I love to cook and to be honest I am half way decent at it.
I am a bit of a hack though.. I am untrained, organizing and I forget to read most recipes.. whoops!!
What I do have going for me is that I can generally taste something and tell you what kind of “flavor” is missing to give it a well rounded taste. The five generally recognized tastes are Bitterness, Sourness, Sweetness, Saltiness, and Umami.
Umami is kind of a “meaty, flavorful” tasty found in foods like Parmesan cheese and mushrooms. It gives a fuller flavor.
I find that when I make things like sauces, soups, stews and gravies this Umami taste can kind of be missing especially if it has not been cooked for a really long time.
I have seen friends and family cook and they try to make up for this flavor by adding more salt.. which helps, but still doesn’t give that long cooked flavor.
My secret ingredient?
Soy Sauce (gluten free in our home).
Now, not a ton.. you don’t want your Chicken soup to taste Asian if it is not. Start with a teaspoon or so the next time you gravy or soup is lacking in flavor. Stir it in and taste.. you will be surprised how it the rounds out of the flavor.
I use it in soups, gravy, stew, beans, sauce..
Let me know if you try it.. and what you think.
And stay tuned for Secret Tip #2 for flavor in your cooking!!
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