When cooking, people often like to add seasonings to enhance the flavor, but there are rules to adding seasonings when stir-frying. Seasonings cannot be added indiscriminately; adding the wrong ones can even lead to food poisoning!
I. Do not add MSG when cooking meat dishes
Meat itself contains glutamic acid. When it meets the salt in the dish and is heated, it naturally generates the main component of MSG—sodium glutamate. Besides meat, other umami-rich foods also do not need MSG, such as eggs, mushrooms, water bamboo, and seafood.
II. Dishes with vinegar cannot have MSG
Dishes with a strong sour flavor and a lot of vinegar cannot have MSG. This is because MSG does not dissolve easily in an acidic environment. The higher the acidity, the lower the solubility, and the worse the umami effect. Therefore, strongly sour dishes like Sweet and Sour Pork and Vinegar-Cabbage Stir-fry should not contain MSG.
III. It is not advisable to add MSG to cold dishes
MSG can only fully exert its umami-enhancing effect at temperatures between 80°C and 100°C. Since cold dishes are served at a lower temperature, MSG is difficult to activate. It may even adhere directly to the raw ingredients, resulting in a tasteless and disappointing experience. If you must add MSG to a cold dish, it is best to dissolve a small amount in hot water before mixing it in.
IV. It is not advisable to add MSG when making fillings
Many people add MSG when making dumpling or spring roll fillings, which is very unsafe. Once mixed into the filling, MSG undergoes high-temperature processes like steaming, boiling, or frying. However, once the temperature exceeds 100°C, MSG will denature. It not only loses its umami but also forms toxic sodium pyroglutamate, which is harmful to human health. Besides not being used in fillings, when making hot dishes, MSG should only be added just before the dish is removed from the heat.
V. Use MSG in salty, not sweet, dishes
The umami of MSG is more prominent under the right concentration of sodium ions. Therefore, MSG's umami can be expressed well in salty dishes. However, if added to sweet dishes, it not only fails to enhance the flavor but also suppresses the natural sweet and umami taste and produces an off-flavor. Therefore, dishes like Chicken and Corn Soup and Sweet Taro Paste should not contain MSG.