Ok, so a few notes: 1. When I’m saying that Lao Gan Ma can be subbed in, I’ve talking about the spicy chili crisp sort *not* the black soybean chili. When I use Lao Gan Ma as a chili oil sub, I try to get a spoonful with more oil and less ‘crisp’. The reason you’ll want to cut the MSG a bit if going that route is because Lao Gan Ma is already, like, uh… packed to the brim with like the maximum possible quantity of MSG. 2. So for the most part MSG is MSG, but you’ll find two types different ‘grain sizes’ of MSG - the one that look like larger crystals (almost as large as like small sprinkles), and the smaller sort that’re a bit more of a ‘jagged powder’. With this kind of recipe where the MSG isn’t dissolved, it’s best if you use the latter. The former can totally be used too, just do a bang up job mixing them into the sauce (or give them a quick crush beforehand). 3. Randomly when I was sorting the tags for this video, I decided to toss in “how to cook with MSG”. Haha, the SEO was off the charts for that one! So I’m guessing that some of you might have that exact question, so let me just roll off some general guidelines: (1) MSG is best used in three ways: balancing spicy/chili-laden stuff, using it to bring out the natural umami of other umami rich ingredients (e.g. a touch of MSG with fresh mushrooms helps bring out that taste a bit), and as a general seasoning that can help mellow out flavors sort of like sugar can (2) when using MSG for the first purpose - balancing heat - you can go a bit heavier on the MSG like we did here. For the latter, *really* just use a sprinkle (like, no more that 1/8 tsp per person per serving), otherwise it’ll start to get that sort of monotonous ‘processed food’ kind of taste (3) MSG is best used at the end of the dish - especially at high temperatures, it’ll degrade and lose flavor (so don’t rub your steak with it before searing - if you *really* want, you could add a couple sprinkles on top after you flip and let them dissolve… but tbh I don’t feel the standard Western slab of steak is the most obvious use for MSG). 4. Regarding the noodles, astute observers might notice that we were actually 1% higher hydration that what we had for burning noodles (~43%) and that our sodium carbonate ratio was higher (1/2 tsp for each despite scaling the recipe back 30%). Basically, we wanted to give you guys a noodle recipe for this one that’d make *exactly* two bowls of these noodles (without any excess). We like nice round numbers, so we decided to err on the side of slightly-higher hydration - which to be honest felt about right. For the sodium carbonate, the quantity doesn’t need to be an exact science. We just didn’t feel like called for a weird 1/3 tsp amount or what have you. 5. If using Jianshui/Kan Sui/Asian Lye Water for this instead of powdered sodium carbonate, you can just straight up use a half teaspoon of that, no need to overthink things. 6. Continual hat-tip to Alex the French Guy cooking for being the source of our first learning the baking soda sodium carbonate trick. I know he got it from a NYT Cooking article so maybe after the fifth time I’m bringing it up here, I *might* be nearing the end of the requisite-credit-giving… but if for some weird reason you don’t know him, definitely check out his channel. Probably the best cooking videos on RUclips after Wang Gang imo. 7. Also feel free to straight up add some blanched veg in there. When we got this dish in Leshan it also came with a bit of blanched cabbage, which was also nice. 8. So in general, I’ve gotten tired of arguing with the anti-MSG crowd. It’s all cherry picked studies and such, so really… I’m probably not interested in a debate. The most cogent anti-MSG argument I’ve heard from comes via Sarah Tracy from the article “Tasty Waste: Industrial Fermentation and the Creative Destruction of MSG” - basically, she argues that because MSG tastes good, it can allow junk food manufacturers to more easily feed us, well, junk (and FYI, I emailed her and she clarified that she didn’t think there was anything wrong with home cooks using it). *Even if* we decide to make that leap with her (not necessarily where I’m at… I personally feel like junk food is fine in moderation, and that MSG is no more scary or addictive than granulated sugar is), then it’d follow that using MSG at home could ‘level the playing field’ of sorts. I.e. that if your body’s *actually* just craving some MSG, maybe it’d be best to sprinkle a touch on some fresh vegetables instead of reaching for the Doritos. I dunno. At some level, you kind of just have to accept scientific consensus… else it’ll drive you down a crazy rabbit hole when neither you nor me have the requisite background to parse what’s what. You might not totally trust the FDA, fine, but that doesn’t mean some random goofball nutrition blogger’s necessarily better. That’s all for now. I might scribble some more notes down in a bit :)
Talking about a food craving - a number of years ago, I was craving the "nutty buddy" ice cream cones. I needed them. So I ate 9 out of a 12 pack. 👍 I'm good now. I think some food cravings should be indulged, not because your body is craving a specific nutrient, but because your body is craving that thing. These noodles sound WONDERFUL! I hope I get the chance to make them soon. Thank you!
Do you have source on termal deterioration of MSG? The only papers I can find either mentions highly acidic conditions(pH 2.2) or prolonged cooking time(tens of hours). Also hydration seems a bit high compared to my handbooks on asian noodles formulation(with max of 34%) and experience. Is it because of equpment/intial flour water content/flour type? I know what a b.. to work with low-hydration doughs at home ofcourse. Article about carbonate trick is by Harold McGee(mentioned in your video) in his "Curious cook" column: www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/dining/15curious.html
@@yanikkunitsin1466 Unfortunately nothing in English, so take at face value. It's something that we've heard from chefs here, and I've found a couple articles in Chinese, but I don't have enough confidence to comment on their scientific veracity. Plus, I'm feeling lazy to find them. While it does seem to jive with our personal experience, just assume it's anecdotal. Re noodle hydration, most sources we've dealt with here work between 38-42% hydration, so we definitely are a touch on the high side of that range. Just what we've found works best for us and the flour we use. Obviously, if you have experience working with doughs you'll want to go primarily of feel. One quick note for your sake though, when putting out recipes we do prefer erring slightly on the side of higher hydration over lower hydration for replication purposes... because if the dough is overly sticky most people would be quick to add a dusting of flour but less confident in adding more water than a recipe calls for. The difference is never all that great - ~1% maximum - but that's a big reason why we'll 'round up' to 210g of flour and 90g of water instead of 88g of water. And honestly, here I kind of preferred the slightly higher hydration, so that's why we went ~43%.
If you can find it, the Laoganma "Chili in Oil" (油辣椒) is pretty close to Sichuan/Yunnan style chili condiment-- no extra douchi (fermented soybeans) or onion in there, just lajiao (chiles), huajiao (sichuan peppercorn), msg, and some peanuts you can remove. (translations for non-chinese speakers, not for you @chinesecookingdemystified lol)
Great to see this. If MSG had a different name i.e umami salt or something similarly innuendous, then it'd be so much more widely accepted by the people that turn their nose up at it; the same people buying 'umami paste' from Waitrose. As a chef of over ten years I'm a big fan of using MSG when called for; it's exactly the same as adding sugar, salt, pepper or vinegar to a dish or whatever else it you want to add to balance the flavours.
For a few videos there I was referring to MSG as "all natural purified seaweed crystals" lol. Most people got the joke, but I stopped because there was more than one person saying "wait, where do I buy these seaweed crystals?"
@@TheFrenchmanCooks MSG is completely safe, even if you eat it regularly. The only thing that they found is that certain people don't respond well to that, and even then it is only in high doses. Also, any food can be toxic if consumed in a really excessive amount,
"I don't let my kids eat MSG!!" "Right, but they're eating pringles. MSG is in pringles..." "Yeah, but that's *different* MSG." ugh, the worst type of person...
