Learn Hardcore Turkish: Salatada sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum, tadı daha derin oluyor. - I use garlic and black pepper in the salad; the taste becomes deeper.

Salatada sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum = “I use garlic and black pepper in the salad.” Salataya is dative -YA (-a/-e) and means “into/to the salad,” which fits better with verbs of adding or putting:
Salataya sarımsak ve karabiber ekliyorum/koyuyorum = “I add/put garlic and black pepper to the salad.”

Why don’t sarımsak and karabiber take the accusative (-ı/-i)?

Indefinite direct objects in Turkish are left bare. You add accusative -(y)I only when the object is definite/specific.

Sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum = “I use garlic and black pepper (in general).”
Sarımsağı ve karabiberi kullanıyorum = “I use the garlic and the black pepper (specific, known items).”

Could I use kullanırım instead of kullanıyorum?

Yes, but the nuance changes.

kullanıyorum (present continuous -yor) often expresses a current or habitual tendency in everyday speech: “I (usually) use…”
kullanırım (aorist -r) states a general rule/habit, sometimes sounding more formal or detached: “I (as a rule) use…”

What exactly does tadı mean, and why not tatı?

tadı is “its taste”: tat (taste) + 3rd person possessive -(s)I. Many Turkish words show consonant voicing before a vowel-initial suffix, so t → d here: tat + ı → tadı. The possessor (“its”) is the salad, understood from context.

What does daha contribute in daha derin?

daha forms the comparative “more.” daha derin = “deeper.” Without daha, derin just means “deep.” For “even deeper,” you can say daha da derin.

Why is oluyor used? Could I say tadı daha derin or tadı daha derin olur?

All three are possible, with nuances:

tadı daha derin oluyor: “its taste becomes/turns out deeper” (result each time you do this).
tadı daha derin: “its taste is deeper” (stating a present state; fine as a simple statement).
tadı daha derin olur: aorist “its taste is (generally) deeper” (generic truth/habit).

Is the comma before tadı okay? Should I add a connector?

Yes, the comma is fine linking two related clauses. Alternatives:

Split into two sentences: Salatada sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum. Tadı daha derin oluyor.
Add a connector: ..., bu yüzden tadı daha derin oluyor (“therefore”) or invert with çünkü: Tadı daha derin oluyor, çünkü salatada sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum.

Is the word order fixed? Could I start with Sarımsak ve karabiber?

Turkish is flexible, but the natural flow is [place] [object] [verb]:

Salatada sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum. Starting with the object is possible for emphasis, but with indefinite objects it can feel marked. If the objects are definite, fronting plus accusative is common:
Sarımsağı ve karabiberi salatada kullanıyorum.

Why not plural sarımsaklar/karabiberler?

Ingredients in an unspecified amount are treated as mass nouns and stay singular. Plurals would imply multiple discrete items or varieties:

sarımsaklar = garlic bulbs/cloves
karabiberler = types/kinds of black pepper

Can I use other verbs instead of kullanıyorum?

Yes, with slight nuance differences:

ekliyorum = I add (neutral, common in recipes)
koyuyorum = I put (casual)
katıyorum = I add/mix in (a bit more culinary/formal)
ilave ediyorum = I add (formal) These pair naturally with the dative: Salataya sarımsak ve karabiber ekliyorum/koyuyorum/katıyorum.

How is kullanıyorum formed?

kullan- (stem) + present continuous -Iyor (harmonized as -ıyor after back vowel a) + 1st sg -um → kullanıyorum. The y is part of the -yor sequence.

What about the suffix on salatada? Why -da and not -de/-ta/-te?

The locative has four allomorphs: -da/-de/-ta/-te, chosen by vowel harmony and voicing:

After back vowels (a, ı, o, u) → -da/-ta
After front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) → -de/-te
After a voiceless consonant, the suffix-initial tends to be t (e.g., kitapta). Since salata ends with the back vowel a and a vowel (voiced environment), it takes -da → salatada.

Is it idiomatic to describe flavor with derin?

Yes. derin (“deep”) is used metaphorically for flavor to mean layered/complex. Common alternatives include zengin (“rich”), yoğun (“intense”), and belirgin (“pronounced): Tadı daha zengin/yoğun oluyor.

Why is there no Ben?

Turkish is pro-drop. The verb ending -um already encodes “I.” You add Ben only for emphasis or contrast:

Ben salatada sarımsak ve karabiber kullanıyorum (as for me, I use…).

Is karabiber one word? What about spelling and pronunciation of ı in sarımsak and tadı?

karabiber is written as one word.
The letter ı (dotless i) is a back, close, unrounded vowel; there’s no exact English equivalent. In sarımsak and tadı, pronounce it with a relaxed, central-back vowel sound.