Topic: Have we ruled out MSG?

[merrybaker]

I?ve seen Indian restaurants?advertising ?No MSG.?? Does that mean some DO use it?? Rajah ?All Purpose Seasoning? contains MSG. And my Indian grocer carries Ajinomoto, the Japanese brand of MSG, although I've yet to see a Japanese shopper there. MSG looks like salt, so it wouldn't look unusual in a restaurant kitchen.? Just wondering out loud...

-Mary?

[pete]

If you used msg, when would you put it in?
Is it used as a last moment addition, or does it need to go in at the start to work?

[Curry King]

Hasn't Mark J tried it before and said it made little difference? 

[pete]

Hasn't Mark J tried it before and said it made little difference??

I tried it, but maybe the base wasn't a good recipe.
I couldn't tell any major difference

[Yousef]

I have also tried the MSG, you can get it at any Wing Yip Store for ?0.80p but i found it added no body or significant taste to my curries or base sauce!

S

[Blondie]

Hi All,

I agree with Admin, MSG adds a sort of zing or freshness but doesn't add a defineable taste of it's own so I would say it's not the taste we are looking for.

cheers,

Blondie

[merrybaker]

i found it added no body or significant taste to my curries or base sauce

Well, that's good news.? The curries are unhealthy enough without adding MSG.

[joe2]

>> Have we ruled out MSG? >>

I woild say it has no place in Indian curry cooking(BIR or traditional). Although I know Indian grocers sell it. Many Chinese people shop in these places.

[Mark J]

The japs have a phrase 'Umami' which is used to describe the 'tastiness' of food, chinese rests' use MSG commonly to maybe achieve this taste, it could be one of the missing ingredients is my thought (probably along with some other factors). One of the reasons I add stock to my base is to get a bit of MSG into it  ;D

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/Umami-9-23-04.html