@@kaiderhaiii that's prob from the type of noodles themselves lmao. Too much msg doesn't result in a "weird aftertaste flavour." You can tell right when you eat it because of the overwhelming salty umami flavor.
@Jason Lee My mum and her mum before her always use MSG in home cook food. I am not addicted to it even though i ate it most of my childhood. I know as I cook for myself after becoming an adult and I don't use MSG in my food and I don't crave it. But just looking at science alone, there are so many studies that show that MSG is not at all dangerous to use or eat in moderation(as with any other condiments)
@Jason Lee That is the single dumbest thing I've ever heard, and I'm listening to people advocate we kill my grandma so quarantine doesn't hurt their budget. Incidentally, she died last week.
The whole MSG nonsense is just racism, coming from biased opinion on Chinese food. It they don't eat MSG, they surely don't eat meat as well. Meat has tons of MSG.
@@jamesyang420 I mean, is MSG bad? Not really, it's really not much different then table salt to your body, a gentle amount of msg is definitely not harmful, eating it by spoon full will probably give you kidney failure
Lancelot V eating salt by spoon full will also give you kidney failure, because of the sodium in it. That's the same thing with MSG, unless they only talk about MSG specifically, and claim that every time they have a wonton soup they'll have the symptoms. If that is not on purpose and racism, I don't think what else can be.
As an Asian, I knew a tasty meal was coming up when I saw the presence of Refined Kelp Extract in the title. I still can't get over how demonized MSG is, but I guess I can leave it up to the skeptics and just eat my tasty umami crystals.
All the best wishes to you and to those around you. Also if it makes you even a little bit happier, your channel was the reason why I went out and bought my own MSG. I still don't use it very often due to resorting to my habitual spice blends but it's been great fun to experiment with it in various ways. Either way, your channel has brought the world of chinese cooking that much closer to me. Thank you very much.
Ive been watching your videoes for some time, im a chef with 10 years experience who has had limited exposure to asian cuisine let alone chinese. I moved to australia as i found your channel and have embraced the cuisine. Ive mad your mapo tofu recipe for Taiwanese friends and they say it takes the cake. Your recipes are accurate and truely represent the final result and mostly thw recipes work at home without professional grade equipment. Would just like to say thanks, youve opened my eyes and im incorporating styles and flavour profiles into my own professional cooking, in the western world. Keep on producing, i love to watch although i believe your reddit posts could be formatted better
Cheers man, glad you enjoy the recipes :) We can always get better as cooks but even from the beginning days of the channel we've always taken our research seriously. Before doing this I was a teacher and Steph was a translator, and to be honest I feel like our jobs haven't necessarily changed all that much lol
Japanese American here. Growing up, we had Ajinomoto (msg) in its own shaker at the table. Used it like salt. After 50 years, I've rediscovered msg and have begun using it my cooking. It's really is magic.
Italy, yeah? Stay safe. Lockdown sucks but it's not all that bad all things considered. Things're inching back to normal (open restaurants! yay!) but I'm mentally preparing myself for a second wave.
Chinese Cooking Demystified in the US - we’re trying to flatten the curve so public health resources can be stretched to care for the sickest and elderly. So universities, public schools and many other employers are shutting down. Our children’s schools are closed until April 3 so we’ll be staying home for a while.
Same here in Toronto. The universities have moved classes online and all the public schools are shut. People have been going a little bit crazy and panic buying things at the supermarkets. One of the funniest things that I saw today was that the pasta was completely gone………except the lasagna sheets, sitting alone on the shelves.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. For your wonderful work. Please don’t change your format, ever! I especially love your thoroughness. The why and the how empowers me. If I understand the method behind a dish, I can then make an educated decision if I choose to alter it. Did I mention I really appreciate you guys? lol Take care and keep ‘em comin’!
I had always thought “MSG BAD” for no good reason except I’d heard that it was. I educated myself, though and now I add it to very nearly every savory dish. I’ve always been a good cook but even my family is like, “Wow!” about everything I make. MSG makes everything taste better.
Leshan's really one of the best food cities we've been to. Chengdu's great and all but you're *way* likelier to get an incredible meal walking into a random restaurant in Leshan than in Chengdu imo (so long as you avoid the touristy places, I'm really happy we didn't go to Leshan in-season).
This is an AMAZING channel! I have learned so much from the both of you. Product knowledge, craft techniques, and most importantly, emphasis and focus on attention to detail. Thanks Steph and Chris for producing a great channel. Gotta get back to my pho bo broth, it's starting its 12 hour slow simmer to delicious!
I can confirm, chilli oil with msg is really good. I don't usually like spicy sauces because they don't match well with a lot of the food I eat, but this kind of chilli oil adds a little kick in the right place.
I’m totally in favour of using MSG in Chinese cooking and agree with Chris that the push against it was based in an old irrational, racist and protectionist agenda that arose in the US and spread to similar countries. BUT in western countries with strict food laws (like Australia) there is NO added MSG in potato chips UNLESS it tells you so on the label: it will say 'Flavour enhancer (MSG)' or 'Flavour enhancer (621)'. Claiming otherwise is for conspiracy theory nut-jobs.
@Tamara Fletcher Says that's dumb, tells us you're allergic to it. Sure, the real racist undertones of where this whole anti msg thing started is the one that's dumb. You may not be racist but you sure make shit up.
@Tamara Fletcher not tons of people. According to double blind studies, even people who claim they are sensitive to MSG don't feel anything if they're not told there's MSG in the food. There is a verrryyy small number of people who legitimately are sensitive to it.
@Tamara Fletcher sadly mate, anecdotal evidence is not evidence. I'm not saying you or anyone you know don't legitimately have those allergies, but in general, there are only very few people who do have adverse reactions to MSG. Maybe those very few people by random chance are all people you know.
So, I'm an American, so I can't help it. "These truths are held to be self evident, that all men are created equal..." I'm sorry for the people of China. I'm so sorry about the two people, (some of us know who they are), who disappeared after reporting the truth about the present situation. And about the thousands of people who protest and are so bravely seeking Liberty. "Give me Liberty or give me death!" Sorry, don't wish to get you into any trouble, but it has to be said! It's okay if my comment has to be deleted, I understand. But, you know! There is nothing greater than Freedom!
I think it's kinda funny how scared people get of MSG, it's a seasoning derived from seaweed/fermented products. Yes it could be bad for some people, but people can get allergic reactions to anything!! I think it's just the "unnatural name" that scares people
They were perfectly fine with that unnatural name until "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" (which is made up and racist) scared them into thinking it caused all manner of harmful side effects. In fact, it was alleged to cause all manner of harmful effects because no two allegations of sickness were ever the same.
For these types of noodle dishes with oil + flavoring + small vegs, I like to heat up the oil and pour it on the bowl as the last step. It helps bring out the flavor more, and gives the scallions a little bit of a toast.
I was a skeptic too about msg, then I started getting informed about it, now I put it even in my tripe and beans stew, didn’t know about the chili balancing thing
Just made this one. Comes together ridiculously quickly so it's a great weeknight meal. I haven't shoveled a bowl of noodles into my face that fast in a long time. A+ for ease and delicious factor.
