Food Additive : E621 MSG 味精

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids.  Glutamic acid is found naturally in tomatoes, grapes, cheese, mushrooms and other foods.

MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups.

MSG was first prepared in 1908 by Japanese biochemist Kikunae Ikeda, who was trying to isolate and duplicate the savory taste of kombu, an edible seaweed used as a base for many Japanese soups. MSG balances, blends, and rounds the perception of other tastes.

The US FDA ( U.S. Food and Drug Administration ) classify MSG as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).   The European Union classifies it as a food additive permitted in certain foods and subject to quantitative limits. MSG has the HS code 29224220 and the E number E621.

It is a erroneously belief that MSG can cause headaches and other feelings of discomfort, known as "Chinese Restaurant syndrome", but studies show no such effects when MSG is added into food.

Food Additives : E516 Gypsum 石膏 & E511 Nigiri 盐卤

Two types of coagulants are used in traditional tofu making :

Gypsum石膏

Gypsum ( E516 ) is quarried from geological deposits.  Composed of calcium sulfate, gypsum is a traditional and most widely used coagulant to produce Chinese-style tofu, it produces a tofu that is tender but slightly brittle in texture. The coagulant itself is tasteless.

Use of this coagulant also makes a tofu that is rich in calcium.

Nigari盐卤

Nigari is produced from seawater after the sodium chloride is removed and the water evaporated. It contains mostly magnesium chloride ( E511 ) and calcium chloride ( E509 ) , and some trace amount of other naturally occurring salts.

It is normally used in northern China and Japan.

Food additive : E524 Lye 碱水 / 枧水

A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching wood ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions.

Lye most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been used for potassium hydroxide (KOH).

Lyes are used to cure many types of food, including the traditional Lutefisk (Norway), Olives, Hominy, Bagels, Pretzels, Lye Rolls (Germany), Kabak Tatlısı (Turkey), Kutsinta ( Philippines ),  Century Eggs, Moon Cakes, Zongzi, Chinese Noodles, Ramen (Japan) etc.

Sodium hydroxide

Sodium hydroxide ( caustic soda ) was first prepared by soap maker in Arab book during late 13th century.  The Impure sodium carbonate was obtained from the ashes of plants, of which sodium hydroxide was produced.  In  1791 the French chemist and surgeon Nicolas Leblanc (1742–1806) patented a process for mass-producing sodium carbonate.  By the 20th century, the electrolysis of sodium chloride had become the primary method for producing sodium hydroxide.

Sodium hydroxide is given E number : E524.

Due to the difficulty in obtaining food grade sodium hydroxide in small quantities for home use, sodium carbonate is often used as replacement.

Food additive : E285 Borax 硼砂

Borax ( 硼砂 ) also known as sodium borate, sodium decahydrate, sodium tetraborate or disodium tetraborate.  It is more accurately called  sodium tetraborate decahydrate with chemical formula Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O or Na₂[B₄O₅(OH)₄]·8H₂O.

Powdered borax is transparent white crystal powder, odorless  and water soluble

Borax occurs naturally in evaporate deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes.  

History

Borax was first discovered in dry lake in Tibet and was imported via the Silk Road to the Arabian Peninsula in the 8^th century.   Borax came into common use in the late 19^th century when Francis Marion Smith’s Pacific Borax Company began to market and popularize borax usage as a cleaner.

Food Additive

Borax, given the E number E285, is used as a food additive, but is banned in some countries.  In addition to its use as a preservative, borax imparts a firm, rubbery texture to food.   It has been found in foods especially noodles.

Borax is not acutely toxic. Its LD₅₀ score is tested at 2.66 g/kg in rats, meaning that a significant dose  of the borax is needed to cause severe symptoms or death for an average size human adult.  The lethal dose is not necessary correspondence to human.

However, there are studies suggesting possible higher risk of liver cancer with high consumption of borax over a long period of time.

Covid-19 Man Shopping > Ikan Laut

Bawal Putih / 白鲳

Stromataidae | Pampus argenteus

Bawal Cina / 斗底

Stromataidae | Pampus chinensis

Bawal Emas/ 金鲳

Bramidae  | Xenobrama microlepis

Bawal Hitam / 黑鲳

Carangidae | Parastromateus niger

Selar / 黄尾

Carangidae | Atule mate

Cencaru / 硬尾

Carangidae | Megalaspis cordyla

Lidah / 龙舌鱼

Cynoglossidae | Cynoglossus robustus

Senangin / 马友

Polynemidae | Eleutheronema tetradactylum

Siakap / 石甲

Latidae | Lates calcarifer

Tongkol / 柴鱼

Scombridae | Katsuwonus pelamis

Tenggiri / 马鲛

Scombridae | Scomberomorus sp

  

Kembung/ 甘望

Scrombridae | Rastrelliger sp

Jenahak / 红皂

Lutjanidae | Lutjanus sp

Anchovies Powder

Anchovies are teeny tiny fishes that were caught, pre-cooked and sun-dried which can be easily found in most Asian markets.   

