How do I make a dish that grants temporary extra hearts in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

To create a dish that grants temporary extra hearts in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you need to understand the game's cooking mechanics and how ingredients interact. Temporary extra hearts, often referred to as "yellow hearts," are a type of buff that increases your maximum health beyond your current heart containers. These hearts are not permanent and will disappear after a certain amount of time or if you take damage. Here's a detailed guide on how to achieve this.

First, you need to gather the right ingredients. The key to creating a dish with temporary extra hearts is using ingredients that have the "hearty" property. These ingredients include Hearty Radishes, Hearty Durians, Hearty Bass, Hearty Blueshell Snails, and Hearty Salmon. These items are often found in specific regions of Hyrule. For example, Hearty Durians are abundant in the Faron region, particularly around the Faron Tower and the jungle areas. Hearty Radishes can be found in the East Necluda region, often near Kakariko Village. Hearty Bass are found in bodies of water, especially in the Lanayru region.

Once you have gathered the necessary ingredients, you need to cook them. Cooking in Breath of the Wild is done at cooking pots, which are found in towns, stables, and some campsites. To cook, approach a cooking pot, select the ingredients you want to use, and then choose the "Cook" option. When cooking for temporary extra hearts, you can use a single hearty ingredient or combine multiple hearty ingredients to increase the number of extra hearts granted. For example, cooking one Hearty Durian will give you a dish that restores all your hearts and adds four temporary hearts. Cooking five Hearty Durians together will give you a dish that restores all your hearts and adds 20 temporary hearts.

It's important to note that cooking multiple hearty ingredients together does not stack the effects in a linear way. Instead, the number of temporary hearts increases based on the number of hearty ingredients used. However, using more than one hearty ingredient in a single dish can be a waste, as the effect is often sufficient with just one or two. Therefore, it's generally more efficient to cook hearty ingredients individually or in small groups.

One common mistake players make is using non-hearty ingredients in the same dish as hearty ingredients. This can dilute the effect and result in a dish that only restores health without granting temporary extra hearts. To avoid this, always use only hearty ingredients when aiming for temporary extra hearts. Additionally, avoid adding monster parts or critters, as these are used for elixirs and will not contribute to the desired effect.

Advanced techniques involve optimizing your ingredient collection and cooking process. For example, you can mark locations on your map where hearty ingredients are abundant and revisit these spots after each blood moon to gather more. This ensures you always have a steady supply of ingredients. Additionally, you can use the Sheikah Sensor+ to track specific ingredients, making it easier to find them in the wild.

Preparation is key to maximizing the benefits of temporary extra hearts. Before heading into a challenging area or boss fight, cook several dishes with hearty ingredients to ensure you have enough temporary hearts to sustain you through the battle. This is especially useful in areas like Hyrule Castle or during the Divine Beast quests, where enemies are stronger and more numerous.

Alternative approaches include using elixirs to achieve similar effects. While elixirs are typically made with monster parts and critters, you can create elixirs that grant temporary extra hearts by using hearty lizards or hearty frogs. However, these are less common and harder to find than hearty ingredients, making dishes the more reliable option.

In specific scenarios, such as during the Trial of the Sword or Eventide Island, where you start with no equipment, having dishes with temporary extra hearts can be a lifesaver. These challenges require careful resource management, and having extra hearts can give you the edge needed to succeed.

In summary, creating dishes that grant temporary extra hearts in Breath of the Wild involves gathering hearty ingredients, cooking them at a cooking pot, and avoiding common mistakes like mixing non-hearty ingredients. By optimizing your ingredient collection and preparation, you can ensure you always have the necessary resources to create these powerful dishes. Whether you're facing tough enemies or exploring dangerous areas, temporary extra hearts can provide the extra health needed to survive and thrive in the vast world of Hyrule.