Thank you! I’m one of the humans who made it to Sichuan. I can’t really tell others how the food is because everything there is so different. Every ingredient and taste. It is one of the greatest cuisines in the world. Although traditional hot pot just won’t happen in Ohio. No creamy pig brains or blood or room temp duck intestines... they would sanitize everything, substantial substitutes like mini corn and carrots and Italian meatballs... yuck
Vegetarian burgers made of seitan are just that, wheat gluten made into a patty. If you don't have coeliac disease it's perfectly safe, and quite healthy since it's just the protein in the grains. Well, as healthy as a burger can be, I suppose!
I'm sure the title alone made some people scream! I use MSG and super-seasoning and stock powders very freely, and doubt it comes out to a quarter-pound a year. Say, 100g per year?
COVID is finally hitting the US like a ton of bricks. My state declared a state of emergency, and everyone is in a state of emergency. Glad to see you guys are doing alright. This cooking channel is a great way to keep busy while stuck at home.
Depressing in Australia too - my state Tasmania has today declared emergency. Cooking is always my escape from all that’s bad in the world. I have stocked up on the weird ingredients nobody else wants - long sessions of pointless experimentation sound great to me.
Oh my goodness. I’ve had a bad day and wanted something quick and easy. This is really good for the effort I put in (I went the Lao Gan Ma chilli crisp route) Big thumbs up 👍🏼
MSG was one of my favorite ingredients when I was visiting China. I'm curious, do you have any tian shui mian recipes? I'm dying to be able to make some but haven't found any that quite have the flavor of the restaurant near the Wenshu monastery in Chengdu. I miss it so much
Hi, Ive been trying to find a recipe called Crystal Shrimp. I had it once with chinese black vinegar and it was awesome. I could not find the recipe any where, it seemed like its a lost dish. You guys are the most technical and have the most “real deal” chinese recipe, so if you could help making it, or know where I can find a recipe, I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much
Do you have any recommendations for pasta rollers? My old one broke trying to make lower hydration Asian noodles, and I'm not sure what to consider for a replacement.
Atlas. I bought my second one off of ebay for forty bucks including shipping. Was never used, but probably around 30-40 years old judging by the box and instructions. Perfect condition, and I love it.
We use this one: www.amazon.com/Pasta-Roller-Machine-Stainless-Noodle/dp/B07VT1M837/ But an ex-chef on our Patreon discord recommended this one: www.amazon.com/Imperia-Pasta-Maker-Machine-Construction/dp/B0001IXA0I (I'd trust him over me)
Chinese Cooking Demystified Thank you for the recommendation! I do have another question though: Would you prefer electric pasta maker or traditional pasta maker, and why? Since I’m hesitating between these 2 kinds...
Hayek. Not a political statement or anything - we just have a tradition to name our animals after economists :) He's a mini-schnauzer, so I figured an Austrian would be a good fit (and Hayek's probably my favorite Austrian economist, even though I'm a bit more of a Neo-Keynesian myself haha)
I have a question: do you have a basics pantry video? I have gleaned bits and pieces but I don’t have room for an entire full pantry, but I want to be able to do some of the simpler things you guys do. Like how do you pick a good Shaoxing wine? Like if I have a food Chinese market near me (I have two, plus H Mart) what should I look for on the label to get an equitable ingredient to what you can get? Thanks!
I makes this recipe all the time. I didn’t know they had a name. All I know is it tastes good. I love msg. I wish people could get past their prejudices.
While I don't believe that MSG per se is bad for you, my problem with it is that it makes subpar dishes taste better which is why the fast food industry loves it so much. Another problem is that your taste buds become accustomed to the enhanced taste of dishes prepared with it. Dishes taste bland after a while (friends of mine from Vietnam sprinkle the stuff over everything savory) and you no longer appreciate the subtle, natural taste of food. It makes sense that here it's used for a very simple and cheap meal which probably still tastes good thanks to it.
MSG Syndrome is definitely due to suggestion and racism. "Accent Flavor Enhancer" is sold in every grocery store in the US. So people in the US constantly "oh, I have a 'secret ingredient' called Accent". Without even caring about what is in it. But then turn their noses up at anything that says it has MSG in it, and snatch up any products that are labelled as "MSG FREE!"
I notice alot of your recipes have nuts of some sort but alot of people including myself can't eat nuts so do you have any good substitutes for nuts in dishes?
This is so me and I have a stock of homemade ramen noodles. I've been living on Indian food and now I need a change.. This is it.. I like crunch so I'll be adding some crunchy veg and maybe a topping of crushed peanuts.. Thanks guys :-)
I think you've eaten some mala; Ma meaning numb and La meaning spicy. The seasoning makes your mouth feel tingly and numb. It's a very common seasoning used in Sichuan. Hope that helps!
MSG is also widely used in every fast food including fast food joints like KFC, McD, Pizza Hut, etc. so are those potato chip snacks you buy in stores. Not sure why Westerners keep thinking MSG is exclusive to Chinese restaurants and dishes when MSG it's self wasn't even invented in China nor used only by Chinese. 😒
Looks so good! Just wondering where to get MSG in the msg-phobic USA. Chemically extract it from a bag of Doritos? Oh, and I was blown away that you gave Wang Gang a shout-out in the description box. I don’t speak a word of mandarin but watch him obsessively.
Wang Gang is awesome. At first I was really disappointed that he was trying the whole 'village cooking' thing, but then as of late he brilliantly blended his style with village cooking to create a sort of offshoot of that old-school-Jamie-Oliver/SBS Australia cooking outside vibe (one of my favorite cooking show styles). Btw you can pick MSG up at most supermarkets in the USA under the brand name "Accent"
The Asian grocers in my area stock Kansui, which I remember Dave Chang noted was used for making alkaline noodles. Can I sub that in for the sodium carbonate?
@@hurryhurry7026 Depends, jiuxiang cao tou or Wine flavored medicago dish from Jiangsu is a vegetarian recipes which rely on shaoxing wine as the primary flavor. Same goes for broad bean dishes that also uses shaoxing wine.
@@hallo84 I think people tend to use something more luxurious and expensive rather than shaoxing wine(liaojiu, to be exact) to let the wine flavor shine
I remember mom mixing rice with lard, soy sauce and MSG for us when we were little...still awesome as it was back then...what everyone should avoid is dihydrogen monoxide...now that is DEADLY!
With you all the way, here. Food-fussy people here in the states just squeal at the thought of this, especially the vegetarians and the vegaroonians, who need it more! Some MSG trivia; discovered in Japan by Kikunae Ikeda (there's a nice wikipedia article. I celebrate his birthday). Those crystals you mentioned, the form of them is "acicular" or needle-like. You can extract it from Kombu yourself, I did this once just to see it. Based on an article by food writer Jeffrey Steingarten, I got the idea that anything ANYONE thinks of as delicious (in a savory way) has MSG or something related in it, such as something something guanylate. Good stock powders have all this in them of course. The famous brand Aji-no-moto has been on the market for around 110 years! If you're Japanese, maybe your great-great grandmother used this, and the SAME BRAND you are using now! Ve-Tsin brand is about that age I think and has been sold in that same package my whole life at least.
