Lemongrass

Lemongrass, also known as citronella grass, is a reed-like grass with a scallion-type base that is used as a flavoring in food dishes, providing a sharp lemony taste. It is the heart or bulb within the base that is used as an ingredient for Southeast Asian recipes. Lemon grass is used to add a citrus-like aroma and flavor to marinades for poultry and fish or as a flavoring for soups, stews, and food dressings. Unless the lemon grass is minced and mixed into the food dish, it is recommended to add larger strips to the dish and then remove before serving, since it does not break up and disappear when cooking. When preparing lemon grass, cut off the root and over half of the upper stalk. Then remove the outer layers of the base remaining to expose the tender inner heart. Lemon grass can be sliced into thin, small disks or minced or crushed to be added to salads and stir fries. When preparing soups, stews and some sauces, cut the stalk into short pieces, several inches in length and cook with other ingredients until done, then remove the lemon grass. When adding as a seasoning to sauces and marinades, lemon grass can be cut into small bits and then minced or ground into a paste to be added into the other ingredients. When fresh lemon grass cannot be found, substitute dried lemon grass or thin strips of lemon peel. For each 8 inch fresh stalk that is required, substitute 1 tablespoon of dried lemon grass or several long strips of lemon peel. If a recipe requires the heart of the lemon grass, take only the bottom 4 to 6 inches of the stalk and peel off the outer leaves until the inner purple ring is exposed.

MSG

MSG is an effective flavor enhancer, the principal component of which is an amino acid called Glutamate (also known as Glutamic Acid). Glutamate is a natural component, found in protein foods such as meat, poultry, vegetables and milk.  The first steps in the discovery of MSG took place at Tokyo Imperial University in 1907. Professor Kikunae Ikeda noted “There is a taste which is common to asparagus, tomatoes, cheese and meat, but which is not one of the four well-known tastes of sweet, sour, bitter and salty.”
He started experimental work on Kombu Seaweed, another source in which he found the taste was present. He succeeded in extracting crystals of Glutamic Acid, 100 grams of Kombu Seaweed containing around 1 gram of Glutamate. He noted that the Glutamate had a distinctive taste, different from Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Salty, he gave this taste the name “umami”.
            The Professor decided to create a seasoning from his newly extracted Glutamate. To be used as a seasoning, his creation would need to have characteristics similar to those of sugar and salt, i.e. be easily water soluble, but neither absorb humidity, nor solidify.
Monosodium Glutamate was found to have excellent storage properties, and had a rich “umami” taste.  Because MSG has no specific texture or taste, it can be used in a vast variety of dishes, naturally enhancing the original flavors of the food.

            Today, the MSG found on store shelves is usually made from fermented sugar beet or sugar cane molasses, in a process quite similar to the way soy sauce is made. Many experts blame MSG for “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” – the headaches, dizziness, and chest pains some people experience after dining at a Chinese restaurant. There is a debate among the scientific community over whether MSG is the culprit. While the U.S. FDA states that MSG is general safe, it acknowledges the seasoning may pose problems for certain individuals. Specifically, asthmatics and people who can tolerate small, but not large, amounts of MSG may be at risk.

Sauce Simmering

Simmering in a spicy sauce is a very strong Cantonese culinary tradition. The food is then cut up and served cold as an appetizer, as a main dish with rice, or even alone as a snack. Ready to eat poultry and meat made this way—from beef tripe to squabs—are sold almost everywhere in small eateries in Canton. The Cantonese name of the spicy sauce is called lo, and the sauce simmered final produces are called lo mein. A variety of Chinese spices is simmered into a concentrated mixture, which is later combined with strong wine, rock candy, and soy sauce. The spices used vary from shop to shop for from chef to chef. Generally, the combination of spices would consist of star anise, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, aniseed, white peppercorns, aged tangerine peel, gingerroot, and garlic, plus some “secret” items. The aged tangerine peel can be the most crucial ingredient: it mellows with age and is very expensive. The master sauce is used again and again, over a long period of time.