"Here we offer prasad to the diety Hanuman. That means we don't taste the food while cooking, or until after it is offered to the gods." - Dillon, Cook at the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram. (http://www.nkbashram.org/)
This sentiment was echoed by my Ayurvedic teacher Myrica Morningstar (http://www.ayurvedabliss.org)