In fairness to vegetarians, these days there's a lot of cool ones that put up zero fuss about MSG. We actually get a pretty non-insignificant amount of people keeping veg this channel - I'm a pretty die hard omnivore myself, but I kinda like cooking for vegetarians/helping some out in the comments and the like. It's a good intellectual activity. I know what you're talking about though - I call those people the "health crowd". Y'know, the sort that saw their favorite blogger recommend kale and are now injecting it directly into their blood stream - the gluten free, the raw dieters, etc etc. I can't stand em, and there's a lot of crossover between them and vegans and such, but the Venn diagram is definitely far from a perfect circle :)
@@ChineseCookingDemystified Thanks so much for response! I really enjoy your channel, and in fact just finished a bowl of noodles that was a close as I could get with what was immediately handy here. It was really delicious! Vivid exciting taste, happened to have some green vegetable (gai lan) to blanch and chill and then put on top, to make it look more like real food I guess? I might go all the way next time and crank out some noodles. Our local vegetarians etc. are super extra fussy! It's a curse if you like to cook, or even go to pot-luck suppers. It's easy to have a room FULL of vegetarians who have NOTHING in common, and are all really defining themselves by what they DON'T eat! To some extent I think we are cursed by having eaten in restaurants so many times, where there's a big menu and each person is having a completely different experience. Breaking down the social bond! It has been YEARS since I sat at a table where everyone was cheerfully eating the same thing. I think the only thing ALL the picky eaters have in common is that they would scream and jump out the window if they saw a bottle of MSG! I'm the only person I know personally who can even stand the sight of this, or talking about it! So thanks for trying to find and teach the real taste!!!! I don't do all the recipes, but this one was really in range, I always have all that stuff sitting around. It really wasn't much more trouble than making a grilled-cheese sandwich or something, and much more exciting. Thanks again!
MSG isn't even like scientifically bad for just got a bad rap because an unscientific jerk had a headache and assumed it was MSG... but this meal looks tasty!
To be fair it doesnt mean anything, every food item you eat contain small quantities of things that would be harmful in larger amounts. Not to say that MSG is bad, simply that using "natural" as "healthy" is a fallacy that so many people employ.
I have to try this. But I always wish I had a Chinese friend to go food shopping with me. “You’re a genius. All you people are brilliant. The Chinese invented pasta, you know. We take credit for it, but we just added oregano.” Sophia Petrillo.
If it has a savory flavor, it has MSG in it. MSG is found in tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, soy sauce, cheese, seaweeds, and many other foods. Our own bodies naturally produce it.
Do you have any recommendations for a starter burner? I've been cooking a lot of recipes from y'all on my electric stovetop, but it just doesn't get got enough quick enough. I've looked around at different makes and models and I figured I'd just ask someone's opinion I trust and I definitely trust the opinion of the people who helped me get from making bland fried rice to being comfortable with a bunch of awesome Sichuan dishes.
Ok, so a few notes:
1. When I’m saying that Lao Gan Ma can be subbed in, I’ve talking about the spicy chili crisp sort *not* the black soybean chili. When I use Lao Gan Ma as a chili oil sub, I try to get a spoonful with more oil and less ‘crisp’. The reason you’ll want to cut the MSG a bit if going that route is because Lao Gan Ma is already, like, uh… packed to the brim with like the maximum possible quantity of MSG.
2. So for the most part MSG is MSG, but you’ll find two types different ‘grain sizes’ of MSG - the one that look like larger crystals (almost as large as like small sprinkles), and the smaller sort that’re a bit more of a ‘jagged powder’. With this kind of recipe where the MSG isn’t dissolved, it’s best if you use the latter. The former can totally be used too, just do a bang up job mixing them into the sauce (or give them a quick crush beforehand).
3. Randomly when I was sorting the tags for this video, I decided to toss in “how to cook with MSG”. Haha, the SEO was off the charts for that one! So I’m guessing that some of you might have that exact question, so let me just roll off some general guidelines: (1) MSG is best used in three ways: balancing spicy/chili-laden stuff, using it to bring out the natural umami of other umami rich ingredients (e.g. a touch of MSG with fresh mushrooms helps bring out that taste a bit), and as a general seasoning that can help mellow out flavors sort of like sugar can (2) when using MSG for the first purpose - balancing heat - you can go a bit heavier on the MSG like we did here. For the latter, *really* just use a sprinkle (like, no more that 1/8 tsp per person per serving), otherwise it’ll start to get that sort of monotonous ‘processed food’ kind of taste (3) MSG is best used at the end of the dish - especially at high temperatures, it’ll degrade and lose flavor (so don’t rub your steak with it before searing - if you *really* want, you could add a couple sprinkles on top after you flip and let them dissolve… but tbh I don’t feel the standard Western slab of steak is the most obvious use for MSG).
4. Regarding the noodles, astute observers might notice that we were actually 1% higher hydration that what we had for burning noodles (~43%) and that our sodium carbonate ratio was higher (1/2 tsp for each despite scaling the recipe back 30%). Basically, we wanted to give you guys a noodle recipe for this one that’d make *exactly* two bowls of these noodles (without any excess). We like nice round numbers, so we decided to err on the side of slightly-higher hydration - which to be honest felt about right. For the sodium carbonate, the quantity doesn’t need to be an exact science. We just didn’t feel like called for a weird 1/3 tsp amount or what have you.
5. If using Jianshui/Kan Sui/Asian Lye Water for this instead of powdered sodium carbonate, you can just straight up use a half teaspoon of that, no need to overthink things.
6. Continual hat-tip to Alex the French Guy cooking for being the source of our first learning the baking soda sodium carbonate trick. I know he got it from a NYT Cooking article so maybe after the fifth time I’m bringing it up here, I *might* be nearing the end of the requisite-credit-giving… but if for some weird reason you don’t know him, definitely check out his channel. Probably the best cooking videos on RUclips after Wang Gang imo.
7. Also feel free to straight up add some blanched veg in there. When we got this dish in Leshan it also came with a bit of blanched cabbage, which was also nice.
8. So in general, I’ve gotten tired of arguing with the anti-MSG crowd. It’s all cherry picked studies and such, so really… I’m probably not interested in a debate. The most cogent anti-MSG argument I’ve heard from comes via Sarah Tracy from the article “Tasty Waste: Industrial Fermentation and the Creative Destruction of MSG” - basically, she argues that because MSG tastes good, it can allow junk food manufacturers to more easily feed us, well, junk (and FYI, I emailed her and she clarified that she didn’t think there was anything wrong with home cooks using it). *Even if* we decide to make that leap with her (not necessarily where I’m at… I personally feel like junk food is fine in moderation, and that MSG is no more scary or addictive than granulated sugar is), then it’d follow that using MSG at home could ‘level the playing field’ of sorts. I.e. that if your body’s *actually* just craving some MSG, maybe it’d be best to sprinkle a touch on some fresh vegetables instead of reaching for the Doritos. I dunno. At some level, you kind of just have to accept scientific consensus… else it’ll drive you down a crazy rabbit hole when neither you nor me have the requisite background to parse what’s what. You might not totally trust the FDA, fine, but that doesn’t mean some random goofball nutrition blogger’s necessarily better.
That’s all for now. I might scribble some more notes down in a bit :)
Talking about a food craving - a number of years ago, I was craving the "nutty buddy" ice cream cones. I needed them. So I ate 9 out of a 12 pack.
👍
I'm good now. I think some food cravings should be indulged, not because your body is craving a specific nutrient, but because your body is craving that thing.
