In the “Add a pinch of sugar” thread, many of you mentioned other things you like to add to boost the flavor in your dishes - MSG, tomato powder, soy sauce, etc. What’s an ingredient you find that you love to add to dishes to improve the flavor (or aroma, texture, or maybe even the way it looks)?

I am a big fan of mushroom powder. It adds a nice boost of umami with some additional flavor that comes along for the ride. Just throw some dried mushrooms into a spice grinder and grind until powder.

    • Chetzemoka@startrek.website
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      1 year ago

      Hey, did you know you can learn your way out of the soap gene response? I have the soap gene and hated cilantro when I first tasted it, but I love it now. Just had to retrain my brain. (Owning a Mexican restaurant for a couple of years forced my hand in this endeavor lol.)

      • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        There’s a recent gastropod podcast episode on this. All you need to do to start being ok with or liking something is to try it in small quantities a few dozen times.

    • EvilBit@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s like a cheat code for food.

      Edit: which I find out two seconds later is a phrase someone else already used. But the sentiment stands. Fish sauce is magic.

    • tomatillo@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      This is the correct answer, MSG is a legit game changer. Just 1/8 tsp does wonders in just about everything that’s lacking some oomph.

      Greens with a little neutral oil, ginger, garlic, chinkiang vinegar, and that little bit of MSG, stir-fried over ripping high heat for about a minute, beats anything you can get at a restaurant.

  • EvilBit@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Ethiopian Berbere seasoning. A lot of places make a blend with too much cayenne, but if you can find one that isn’t especially spicy, it’s an incredible earthy umami flavor you can put in almost anything.

  • Fried_out_Kombi@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Fat and vinegar.

    Rice? Generous splash of white vinegar into the rice cooker, then a pat of butter at the end to melt in the residual heat. If you want something to pair with stir fry, try drizzling with sesame oil instead.

    French fries? Toss 'em with a splash of malt vinegar (they already have oil from the frying).

    Salad? Toss it with a splash of a good quality balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Bonus points for tahini.

    Stir fry? Splash some rice vinegar into the pan and drizzle sesame oil over the top at the end.

    Pasta? Drizzle of a good quality balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil on the plate.

    Pizza? Pat of butter right after you take it out of the oven to melt from the residual heat, then a drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar.

    • The Giant Korean@lemmy.worldOPM
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      1 year ago

      Vinegar makes sense with rice (e.g. Sushi rice).

      I have also started throwing in a piece of dried kombu into the rice cooker with the rice and water. It adds some nice extra flavor.

      Malt vinegar on fries 🤤

  • Mr_Blott@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    For the umami thing, black garlic is really good. Kinda like fermented roasted garlic, really nice in soups and stews

  • Astroturfed@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Salt, acid, fat, heat. In everything.

    Acid: vinegar, hot sauce, or some type of citrus. Fat: butter or oil. Heat: Paprika if you only want to pretend but a actually spicy note goes well in almost everything, at least some black pepper.

      • Astroturfed@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        And the heat in mine isnt. Always use a little spice. Except maybe desert. Go eat some mayo.

  • CodingCarpenter@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Fennel seeds and a bit of oil in tomato sauce. First had it at a popular Italian place and I’ve loved it ever since

  • PainInTheAES@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Kimchi/ferments/pickles

    Gochujang

    Chinese 5 spice

    Balsamic, Chinese vinegar

    Seasoned rice wine

    Furikake

    Chili oil

    Hot sauce - especially a smoked habanero/chipotle

    Better than bouillon but used like a flavor concentrate rather than stock

    Some of my other favorites like berbere were already mentioned, periperi is in a similar vein

    Splash of beer in a stew or bread recipe, also diastatic malt.

    • The Giant Korean@lemmy.worldOPM
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      1 year ago

      Gochujang is good in chili! Like not enough to read as gochujang, but it gives it a little “what is that flavor?” kind of deal.

      Furikake is awesome. Buttered noodles with furikake is pretty tasty.

      I’ve not tried peri peri. What’s it good in?

      • PainInTheAES@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Oh also I forgot I went through a brief salt cured egg yolk phase. It was fun to play around with as a topping.

      • PainInTheAES@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I could see that! I’ve never had it in chili. I found some at the international market near me recently with lemon that was nice for marinating.

        Furikake and mayo on rice is my go to lol. I’ll have to try it with noodles some time. I just love the crunch.

        I like using peri peri seasoning for meats but I imagine it’d good with roasted veggies as well. It’s salty, smoky, tangy. Although some of the better blends seem to have aromatics. The one I tried seemed like mostly chili and salt similar to soondae salt.

  • TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 year ago

    I buy a block of hot pot seasoning, keep it in the freezer, and shave some off whenever I need some spicy, salty, mouth numbing goodness. I found one that is made with beef tallow, too, which is nicer than the palm oil kind.

    Sichuan peppercorns are great to use to boost many dishes too