Have you ever encountered this situation: you followed the recipe, but the taste is just a little bit off?
Why is the same dish better cooked in a restaurant than at home? Why can a chef cook a dish that tastes better than ordinary people?
In fact, the problem may be a seasoning you overlooked!
What is this magical seasoning? The answer is - sugar
Yes, it's sugar! Many people think that sugar is only used to make desserts, but in fact, sugar is equally important in salty dishes.
Why does sugar make dishes delicious?
- Balance the taste: Sugar can neutralize sourness, bitterness, and saltiness, making the overall taste more harmonious.
- Enhance the umami: Sugar can enhance the natural umami of ingredients and make dishes more layered.
- Increase the caramel aroma: Sugar will undergo a "caramelization reaction" at high temperatures, making the food more fragrant and more appetizing.
- Make the sauce richer: Sugar can make the sauce smoother and improve the overall taste.
Which dishes will double the taste after adding sugar?
1. Stir-fry: Sugar makes the taste more layered
- Scrambled eggs with tomatoes: Add a little sugar to make the sweet and sour taste more balanced.
- Stir-fried pork with green peppers: Sugar can remove the slight bitterness of green peppers and make the meat more tender.
- Kung Pao chicken: Sugar is the soul, and the sweet and sour taste is more perfect.
2. Stewed meat: Sugar makes the meat more fragrant and more flavorful
- Braised pork: Sugar can make the meat color brighter and more intense.
- Coke chicken wings: The combination of sugar + cola makes the chicken wings moderately sweet and salty.
- Dongpo pork: Sugar can make the pork belly more fragrant and melt in the mouth.
3. Sauce: Sugar makes the sauce richer and smoother
- Teriyaki sauce: The soul of Japanese cuisine, sweet and salty balance.
- Fish-flavored sauce: Fish-flavored shredded pork and fish-flavored eggplant cannot do without sugar.
- Italian tomato sauce: Add a little sugar to neutralize the sourness of tomatoes and make the sauce smoother.
4. Soup: Sugar makes soup more delicious
- Tomato egg drop soup: Add a little sugar to make the tomato flavor stronger.
- Corn and pork ribs soup: Sugar can enhance the sweetness of corn and make the soup more delicious.
- Seafood soup: Sugar can enhance the freshness of seafood and make the soup more mellow.
Other "secret seasonings" commonly used by chefs
- Fish sauce: Fresher than soy sauce, suitable for stir-frying, stewing, and dipping.
- Lemon juice: It can enhance the refreshing feeling of dishes and is suitable for seafood, salads, and barbecue.
- Soy sauce + vinegar + sugar: A classic seasoning combination, suitable for braised, stewed, and cold dishes.
- Butter: It can make dishes more fragrant and suitable for fried rice, fried steak, and sauce.
Conclusion: Add a little sugar and the taste will double directly
Many people only know to add salt and soy sauce when cooking, but ignore the role of sugar.
But real chefs know that sugar is the key to enhancing the layering of dishes.
Next time you cook, try adding a little sugar, and you will find that the taste is really different!
What do you think?
Do you usually add sugar when cooking? What other "hidden seasonings" do you recommend? Feel free to share in the comments section, let's improve our cooking skills together!