These noodles sound WONDERFUL! I hope I get the chance to make them soon. Thank you!
Do you have source on termal deterioration of MSG? The only papers I can find either mentions highly acidic conditions(pH 2.2) or prolonged cooking time(tens of hours).
Also hydration seems a bit high compared to my handbooks on asian noodles formulation(with max of 34%) and experience. Is it because of equpment/intial flour water content/flour type? I know what a b.. to work with low-hydration doughs at home ofcourse.
Article about carbonate trick is by Harold McGee(mentioned in your video) in his "Curious cook" column:
www.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/dining/15curious.html
@@yanikkunitsin1466 Unfortunately nothing in English, so take at face value. It's something that we've heard from chefs here, and I've found a couple articles in Chinese, but I don't have enough confidence to comment on their scientific veracity. Plus, I'm feeling lazy to find them. While it does seem to jive with our personal experience, just assume it's anecdotal.
Re noodle hydration, most sources we've dealt with here work between 38-42% hydration, so we definitely are a touch on the high side of that range. Just what we've found works best for us and the flour we use.
Obviously, if you have experience working with doughs you'll want to go primarily of feel. One quick note for your sake though, when putting out recipes we do prefer erring slightly on the side of higher hydration over lower hydration for replication purposes... because if the dough is overly sticky most people would be quick to add a dusting of flour but less confident in adding more water than a recipe calls for. The difference is never all that great - ~1% maximum - but that's a big reason why we'll 'round up' to 210g of flour and 90g of water instead of 88g of water. And honestly, here I kind of preferred the slightly higher hydration, so that's why we went ~43%.
@@ChineseCookingDemystified Thanks for comprehensive answer!
If you can find it, the Laoganma "Chili in Oil" (油辣椒) is pretty close to Sichuan/Yunnan style chili condiment-- no extra douchi (fermented soybeans) or onion in there, just lajiao (chiles), huajiao (sichuan peppercorn), msg, and some peanuts you can remove.
(translations for non-chinese speakers, not for you @chinesecookingdemystified lol)
Great to see this. If MSG had a different name i.e umami salt or something similarly innuendous, then it'd be so much more widely accepted by the people that turn their nose up at it; the same people buying 'umami paste' from Waitrose. As a chef of over ten years I'm a big fan of using MSG when called for; it's exactly the same as adding sugar, salt, pepper or vinegar to a dish or whatever else it you want to add to balance the flavours.
For a few videos there I was referring to MSG as "all natural purified seaweed crystals" lol. Most people got the joke, but I stopped because there was more than one person saying "wait, where do I buy these seaweed crystals?"
I always call it Aji-no-moto because people don't instantly know what it is and just assume it's something fancy imported.
I have a shaker in my kitchen labeled "flavour enhancer".
@@Jodabomb24 haha, that's a great one!
@@TheFrenchmanCooks MSG is completely safe, even if you eat it regularly. The only thing that they found is that certain people don't respond well to that, and even then it is only in high doses. Also, any food can be toxic if consumed in a really excessive amount,
"I don't let my kids eat MSG!!"
"Right, but they're eating pringles. MSG is in pringles..."
"Yeah, but that's *different* MSG."
ugh, the worst type of person...
I'm not against MSG in general I just don't like the typical aftertaste of it that (I think) comes from using it too much in like asia noodle places
@@kaiderhaiii that's prob from the type of noodles themselves lmao. Too much msg doesn't result in a "weird aftertaste flavour." You can tell right when you eat it because of the overwhelming salty umami flavor.
You are consuming like 50 grams of glutamat everyday just by eating food. Adding a gram or a half to your food won't do much difference.
@Jason Lee My mum and her mum before her always use MSG in home cook food. I am not addicted to it even though i ate it most of my childhood. I know as I cook for myself after becoming an adult and I don't use MSG in my food and I don't crave it. But just looking at science alone, there are so many studies that show that MSG is not at all dangerous to use or eat in moderation(as with any other condiments)
@Jason Lee That is the single dumbest thing I've ever heard, and I'm listening to people advocate we kill my grandma so quarantine doesn't hurt their budget.
Incidentally, she died last week.
My grandpa eat msg everyday. He passed away in 2019, 97 years old. My grandma in 2012, 90 years old
Our whole family eat msg everyday
I just call it Ajinomoto and say it’s derived from some Japanese seaweed. They never bitch about it
The whole MSG nonsense is just racism, coming from biased opinion on Chinese food. It they don't eat MSG, they surely don't eat meat as well. Meat has tons of MSG.
@@jamesyang420 I mean, is MSG bad? Not really, it's really not much different then table salt to your body, a gentle amount of msg is definitely not harmful, eating it by spoon full will probably give you kidney failure
Lancelot V eating salt by spoon full will also give you kidney failure, because of the sodium in it. That's the same thing with MSG, unless they only talk about MSG specifically, and claim that every time they have a wonton soup they'll have the symptoms. If that is not on purpose and racism, I don't think what else can be.
@@jamesyang420 that's precisely the point
Oddly here in Saudi Arabia we also call it ajinomoto
As an Asian, I knew a tasty meal was coming up when I saw the presence of Refined Kelp Extract in the title. I still can't get over how demonized MSG is, but I guess I can leave it up to the skeptics and just eat my tasty umami crystals.
Umami crystals. What a great name!
Childhood is when your parents feed you msg crystals and half size sugar cubes when you hang out in the kitchen ;)
@@a2e5 lol
@@a2e5 Rock sugar master race reporting in. Used to steal them out of the kitchen and get chased off by the aunties.
As a Chinese I found that stuff demonic, stop apologizing for it.
All the best wishes to you and to those around you.
Also if it makes you even a little bit happier, your channel was the reason why I went out and bought my own MSG. I still don't use it very often due to resorting to my habitual spice blends but it's been great fun to experiment with it in various ways.
Either way, your channel has brought the world of chinese cooking that much closer to me. Thank you very much.
Ive been watching your videoes for some time, im a chef with 10 years experience who has had limited exposure to asian cuisine let alone chinese.
I moved to australia as i found your channel and have embraced the cuisine.
Ive mad your mapo tofu recipe for Taiwanese friends and they say it takes the cake.
Your recipes are accurate and truely represent the final result and mostly thw recipes work at home without professional grade equipment.
Would just like to say thanks, youve opened my eyes and im incorporating styles and flavour profiles into my own professional cooking, in the western world.
Keep on producing, i love to watch although i believe your reddit posts could be formatted better
Cheers man, glad you enjoy the recipes :) We can always get better as cooks but even from the beginning days of the channel we've always taken our research seriously. Before doing this I was a teacher and Steph was a translator, and to be honest I feel like our jobs haven't necessarily changed all that much lol
Japanese American here. Growing up, we had Ajinomoto (msg) in its own shaker at the table. Used it like salt. After 50 years, I've rediscovered msg and have begun using it my cooking. It's really is magic.
I learned about this stuff from a Japanese student/roomate who carried a shaker to meals with him! Golden college days!
MSG is in kelp, it's natural, people need to relax because it's delicious and can add flavor to low fat and low calorie dishes.
It is our turn to be quarantined until April 3 - thanks for these videos and so glad you guys seem to have passed thru the worst of it.
Italy, yeah? Stay safe. Lockdown sucks but it's not all that bad all things considered. Things're inching back to normal (open restaurants! yay!) but I'm mentally preparing myself for a second wave.
