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

To cook a dish that grants temporary extra hearts in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you need to understand the gameÔÇÖs cooking mechanics and how ingredients interact with each other. Temporary extra hearts, often referred to as "yellow hearts," are a type of buff that increases your maximum health beyond your current heart count. These hearts are particularly useful when preparing for tough battles or exploring dangerous areas where you expect to take a lot of damage. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to achieve this.

First, letÔÇÖs talk about the mechanics. Cooking in Breath of the Wild involves combining ingredients at a cooking pot. The effects of the dish depend on the ingredients used. To create a dish that grants temporary extra hearts, you need to use ingredients with the "hearty" property. These ingredients include Hearty Radishes, Hearty Durians, Hearty Bass, Hearty Blueshell Snails, and Hearty Salmon. When cooked, these ingredients will always add temporary hearts, and the number of hearts added depends on the quantity and quality of the ingredients used.

To start, youÔÇÖll need to gather the necessary ingredients. Hearty Radishes can be found in the wild, often in areas like the East Necluda region or around the Faron region. Hearty Durians are abundant in the Faron region, particularly around the Faron Tower and the jungle areas. Hearty Bass can be caught in bodies of water, especially in the Lanayru region. Hearty Blueshell Snails are found along the coastlines, and Hearty Salmon can be caught in colder regions like the Tabantha Frontier or Hebra Mountains.

Once you have your ingredients, find a cooking pot. These are scattered throughout Hyrule, often near stables, towns, or enemy camps. Approach the cooking pot and select the ingredients you want to cook. For a basic dish that grants temporary hearts, you can cook a single Hearty Radish or Hearty Durian. This will create a dish that restores all your hearts and adds a few temporary ones. For a more potent effect, combine multiple hearty ingredients. For example, cooking five Hearty Durians will create a dish that restores all your hearts and adds 20 temporary hearts.

There are a few important tips to keep in mind. First, avoid mixing hearty ingredients with non-hearty ones, as this can dilute the effect. For example, if you cook a Hearty Radish with a regular apple, the dish will only restore some hearts and might not add any temporary ones. Second, always cook at a cooking pot. Eating ingredients raw will not grant any special effects, including temporary hearts. Third, be mindful of your inventory space. Dishes that grant temporary hearts can be very useful, but they take up space in your inventory, so plan accordingly.

Common mistakes to avoid include using the wrong ingredients or cooking at the wrong time. For example, using ingredients like Endura Carrots or Stamella Shrooms will not grant temporary hearts but instead boost your stamina. Additionally, cooking during rain or in areas without a cooking pot will result in failure, so always ensure youÔÇÖre in a suitable location.

For advanced techniques, consider combining hearty ingredients with other buffs. For example, cooking a Hearty Radish with a Armored Carp can create a dish that grants temporary hearts and increases your defense. This is particularly useful when preparing for tough battles. Another optimization is to farm Hearty Durians in the Faron region. ThereÔÇÖs a spot near the Faron Tower where you can find multiple Hearty Durians in one location, making it an efficient farming spot.

Alternative approaches include using elixirs instead of food. While elixirs typically focus on stamina or resistance buffs, you can create elixirs that grant temporary hearts by combining hearty ingredients with monster parts. However, this is less efficient than cooking food, as monster parts do not contribute to the number of temporary hearts added.

In specific scenarios, such as preparing for a Divine Beast battle or a Lynel fight, having a few dishes that grant temporary hearts can be a lifesaver. For example, before facing Thunderblight Ganon in the Vah Naboris Divine Beast, cooking a dish with five Hearty Durians will give you a significant health buffer, allowing you to survive more hits and focus on the battle.

In summary, cooking a dish that grants temporary extra hearts in Breath of the Wild involves using hearty ingredients like Hearty Radishes or Hearty Durians. Gather these ingredients, cook them at a cooking pot, and avoid mixing them with non-hearty ingredients. With the right preparation and strategy, you can create powerful dishes that give you the edge in combat and exploration.