Secret/ Special ingredient

[anonymous-user]

What special/Secret ingredient do you use in cooking.

I have a chili, garlic and salter grinder which goes on everything from roast 'tatos to jerk chicken.

Also Smoked Paprika is good on chips as well.

[Mobile Chicane]

Powdered dried (wild) mushrooms.

These add the quality of 'savouriness' AKA 'the 5th taste / umami' to any dish.

[jas xjr]

I use dried fenugreek leaves in a lot of my curries. I also find myself using tamarind a lot more these days

[Wadeski]

various types of dried chillies (especially the smoky-tasting ones)
frozen lime leaves and curry leaves

and...

MSG.

not in everything, but a little can make some dishes immensely richer tasting.

[dazco]

Worcester sauce goes in most things.

[anonymous-user]

anyone use unami, is it worth a buy?

[Lplate]

Jack Dagnals.



only kidding; usually add a bit of paprika when I'm seasoning things such as chips, steaks etc.

[mph1977]

dazco said:

Worcester sauce goes in most things.

a supremely useful ingredient

as is Brown (HP type) sauce and some tomato ketchup in a cottage pie type dish

MPH's reasonable quick cottage pie

2medium onions medium - fine dice per pound of mince , sweat the onions down in oil or a butter /oil mix with a little bit of garlic, then brown the mince , chuck in some gravy granules and hearty dollop / squeeze of brown sauce and tomato ketchup, let it (meat, onions, and aforementioned ) simmer for a bit before transferring into the oven dish and topping with mash potato , coarse ground pepper and if you are feeling extravangent some grated redleicester + cheddar then onto the oven to get a nice crust on top and make sure it;s cooked through ...

[Kays vRS]

dazco said:

Worcester sauce goes in most things.

[Big Al.]

The Spruce goose said:

anyone use unami, is it worth a buy?

"UMAMI paste" first class ingredient IMHO.

[Pferdestarke]

Maldon, bouillon, beef/chicken/veg stock, white pepper, mustard powder, anchovies, soy, Henderson's Relish, onion granules, ketcap manis, roasting juices, deglazed juices, sumac, Bisto, Marmite...

There are many, many ways to enhance but sometimes I wonder where it will end when I'm disappointed with rich, beefy red wine reductions that just need that little something else. I don't know what else it could be!

Umami paste is good.

[kiteless]

Mrs k always adds caraway seeds to her chilli, and bruised fenugreek to her curries. Both make a marked improvement to the dishes.

[missdiane]

Garlic, just enough to give it the flavour without making it too garliccy that I have to declare it

[missdiane]

& sweet chilli sauce adds a bit of sweet and spice to most things

[Adenauer]

Maggi, brilliant in Spag Bol, or on any eggs.

[Arun_D]

Adenauer said:

Maggi, brilliant in Spag Bol, or on any eggs.

The liquid Maggi? Great stuff, got a bottle myself. Adds a nice depth of flavour.

Got the little stock cubes they do too. Punchy little things!

Not averse to a bit of MSG at times, usually on my chow mein type dishes.

[CaptainRosco]

Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup, great salty savoury flavour, especially with red meat dishes, spag bol, pies etc.

[vetrof]

Dark chocolate in chilli.

[skilly1]

Mustard Powder, starting using it after Jamie Oliver recommended it in a Chicken Pie, now use it in a lot of recipes, you can't taste mustard but it does add depth to the flavour.

[alfa pint]

I'm another one who uses dark chocolate in chillis.

Lemon pepper is my main one. I use it to marinate chicken, fish, salmon and even steaks and then just grill or flash fry them.

Tiny splash of balsamic vinegar in most dark sauces just gives them a really nice rich edge too.