Mine probably isn’t that secret these days, but almost every sauce I add nutritional yeast to. Curry, chilli, bolognese, it just makes them all better.
Generally, salt or MSG. I find people tend to under-season their dishes, and not layer flavors as they cook.
MSG comes in many forms: cheese, tomato, mushroom, fish sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce… MSG powder.
I’m not taling Uncle Roger portions here. Just a teaspoon of the naturally occurring stuff, a couple splashes of the sauces, or just or a pinch of straight MSG is all it takes to add a bit of savory depth to a dish. I get good feedback about my cooking. Occasionally I overdo the salt, but no so much as to render it inedible. It helps to move the table wine along.
Back incollege, I was a waitress at an Italian restaurant. A lady came in ordered a dish with lots of tomato in it, then demanded I tell the chef she was allergic to MSG, in an accusatory way. What she didn’t know is that I was going to school for a medical based degree, and recently had a professor go off about how MSG is in tons of foods naturally and not to believe the craze about it being bad for you.
“Oh my gosh! You’re allergic to MSG!?! I’m sorry, but all tomatoes contain MSG. Please choose another dish” … “I’m sorry, ma’am but mushrooms have MSG in them too. I’ll talk to my chef and see what suggestions he might have.”
She changed her tone “I’m not allergic, I just don’t want it added… it’s bad for you… blah blah”
I didn’t get tipped, but it was hella satisfying to passive- aggressively educate her.
Yeah, I’ve a customer like that, absolutely convinced he’s allergic to MSG. Pours ketchup all over everything.
Based
^ Not this.
No, I think he’s using it as it was meant to be for once “Based on fact”
Monosodium glutamate
Uncle Roger approved
Fuiyoh!
Couldn’t tell you. Every time I make something really good that’s worth repeating, the recipe is immediately wiped from my mind forever. It’s like some monkey’s paw curse that I can only make the thing the most delicious way once.
Also, butter.
I get the same. I make something that everyone says is delicious and I genuinely have no idea how much of what went in. I guess it just comes with knowing the basics well enough.
I still pine for that ham bone soup I drunk-made after Christmas that one times.
That’s why I’m designing a recipe app where I can keep notes etc for everything I make.
either that, or it only tastes so good the first time, even if your recreate it exactly.
I have the same issue with seasonings. I can never remember how much of what i used to make a perfect dish. With all the smart things being made, what we need are smart seasoning containers, just think after a long cooking you sit down to eat and can pull up an app to see you used 2 grams of this 5 grams of that. You mark the dish then next time you’re cooking you pull up the app and it reminds you on how much to use.
You could weigh the containers before and after
Im to dumb and lazy too do that. Hence why smart containers would be nice.
Never measure. Just throw. You know you’ve seasoned it enough when the spirits of your ancestors step in.
The other secret ingredient is … time
Often I’ll make something and it doesn’t quite taste that great immediately after making it … especially tomato based recipes
Then when you let it sit for a day … it tastes a whole lot better the next day.
Tomatoes are shy and take time to work into a dish. That’s why I like to have my sauce simmering before I start the water when making pasta.
Bolognese, i’ll have that simmering for 2-3 hours before i even think about starting the spaghetti,
True. A lot of sauces are the best in leftovers, but every time, I’m like, “no, this doesn’t taste right, it’s not good, mom taste it and help me,” and then she’s like, “yeah dummy, it’s been on the stove for 5 minutes, give it some time.” I’m not patient.
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Not heard of gochugaru - how did you come across it?
We usually cook asian food at home, and gochugaru is a staple in Korean dishes. Since it’s basically just red pepper, it works on almost anything. It also adds a bit of flavor (other than spice) that I can’t really describe, but it’s mild enough that it doesn’t ruin the dish you’re making.
Might give it a try. We’re still trying to build our toddler’s appreciation of spice up.
I quite like cottage pie (or shepherds pie, depending on my mood). I’ve found mixing sweet potato into the mashed potato topping makes a HUGE difference. Only 1/4 to 1/3 is needed, anymore and it can be overpowering.
Garlic chilli powder. An Indian mate of mine introduced me to this condiment and it changed my life. I add a few pinches of it to most of my dishes now (noodles, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, fried rice, stir-frys and of course curries) - and it elevates then to the next level. (I love spicy food btw so this may not be for everyone, but for me it opened up a whole new world).
Yum. Not sure if it is the same stuff or comparable but my lazy-ass guac is basically mashed avocados and Lawry’s Fire Roasted Chili and Garlic Powder and it is quite yummy with chips.
This stuff:
It’s not quite the same but the basic idea is similar. The Indian version also adds lentils, cumin and coriander seeds, maybe other stuff too (like curry leaves) depending on the recipe/brand.
Here’s a basic recipe: https://cookwithrenu.com/wprm_print/7215
Advanced version: https://www.myspicykitchen.net/ellipaya-karam-garlic-dry-chilies-powder/#:~:text=Source%3A here-,Preparation,-%3A 10 - 15
I put a pinch of freshly roasted and ground cumin in my guac. Gives it a little oomph
This thread is fucking awesome and I’m gonna try lots of these.
My Ukranian mate showed me the ways of vegeta. No, not the anime character, the seasoning. Put that shit on fried eggs and never look back.
Actually you can add it to lots of stuff. But eggs were the first thing I experienced it with.
I had no idea that was a real thing! I saw Vegeta mentioned in another comment and thought it was a typo lol
MSG
The magic spice
The MSG must flow!
King of Flavour
In Switerland you can get it by the kilogram and in some supermarkets there is an entire aisle just for MSG.
You can get that anywhere worldwide professional cooks shop. No, it’s often not in grocery store in English speaking countries, but it’s at the wholesaler in 3 lb jars and 10 kg buckets, and (one of the reasons) food tastes better in a restaurant. The other reasons are excessive sugar, fat, cream and butter of course.
A quarter-dash of cinnamon in anything that calls for ground or minced beef. Enhances the savory notes of the rest of your seasonings and broths. (Haven’t tried this with pork yet; but considering the existence of molé, I expect it to work with chicken too.)
A quarter-dash? Isn’t a dash already almost nothing? So a quarter dash of cinnamon is what, three or four individual grains or cinnamon powder?
You have a very conservative definition of ‘dash’; for me, a dash is like a third a tablespoon bc I don’t rigorously measure; I just shake until it tastes right.
This one’s a bit of a preference and not much an ingredient, but a topping. I tend to put molasses on pancakes over syrup or honey. I still occasionally use maple syrup or honey, but I love the bitterness of molasses.
On the topic of syrup, I put maple syrup in coffee instead of just sugar! The “earthiness” of the maple syrup goes really well with coffee.
(I do it with cold brew so I honestly don’t know how it is with hot coffee.)
100ml espresso
45ml maple syrup
200ml of iceShake well, then top with 200ml of full-fat or creamy oatmilk.
Enjoy!
I made a coffee cake recently and made maple syrup icing for it. They go together deliciously well.
Interesting. I drink black coffee, but I have tried with molasses… it’s not bad by any means, but not something I would drink every day. Never once have I tried maple syrup (and I’m Canadian). I’ve tried maple flavoured coffee, but it didn’t taste great. I’ll have to give it a shot.
I find a lot of dishes are just better with oregano.
