong

@Butter{2%tbsp}    -- OK (tbsp allowed)
@Vanilla{1%tsp}    -- OK (tsp allowed)

4. Include a recipe image

Save the most appealing frame from the video as an image with the same name:

Dinner/Garlic Butter Shrimp.cook
Dinner/Garlic Butter Shrimp.jpg    -- same name, .jpg extension

Quick Reference

Symbol	Purpose	Example
@	Ingredient	@Butter{30%g}
#	Equipment	#Frying Pan{}
~	Timer	~{5%minutes}
---	Metadata block	YAML frontmatter
==	Section header	== Sauce ==

Ingredient Syntax

@ingredient                      -- name only (to taste)
@ingredient{quantity}            -- with amount, no unit
@ingredient{quantity%unit}       -- full specification
@multi word ingredient{}         -- braces required for multi-word
@ingredient{qty%unit}(prep)      -- with preparation instructions

Examples

@Salt{}
@Eggs{3}
@Butter{30%g}
@Chicken Breast{500%g}
@Garlic{3%cloves}(minced)
@Onion{1}(diced)

Notes on Ingredients

• For pantry staples (salt, pepper, oil), just use @Salt{} with no quantity
• For optional ingredients, write "optional" in the text: Add optional @Chilli Flakes{1%tsp} if desired.
• Don't use -, ?, or & prefixes - they're not supported by most Cooklang apps
• Don't mark cooking water as an ingredient - water for boiling/blanching is not a shopping list item:

  Bring a large #Pot{} of water to a boil.     -- correct (plain text)
  Bring a large #Pot{} of @Water{} to a boil.  -- wrong (creates ingredient)
  

Equipment Syntax

#Pot{}
#Frying Pan{}
#Mixing Bowl{}
#Baking Sheet{}

Adjectives go before, not inside:

large #Pot{}           -- correct
#large pot{}           -- wrong

Timer Syntax

~{5%minutes}
~{30%seconds}
~{1%hour}
~resting{10%minutes}     -- named timer

Important: Use single values only, NOT ranges. Write ~{15%minutes} not ~{10-15%minutes}. For variable times, pick the middle value or write it in text: "about 10-15 minutes".

Recipe Structure

Metadata (YAML Frontmatter)

---
source: https://example.com/recipe
servings: 4
prep_time: 15 minutes
cook_time: 30 minutes
---

Note: servings must be a number, not text.

Steps

Each paragraph becomes a numbered step. Separate steps with blank lines:

Preheat #Oven{} to 190°C.

Season @Chicken Breast{500%g} with @Salt{} and @Pepper{}.

Bake for ~{25%minutes} until internal temperature reaches 75°C.

Sections

Use == for complex recipes with multiple parts:

== Marinade ==

Combine @Soy Sauce{45%ml} and @Honey{30%g} in a #Bowl{}.

== Main Dish ==

Cook @Chicken{500%g} in the marinade.

Notes

Use > prefix for tips:

> For extra flavor, marinate overnight.

File Organization

Save recipes to category folders using Title Case:

Breakfast/Fluffy Pancakes.cook
Lunch/Greek Salad.cook
Dinner/Garlic Butter Shrimp.cook

Categories

• Breakfast: Morning meals, eggs, pancakes, smoothies
• Lunch: Salads, sandwiches, soups, light meals
• Dinner: Main courses, proteins, pasta, substantial meals
• Sides: Accompaniments, vegetables
• Sauces: Dressings, marinades, condiments
• Desserts: Sweets, baked goods
• Drinks: Beverages, cocktails

CLI Commands

If the cook CLI is installed:

cook recipe "path/to/recipe.cook"      # Parse and display
cook recipe "path/to/recipe.cook:2"    # Scale by 2x
cook shopping-list *.cook              # Generate shopping list
cook doctor validate                   # Check for syntax errors

Common Patterns

Simple Recipe

---
source: https://tiktok.com/@creator/video/123
servings: 2
---

Heat @Olive Oil{2%tbsp} in a large #Skillet{} over medium heat.

Add @Garlic{3%cloves}(minced) and cook for ~{30%seconds}.

Add @Prawns{450%g} and cook for ~{2%minutes} per side until pink.

Season with @Salt{} and @Pepper{} to taste.

Recipe with Sections

---
servings: 4
---

== Sauce ==

Whisk @Soy Sauce{3%tbsp}, @Honey{2%tbsp}, and @Sesame Oil{1%tsp}.

== Stir Fry ==

Heat #Wok{} over high heat. Cook @Chicken{500%g}(sliced) for ~{5%minutes}.

Add sauce and toss to coat.