Secret ingredient or Umami bomb?

[Artfuldodger]

I've been using about 1/2 tsp fish sauce in stews and other dishes and i've had no complaints of anyone noticing a fish flavor. It would be like using Worcestershire sauce which is made of anchovies too.
Do any of ya'll have a secret or special ingredient you use? This could be for all recipes or just a certain dish. I was reading about some of the things people put in their chili and it caught my attention. Some of the ingredients were dark chocolate, espresso coffee, anchovies, Marmite, vinegar, vodka, brown sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, asophoetida, & peanut butter. Now that's just for chili.

Umami bombs are a new concept to me but it's suppose to enhance the flavor. Anybody ever heard of this? Similar to a flavor enhancer like MSG. Savory comes into word play.
It could be fermented bean paste, sesame oil, marmite, nori, anchovies, Miso concentrate, mushroom ketchup(sounds interesting)(mushroom ketchup is an amazing thing. British product, concentrated essence of mushroom that tastes nothing like mushrooms, but added to dishes gives a lovely roundness and depth to their flavor), & parmesan.
It sounds like what they are describing are things that smell stinky but taste good if a little is added to a recipe.

http://threeminds.organic.com/2007/12/concocting_an_umami_bomb.html

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639802

 

[Artfuldodger]

Asafoetida or asafetida (Ferula assa-foetida) (pron.: /æsəˈfÉ›tɨdÉ™/),[1] is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb (1 to 1.5 m high). The species is native to the mountains of Afghanistan, and is mainly cultivated in nearby India.[2] Asafoetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks.

It is also known as asant, food of the gods, giant fennel, jowani badian, stinking gum, Devil's dung, hing and ting.[3]

Older generations used to hang a piece of this stuff around their toddlers necks to prevent colds & flu. I like the nick names stinking gum & Devil's dung. I never knew people cooked with it until reading about Middle Eastern and India food.
It should make a good Umami ingredient!

 

[River Rambler]

Interesting post. I've read a little about this, but not enought to add to the conversation. I look forward to seeing what other knowledgable folks post.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Altamaha Stalker]

Asafoetida or asafetida (Ferula assa-foetida) (pron.: /æsəˈfÉ›tɨdÉ™/),[1] is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb (1 to 1.5 m high). The species is native to the mountains of Afghanistan, and is mainly cultivated in nearby India.[2] Asafoetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks.

It is also known as asant, food of the gods, giant fennel, jowani badian, stinking gum, Devil's dung, hing and ting.[3]

Older generations used to hang a piece of this stuff around their toddlers necks to prevent colds & flu. I like the nick names stinking gum & Devil's dung. I never knew people cooked with it until reading about Middle Eastern and India food.
It should make a good Umami ingredient!

Sardines in spaghetti sauce. Paste them out. Can hide sardines in a lot of food. Good spread on bread beneath the garlic and cheese too. Trying to bring some brain food to the masses....

Meatloaf is a good vessel to hide stuff too! My grandmother on my moms side used to put powdered fiber in EVERYTHING at one point.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Meatloaf is a good vessel to hide stuff too! My grandmother on my moms side used to put powdered fiber in EVERYTHING at one point.

That's pretty funny and a good idea if I need to secretly give my family something. Maybe your grandmother was using wood cellulose (wood pulp) to fiber ya'll up.

 

[Altamaha Stalker]

That's pretty funny and a good idea if I need to secretly give my family something. Maybe your grandmother was using wood cellulose (wood pulp) to fiber ya'll up.

Metamucil. I ate a good bit of that stuff in her corn muffins. Knew it was there, but couldn't resist the lure of her corn muffins. When I was at SGC, I ate lunch with her every day. I was regular.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Here is a guy that's cashing in on the Umami name. He makes Japaneses flavored hamburgers including his famous "Stink" burger. They’re Japanese flavored, will run you about $10 and are apparently to die for. If you’re curious about the word “umami,” it’s Japanese and refers to the savory taste that combines all four tastes – sweet, sour, bitter and salty – to make a fifth taste. That’s the essence of a Umami Burger

here is a review:
http://thewire.sheknows.com/2011/02/23/umami-burger-named-1/

 

[Artfuldodger]

The Ultimate Umami Burger Recipe is on the link below. It goes back to fish sauce. Don't even think of tasting or even smelling this stuff by itself. It smells worse than any stink cheese.
From the link:
Fish sauce is the golden elixir to us Vietnamese, take it away and you drain the blood out of our cuisine. Fish sauce is the fermented salvation from the food gods above, and it’s pure umami brings out the savory depth in all foods.
I know what a lot of you white people are thinking, “Fish sauce? Um, - he!!- no.” But wait, my dear skeptics, and listen to my confessional. For many years when I first joined up with this beautiful, crazy Asian, I avoided fish sauce. Let’s face it, it stinks like something most of us are not used to. It is, after all, fermented anchovies. Mmmm, tasty! Not. At least so I thought, but man, was I ever wrong.

http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/best-umami-hamburger-recipe/

The Secret Seasoning: To make simplified umami dust, use a spice grinder to pulse 3 tablespoons bonito flakes, 1/2 ounce crumbled dried kombu, and 1/2 ounce dried ****ake mushrooms into a powder. Umami dust will soon be available at umamiburger.com.

Taste No. 5 Umami Paste
http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Umami-P...F8&qid=1360761094&sr=8-1&keywords=no.+5+umami

 

[nockemstiff]

Worcestershire, fish sauce, fermented things like this contain natural traces of, and I hope I don't get this wrong but glutamates - think MSG. It's why it works. There's a bottle of fish sauce in my fridge. Big time flavor enhancers first discovered in seaweed by a Japanese guy I think I recall. Gads, gonna make me go look it up real quick again...

 

[NCHillbilly]

Hey, watch what you say about mymami! I hate fish sauce. But I do use sugar in hushpuppies for the same reason.

 

[irishredneck]

I like using Fish sauce too. I also use sesame oil and (real) Truffle oil sometimes to add a different flavor to Chicken. Other fresh ingredients I like that add flavor to certain foods are Thyme, Ginger root, Star Anise, Turmeric & Lemon grass, really takes some dishes to a different level. Also Red onion instead of regular white adds a nice sweet flavor.

Oh and don't forget the Wasabi!

 

[Artfuldodger]

Most of these stinky food enhancers are glutamate based. I wonder if naturally fermented foods with glutamates are healthier than MSG if in fact MSG is bad for us.
I found this pro MSG, glutamate, & unami site. It is interesting:

http://www.msgfacts.com/resources/~/media/Files/IGIS_Booklet_US_Page_Size.ashx

 

[NCHillbilly]

I like using Fish sauce too. I also use sesame oil and (real) Truffle oil sometimes to add a different flavor to Chicken. Other fresh ingredients I like that add flavor to certain foods are Thyme, Ginger root, Star Anise, Turmeric & Lemon grass, really takes some dishes to a different level. Also Red onion instead of regular white adds a nice sweet flavor.

Oh and don't forget the Wasabi!

x2 (except for the fish sauce and wasabi. )

 

[shakey gizzard]

Hey, watch what you say about mymami! I hate fish sauce. But I do use sugar in hushpuppies for the same reason.

Try adding fat to yer venison burger!