Chinese Cooking Demystified in the US - we’re trying to flatten the curve so public health resources can be stretched to care for the sickest and elderly. So universities, public schools and many other employers are shutting down. Our children’s schools are closed until April 3 so we’ll be staying home for a while.
Same here in Toronto. The universities have moved classes online and all the public schools are shut. People have been going a little bit crazy and panic buying things at the supermarkets. One of the funniest things that I saw today was that the pasta was completely gone………except the lasagna sheets, sitting alone on the shelves.
if only yall knew how bad it would get, oof
@@littlesnowflakepunk855 Oh Boy. It got so much worse
Thank you, thank you, thank you. For your wonderful work. Please don’t change your format, ever! I especially love your thoroughness. The why and the how empowers me. If I understand the method behind a dish, I can then make an educated decision if I choose to alter it. Did I mention I really appreciate you guys? lol Take care and keep ‘em comin’!
I had always thought “MSG BAD” for no good reason except I’d heard that it was. I educated myself, though and now I add it to very nearly every savory dish. I’ve always been a good cook but even my family is like, “Wow!” about everything I make. MSG makes everything taste better.
I made these and the Peanut noodles this week and I absolutely loved both.
Thanks for these great recipes.
I have great memories of Leshan! And these noodles are super super delicious. I love that you incorporate some history into your vids ❤️
Leshan's really one of the best food cities we've been to. Chengdu's great and all but you're *way* likelier to get an incredible meal walking into a random restaurant in Leshan than in Chengdu imo (so long as you avoid the touristy places, I'm really happy we didn't go to Leshan in-season).
This is an AMAZING channel! I have learned so much from the both of you. Product knowledge, craft techniques, and most importantly, emphasis and focus on attention to detail. Thanks Steph and Chris for producing a great channel. Gotta get back to my pho bo broth, it's starting its 12 hour slow simmer to delicious!
I put MSG on everything
Pretty much everything is put MSG
Seriously I add it to any dish I add salt and pepper to.
@ForestofTooMuchFood ohhh funny guy eh??
@ForestofTooMuchFood its actually pretty good if u add a bit of MSG and honey when you perform oral
same, I love the taste of some toast with butter garlic salt and msg, just so amazing!
Yay, you're back! I hope chef is happy and well.
I always said, MSG stands for "MAKES SHIT GOOD"!
"If you've ever had any street snacks in Chengdu or Chongqing ."
If I had nickle...
Thanks so much for posting this video, so far it is the only recipe on your channel I've cooked, and it's become a staple!
I can confirm, chilli oil with msg is really good. I don't usually like spicy sauces because they don't match well with a lot of the food I eat, but this kind of chilli oil adds a little kick in the right place.
we need a proper introduction to that cheeky puppy!!
Msg is almost everywhere, I'm looking at you people who eat potato chips you know those thing has msg.
I’m totally in favour of using MSG in Chinese cooking and agree with Chris that the push against it was based in an old irrational, racist and protectionist agenda that arose in the US and spread to similar countries. BUT in western countries with strict food laws (like Australia) there is NO added MSG in potato chips UNLESS it tells you so on the label: it will say 'Flavour enhancer (MSG)' or 'Flavour enhancer (621)'.
Claiming otherwise is for conspiracy theory nut-jobs.
@Tamara Fletcher Says that's dumb, tells us you're allergic to it. Sure, the real racist undertones of where this whole anti msg thing started is the one that's dumb. You may not be racist but you sure make shit up.
@Tamara Fletcher not tons of people. According to double blind studies, even people who claim they are sensitive to MSG don't feel anything if they're not told there's MSG in the food. There is a verrryyy small number of people who legitimately are sensitive to it.
@Tamara Fletcher sadly mate, anecdotal evidence is not evidence. I'm not saying you or anyone you know don't legitimately have those allergies, but in general, there are only very few people who do have adverse reactions to MSG. Maybe those very few people by random chance are all people you know.
@Tamara Fletcher you wouldn't label peer reviewed scientific studies as "hearsay" unless you're a science denier.
It's great to add in an easy recipe!
I hope you both are safe and healthy, avoiding the illness that has been going around!
Love your videos!!!
So, I'm an American, so I can't help it.
"These truths are held to be self evident, that all men are created equal..."
I'm sorry for the people of China. I'm so sorry about the two people, (some of us know who they are), who disappeared after reporting the truth about the present situation. And about the thousands of people who protest and are so bravely seeking Liberty.
"Give me Liberty or give me death!"
Sorry, don't wish to get you into any trouble, but it has to be said!
It's okay if my comment has to be deleted, I understand.
But, you know! There is nothing greater than Freedom!
Uncle Roger would love this
Ahahahaha agree!!
Fuiyoh!
Dog: "what's that" *touches your elbow* "can i have some"
I think it's kinda funny how scared people get of MSG, it's a seasoning derived from seaweed/fermented products. Yes it could be bad for some people, but people can get allergic reactions to anything!! I think it's just the "unnatural name" that scares people
They were perfectly fine with that unnatural name until "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" (which is made up and racist) scared them into thinking it caused all manner of harmful side effects. In fact, it was alleged to cause all manner of harmful effects because no two allegations of sickness were ever the same.
For these types of noodle dishes with oil + flavoring + small vegs, I like to heat up the oil and pour it on the bowl as the last step. It helps bring out the flavor more, and gives the scallions a little bit of a toast.
Two CCD videos in one day? Hell yeah
Props for giving people a bit of MSG enlightenment
I was a skeptic too about msg, then I started getting informed about it, now I put it even in my tripe and beans stew, didn’t know about the chili balancing thing
This recipe popped up in my suggested and I went and made it immediately. Lucky I pretty much had all the ingredients. It’s soooo good!
Just made this one. Comes together ridiculously quickly so it's a great weeknight meal. I haven't shoveled a bowl of noodles into my face that fast in a long time. A+ for ease and delicious factor.
That friggin' doggo cracks me up everytime.
Thanks guys once again, these are wonderful vegetarian meals. Keep up the good work ❤️
Thank you! I’m one of the humans who made it to Sichuan. I can’t really tell others how the food is because everything there is so different. Every ingredient and taste. It is one of the greatest cuisines in the world. Although traditional hot pot just won’t happen in Ohio. No creamy pig brains or blood or room temp duck intestines... they would sanitize everything, substantial substitutes like mini corn and carrots and Italian meatballs... yuck
That's excessive and disgusting. Wow.
MSG noodles. it's like naming an american food "gluten burger"
How about a botched German translation attempt called "Guten burger" (good burgers)
Man Ngai Ho
Aha!
Vegetarian burgers made of seitan are just that, wheat gluten made into a patty. If you don't have coeliac disease it's perfectly safe, and quite healthy since it's just the protein in the grains. Well, as healthy as a burger can be, I suppose!
@@stranglewankhitman4936 Human body cannot digest many plant-derived proteins, including gluten. It has no nutritional value whatsoever.
I'm sure the title alone made some people scream! I use MSG and super-seasoning and stock powders very freely, and doubt it comes out to a quarter-pound a year. Say, 100g per year?
I've been to Leshan twice, a city with delicious food. I love the boboji and dumplings
COVID is finally hitting the US like a ton of bricks. My state declared a state of emergency, and everyone is in a state of emergency.