It is used to make stock, which in turn used as soups of noodles.  Making stock involves simmering anchovies for a very long long time. 

Another use of anchovies is as a source of the umami flavor in a dish which is consists of lone vegetable(s).    In this case, the anchovies is normally hard-fried till fragrant before adding in the bland vegetables.  Yet, in the end, the anchovies are usually discarded and ended up in the trash bin.

Well, a simple way of preparing the stock is powdered anchovies.  Just boil the water, sprinkler the powdered anchovies, and add in whatever ingredients to make the soup.  No simmering, no long hours of cooking broth. 

Same for stir-fry veg-dish, add a teaspoon of powdered anchovies in hot oil, quickly throw in all the ingredients, and stir stir fry fry.   No anchovies leftovers, no kitchen waste.

To prepare powdered anchovies, first dry the anchovies in oven at < 100⁰C for some time.  let it cool when it’s done.   The anchovies should be hardened once cooled.  Then, blend it with food processor.  Blend it not too fine, not too coarse.   Keep in tight glass bottle, away from sunlight,  best in cool dry place.

Covid-19 Man Shopping > Ubi

Ubi refers to any edible plant root : ubi kayu, ubi keledek, ubi keladi,  ubi kentang, sengkuang dll.  Even though all the ubi sharing the same epiphyte, they came from different part of the world, and of different family and genus of plant. 

Despite all the differences, all the ubi contain lots of starch.  The starch is actually polysaccharide ( polymeric carbohydrate ),  when cooked, breaks down into simple carbohydrate ( glucose, fructose and galactose ).   This explains why the cooked ubi are sweet in flavor.    

Here are some, which are quite rare, maybe even alien to some, especially for those privileged one whom never had worry what to cook for lunch &/@ dinner.

Kudzu / 粉葛

( Puereria lobata var thomsonii )

Kudzu is the general name for plants in the genus Pueraria.   It is originated from East Asia.

The root is usually used in Chinese stew soups, which enhance the ‘sweetness’ of the soup.   Kudzu starch, which is extracted from the root is used as food ingredient.

Sengkuang / Jicama / 沙葛

（ Pachyrhizus erosus ）

Sengkuang is from Mexico.  It is first brought by the Spaniard to the Phillippines, where it is called singkamas.  

Sengkuang is usually consumed fresh, an ingredient in rojak.  It can be cooked, or used as a main ingredient in popiah.

 Chinese Yam / Nagaimo / 山药

（ Dioscorea oppositifolia）

As the name suggested, Chinese Yam is originated from China.  Chinese Yam was Introduced to Japan in the 17^th century and Europe during the 19^th century European Potato Failure.

The tuber is cylindrical in shape, capable to grow up to 1 meter in length.   When cut or peeled, it exude slimy, slippery substance. 

In Japan, 3 groups are recognized :

• Nagaimo ( 長芋 ) - long, cylindrical type ;

• Ichōimo ( 銀杏芋 ) - flat, palmate shaped type ;

• Tsukune imo (ね芋) - round shaped type.

Chinese Yam is can be consumed raw, or cooked.  Also used extensively in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Beet / 甜菜头

（ Beta vulgaris vulgaris）

The beetroot is the taproot of a beet plant.  Beets were domesticated since the ancient Middle East.  During the 19^th century, wine often was coloured with beetroot juice.

Beetroot can be eaten boiled, roasted or raw, pickled

Beetroot contain lots of betanin.  Betanin is not broken down in the body, and may cause colour of stool or urine to be reddish in colour.

Kelaldi / 芋头

（ Colocasia esculenta）

Keladi is originated from the Old World tropics.  It was believed that it was one of the earliest cultivated plants.

It is not rocket science that a keladi’s corm is edible, but many are not aware that the leaves are also edible.

Keladi contains calcium oxalate, which is toxin if consume raw.  The toxic can be destroy via cooking, or by steeping in cold water overnight.

Yacón / 雪莲果

（ Smallanthus sonchifolius）

Yacón is originated from the Andes of South America.  In the 1990s, it was introduced to Japan, and from there to other Asian countries.

It is crisp, sweet, and fragrant, almost similar to jicama.