MSG Umami - got some, going to try it. Tips?

[Don]

Right. At the Chinese supermarket I got some "super-seasoning" MSG.

I'm going to try it in a couple of dishes tonight.

Am I right that one should be very, very, VERY sparing with it? I have seen recipes with a 1/4 teaspoon to 500g of stuff it's going to flavour.

I know some people believe they get a bad reaction from it - but I don't so I'm not worried about that.

[Don]

Thanks for that, both of you.

I will be careful. I have heard of the "MSG hangover": is this because it is a diuretic and dehydrates the body?

[Don]

Podie said:

I think the best piece of advice that I can give you here, is to invite me over for dinner.

If you're passing through, Podders...

[Don]

Bunged some MSG into my Wings seasoning flour.

Very savoury.

But no substitute for more Peri Peri and lots of salt.

My Gado Gado salad on the other hand will get a pic in the "Photo of your dinner" thread tomorrow...

Mmmmmmm.

[Don]

I've read about this Umami paste. Note how careful they are to avoid saying "monosodium glutamate". Instead "glutamate" or "glutamates" gets bandied about. But it's the same stuff.

Well I've been using my MSG. Shook some into some noodles last night. They were delicious.

No adverse reactions...although I AM being reasonably careful with it.

[Don]

I'm making Lamb Tagine in the slow cooker today.

And yes as well as teaspoons of ground cumin, ginger, allspice,cinnamon and turmeric it's got two teaspoons of salt and a tiny shake of MSG in it.

Absolutely no adverse reactions from using it so far coupled with a subtle improvement in flavour intensity in some things.

By no means is it going in everything but I am enjoying experimenting with it to see what is improved and what is not.

And it's a convenient salt-like ingredient in white crystalline form - unlike this paste stuff.