Glad to see you guys are doing alright. This cooking channel is a great way to keep busy while stuck at home.
Dude, cooking and video games were the two things that kept us sane :) Stay safe, and we're not quite out of the woods yet over here either.
If you have the ingredients to make this once, you can probably make it a hundred times!
Depressing in Australia too - my state Tasmania has today declared emergency. Cooking is always my escape from all that’s bad in the world. I have stocked up on the weird ingredients nobody else wants - long sessions of pointless experimentation sound great to me.
Made it according to the recipe and it was delicious! This will be added to our dinner rotation since it's so easy.
Oh my goodness. I’ve had a bad day and wanted something quick and easy. This is really good for the effort I put in (I went the Lao Gan Ma chilli crisp route)
Big thumbs up 👍🏼
I’m a third or fourth generation Aussie and I love MSG. I predominately cook Asian food and use MSG all the time. I love it.
Thanks so much for the explanation. The hysteria is ridiculous.
I love your channel thanks for sharing all this knowledge !
Wow, very simple and the results look so good. Thanks for the recipe.
That dog is like, where's my noodles, I don't care how hot they are, I want some!
I give him some unsalted ones, lol.
I only used normal ramen noodles, msg, and Chinese-lady-label jar chili oil. Tasted wonderful.
Just picked up MSG for the first time from the store, excited to learn how to use it!!
Do you use more sugar that you normally would to compensate for subbing with Yibin suimiyacia?
Actually no, but doing that might make sense!
MSG was one of my favorite ingredients when I was visiting China.
I'm curious, do you have any tian shui mian recipes? I'm dying to be able to make some but haven't found any that quite have the flavor of the restaurant near the Wenshu monastery in Chengdu. I miss it so much
We haven't done tianshuimian noodle yet, one day, one day... Probably when things are back to normal and ingredients are easier to get.
Apparently it's not a good idea to use Japanese Udon noodles...
@@ChineseCookingDemystified I hope everything calms down and you are able to stay safe and healthy!
@@teslashark Udon and the noodles in tianshuimian do look very similar, lol
Hi, Ive been trying to find a recipe called Crystal Shrimp. I had it once with chinese black vinegar and it was awesome. I could not find the recipe any where, it seemed like its a lost dish. You guys are the most technical and have the most “real deal” chinese recipe, so if you could help making it, or know where I can find a recipe, I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much
Do you have any recommendations for pasta rollers? My old one broke trying to make lower hydration Asian noodles, and I'm not sure what to consider for a replacement.
rolling pin + heavy dusting of flour
Atlas. I bought my second one off of ebay for forty bucks including shipping. Was never used, but probably around 30-40 years old judging by the box and instructions. Perfect condition, and I love it.
Drakenskar for a moment I thought this was a game video because of the ad and I was like bruh are you sure this is the right place
We use this one: www.amazon.com/Pasta-Roller-Machine-Stainless-Noodle/dp/B07VT1M837/
But an ex-chef on our Patreon discord recommended this one: www.amazon.com/Imperia-Pasta-Maker-Machine-Construction/dp/B0001IXA0I
(I'd trust him over me)
Chinese Cooking Demystified Thank you for the recommendation! I do have another question though: Would you prefer electric pasta maker or traditional pasta maker, and why? Since I’m hesitating between these 2 kinds...
The dog is like "where's mine? "
Hey Guys...this was the first of your videos I've seen. I caught your interview on Andong's channel. Love your stuff. I'll be back!
Uuuuggghhhh why do I love your videos so much! Making no progress on my dissertation with all the binging
As a native Sichuanese, I approve and commend this video.
maybe this has been answered before, but what's your dogs name? he/she is adorable!
Hayek. Not a political statement or anything - we just have a tradition to name our animals after economists :) He's a mini-schnauzer, so I figured an Austrian would be a good fit (and Hayek's probably my favorite Austrian economist, even though I'm a bit more of a Neo-Keynesian myself haha)
Tmanstext
Instead of saying "he/she" just say "they"
Kevin It doesn’t make as much sense with an animal, does it? If anything you’d use ‘it’
ProfX501
Yes, but people nowadays humanize dogs too much.
We can't hurt the dog's feelings /s
I have a question: do you have a basics pantry video? I have gleaned bits and pieces but I don’t have room for an entire full pantry, but I want to be able to do some of the simpler things you guys do. Like how do you pick a good Shaoxing wine? Like if I have a food Chinese market near me (I have two, plus H Mart) what should I look for on the label to get an equitable ingredient to what you can get? Thanks!
I makes this recipe all the time. I didn’t know they had a name. All I know is it tastes good. I love msg. I wish people could get past their prejudices.
Best part of video....cute dog tapping lady's arm, "Excuse me mom, I want a bite of noodles too!" 😂
While I don't believe that MSG per se is bad for you, my problem with it is that it makes subpar dishes taste better which is why the fast food industry loves it so much. Another problem is that your taste buds become accustomed to the enhanced taste of dishes prepared with it. Dishes taste bland after a while (friends of mine from Vietnam sprinkle the stuff over everything savory) and you no longer appreciate the subtle, natural taste of food. It makes sense that here it's used for a very simple and cheap meal which probably still tastes good thanks to it.
Just made this (with dried noodles)! Really tasty. Thanks!
THAT STRAINER THOUGH! I NEED THAT IN MY LIFE
MSG syndrome: Actually just grease and blood sugar rush
Nah, just racist hysteria and nocebo effect.
@Zizzi's Genetics Straight up racism.
@Zizzi's Genetics
its racism, its not just china that uses msg and people who turn their nose up to it are probably anti-aisan in general
feral fruit bouillon powder has a ton of msg in it and you don’t hear people complaining about that. It’s so blatant
MSG Syndrome is definitely due to suggestion and racism. "Accent Flavor Enhancer" is sold in every grocery store in the US. So people in the US constantly "oh, I have a 'secret ingredient' called Accent". Without even caring about what is in it.
But then turn their noses up at anything that says it has MSG in it, and snatch up any products that are labelled as "MSG FREE!"
I notice alot of your recipes have nuts of some sort but alot of people including myself can't eat nuts so do you have any good substitutes for nuts in dishes?
This is so me and I have a stock of homemade ramen noodles. I've been living on Indian food and now I need a change.. This is it.. I like crunch so I'll be adding some crunchy veg and maybe a topping of crushed peanuts.. Thanks guys :-)
Welcome back guys!! Take care always
Love from the Philippines ❤️❤️🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
Do you soak the ya cai in water before? I put it dry in my bowl and it came out sorta gross.
Would thai fermented mustard greens be ok to use?
Hey are you happy with your pasta machine? Any tips on looking for a good one?
Great simple dish... and the doggie 🐶 so cute!!
Thanks for the video during the ongoing crisis :)
When are you making a book? I love your recipes and would love to buy a book from you!
😁 I'll have you know that you two did something my Italian step-grandfather could never do; get me to buy a pasta maker! 😁
Seeing that chinese gastronomy book made me very happy, i like that books
i don't know why YT recommended me this, but whatever this is good stuff
Why not substitute store bought chili oil in a pinch instead of the Lao Gan Ma?
I’ve had something similar while visiting sichuan, so much msg it made my tongue tingle for hours.
I think you've eaten some mala; Ma meaning numb and La meaning spicy. The seasoning makes your mouth feel tingly and numb. It's a very common seasoning used in Sichuan. Hope that helps!
MSG is also widely used in every fast food including fast food joints like KFC, McD, Pizza Hut, etc. so are those potato chip snacks you buy in stores. Not sure why Westerners keep thinking MSG is exclusive to Chinese restaurants and dishes when MSG it's self wasn't even invented in China nor used only by Chinese. 😒
Looks so good! Just wondering where to get MSG in the msg-phobic USA. Chemically extract it from a bag of Doritos? Oh, and I was blown away that you gave Wang Gang a shout-out in the description box. I don’t speak a word of mandarin but watch him obsessively.
Wang Gang is awesome. At first I was really disappointed that he was trying the whole 'village cooking' thing, but then as of late he brilliantly blended his style with village cooking to create a sort of offshoot of that old-school-Jamie-Oliver/SBS Australia cooking outside vibe (one of my favorite cooking show styles).
Btw you can pick MSG up at most supermarkets in the USA under the brand name "Accent"
Ok I think I need to get some MSG now! How are things in China, by the way? It's starting to ramp up here in Europe!
Definitely getting better, but I'm mentally preparing myself for a possible second wave due to imported cases :/
The Asian grocers in my area stock Kansui, which I remember Dave Chang noted was used for making alkaline noodles. Can I sub that in for the sodium carbonate?
Yep direct sub
I think that's exactly what you're looking for!
It needed a "aka Shaoxing wine"
Actually we need the equivalent stock phrase for MSG... “Add a half teaspoon of mei zing, aka MSG, and...”
shaoxing wine is mainly used to removed the unpleasant bloody smell of meat. SO you won't see any shaoxing wine in vegetarian recipes
@@hurryhurry7026 Depends, jiuxiang cao tou or Wine flavored medicago dish from Jiangsu is a vegetarian recipes which rely on shaoxing wine as the primary flavor. Same goes for broad bean dishes that also uses shaoxing wine.
@@hallo84 I think people tend to use something more luxurious and expensive rather than shaoxing wine(liaojiu, to be exact) to let the wine flavor shine
I remember mom mixing rice with lard, soy sauce and MSG for us when we were little...still awesome as it was back then...what everyone should avoid is dihydrogen monoxide...now that is DEADLY!
Can confrim that every one who had consumed dihydrogen monoxide died or will die sooner or later
@@riconight9997 lol
I'm rusting to death
With you all the way, here. Food-fussy people here in the states just squeal at the thought of this, especially the vegetarians and the vegaroonians, who need it more! Some MSG trivia; discovered in Japan by Kikunae Ikeda (there's a nice wikipedia article. I celebrate his birthday). Those crystals you mentioned, the form of them is "acicular" or needle-like. You can extract it from Kombu yourself, I did this once just to see it. Based on an article by food writer Jeffrey Steingarten, I got the idea that anything ANYONE thinks of as delicious (in a savory way) has MSG or something related in it, such as something something guanylate. Good stock powders have all this in them of course. The famous brand Aji-no-moto has been on the market for around 110 years! If you're Japanese, maybe your great-great grandmother used this, and the SAME BRAND you are using now! Ve-Tsin brand is about that age I think and has been sold in that same package my whole life at least.
In fairness to vegetarians, these days there's a lot of cool ones that put up zero fuss about MSG. We actually get a pretty non-insignificant amount of people keeping veg this channel - I'm a pretty die hard omnivore myself, but I kinda like cooking for vegetarians/helping some out in the comments and the like. It's a good intellectual activity.
I know what you're talking about though - I call those people the "health crowd". Y'know, the sort that saw their favorite blogger recommend kale and are now injecting it directly into their blood stream - the gluten free, the raw dieters, etc etc. I can't stand em, and there's a lot of crossover between them and vegans and such, but the Venn diagram is definitely far from a perfect circle :)
@@ChineseCookingDemystified Thanks so much for response! I really enjoy your channel, and in fact just finished a bowl of noodles that was a close as I could get with what was immediately handy here. It was really delicious! Vivid exciting taste, happened to have some green vegetable (gai lan) to blanch and chill and then put on top, to make it look more like real food I guess? I might go all the way next time and crank out some noodles. Our local vegetarians etc. are super extra fussy! It's a curse if you like to cook, or even go to pot-luck suppers. It's easy to have a room FULL of vegetarians who have NOTHING in common, and are all really defining themselves by what they DON'T eat! To some extent I think we are cursed by having eaten in restaurants so many times, where there's a big menu and each person is having a completely different experience. Breaking down the social bond! It has been YEARS since I sat at a table where everyone was cheerfully eating the same thing. I think the only thing ALL the picky eaters have in common is that they would scream and jump out the window if they saw a bottle of MSG! I'm the only person I know personally who can even stand the sight of this, or talking about it! So thanks for trying to find and teach the real taste!!!! I don't do all the recipes, but this one was really in range, I always have all that stuff sitting around. It really wasn't much more trouble than making a grilled-cheese sandwich or something, and much more exciting. Thanks again!
MSG is friggin' delicious. I use it a lot.
Such an incredible channel
What’s a good stand in for the fermented mustard greens?
Glad I just found this channel!
I'd love to learn more about yacai! Do you ever make your own, or do most people buy it pre-made?
MSG isn't even like scientifically bad for just got a bad rap because an unscientific jerk had a headache and assumed it was MSG... but this meal looks tasty!
These noodles look delicious! 😋
Bear Food Kitchen They look so good! Thank you for sharing your delicious videos, too!
Bear Food Kitchen I agree! These noodles look delicious. Keep up the great content, BFK! I love watching your videos.
MSG is a content that many of the vegetables and seafood have natually.
To be fair it doesnt mean anything, every food item you eat contain small quantities of things that would be harmful in larger amounts.
Not to say that MSG is bad, simply that using "natural" as "healthy" is a fallacy that so many people employ.
Works wonders in Koreans soups and stews as well. It's that missing x-factor in restaurant cooking that you can't replicate at home without it.
I have to try this. But I always wish I had a Chinese friend to go food shopping with me. “You’re a genius. All you people are brilliant. The Chinese invented pasta, you know. We take credit for it, but we just added oregano.” Sophia Petrillo.
Kudos to the crazy soul who added oregano!
The puppy is hurry to share and eat noodles😂😂😂
US supermarkets sell MSG as “flavor enhancer”, and the ingredient is “mono sodium glutamate”, “60% less sodium”, lol
I love your channel keep going!
If it has a savory flavor, it has MSG in it. MSG is found in tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, soy sauce, cheese, seaweeds, and many other foods. Our own bodies naturally produce it.
So you mean humans taste good?
What you find in those isn't MSG (mono sodium glutamate) , they are just G (glutamic acid). MSG is a synthesised sodium salt of glutamic acid.
@@bodyno3158 Taste like SPAM, it has been said.
@@bodyno3158 Yes, humans are delicious.
@@bodyno3158 hey wait a minute... I recognize your name 🤔
Do you have any recommendations for a starter burner? I've been cooking a lot of recipes from y'all on my electric stovetop, but it just doesn't get got enough quick enough.
I've looked around at different makes and models and I figured I'd just ask someone's opinion I trust and I definitely trust the opinion of the people who helped me get from making bland fried rice to being comfortable with a bunch of awesome Sichuan dishes.
Build a "jet engine style" burner ~150 000 BTU