monosodium glutamate MSG effect

Q: What’s MSG & what's the effect ?

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Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• widely used as flavor enhancer. Although generally recognised as safe by food safety regulatory agencies, several studies have questioned its long-term safety.
• FDA categorizes MSG as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). also categorizes salt and sugar as GRAS.
  
• controversy over the lack of oversight the FDA has in the introduction and use of additives by the food industry. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), many GRAS foods don’t go through the rigorous testing required for this safety claim. Trans fats were once identified as GRAS until enough research forced the FDA to change the classification.
  
• MSG is added to many Chinese food, processed foods, including hot dogs and potato chips.
  
• FDA does require companies that add MSG to their foods to include the additive on the list of ingredients on the packaging. 
  
• some ingredients naturally contain MSG,  food manufacturers may choose to use these ingredients to avoid disclosing the name MSG on the ingredient list. If you intend to steer clear of MSG, exclude these main ingredients: autolyzed yeast, textured vegetable protein, yeast extract, glutamic acid, gelatin, soy protein isolate, and soy extracts.
  
• Chinese restaurant syndrome: outdated term in 1960s. Refers to symptoms after eating food from a Chinese restaurant. Currently known as MSG symptom complex. Symptoms often include headache, skin flushing, and sweating.

Effect

• Hypertension
• Effects on Brain -high MSG intake can have adverse effects on brain. prolonged intake can lead to damage. 
• Headache - can transform into migraine. (intense pain, vision modification, nausea)
• Effects on Nerves -tingling, burning sensation in the neck and face. MSG is neurotransmitter that induces the nerves and misbalances the neurotransmitters. These disorders can contain diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s has connection with Ajinomoto.
• Sleeping Disordered Breathing -improve the risk of snoring and sleep-disordered breathing.
• Risk of Cancer -has cancer-triggering capabilities. consumption of MSG can increase the chances of cancer. 
• https://atchayapathrafoods.com/harmful-effects-ajinomoto/
• sensitive individual may suffer from headache, giddiness, sweating, abdominal pain, and urticaria
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5278591/
• MSG has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, neurotoxic effects and detrimental effects on the reproductive organs.
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938543/
• induce hypothalamic lesions and leptin resistance, possibly influencing energy balance, leading to overweight
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610632/
• Promotion of tumor development in MSG‐induced obesity. Obesity models in mice can be established via treatment of newborn pups with MSG

-the information provided is based on reference materials 

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Credits :

Background
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952072/
https://www.healthline.com/health/chinese-restaurant-syndrome#monosodium-glutamate
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51139005
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938543/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610632/

Effect
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5278591/
https://atchayapathrafoods.com/harmful-effects-ajinomoto/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4337.12448

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952072/

https://www.healthline.com/health/chinese-restaurant-syndrome#monosodium-glutamate

https://atchayapathrafoods.com/harmful-effects-ajinomoto/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610632/

 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4337.12448

Hummus Pasta Recipe

Hummus pastaServings: 2pax

1.Gordon Ramsay, Angel hair pasta
Ingredients:

• ½  tablespoon salt (Normal salt)
• 4 grind seasoning salt (Himalaya pink salt)
• 3 dash pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 100g angel pasta/Capellini N1 (2pax)

Procedure:

1. Add water to large pan, cook evenly.
2. Add ½  tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil
3. boil the water (stops pasta from sticking)
4. add 100g angel pasta, 3 1/2 - 4 minutes (3 minutes if require further cook in pan with sauce) , set timer (time depends on pasta manufacturer, tried with pasta that require 5-7 minutes)
5. turn with tongs until it starts to melt & twist into pan.
6. lift a strand to test & ensure al dente.
7. into a colander, drain pasta
8. add 4 grind salt, 3 dash pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil,  stops it from sticking together

**pasta cooking time depends on type of pasta & manufacturer.
**Refer credits for How To Cook The Perfect Pasta - Gordon Ramsay

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2. Hummus pasta
Ingredients:

• 100g cooked angel pasta/Capellini N1 (2pax)
• 110ml hummus
• 1/8 cup sun dried tomatoes (oil drained)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil / tomato oil
• 10g garlic , minced
• 1/4 cup pasta reserve water (1/2 cup lighter consistency)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olives
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/8 marinated artichokes
• 5 grind Himalayan pink salt /to taste 
• 3 dash pepper /to taste 

For garnishing (optional):

• 1-2 leaves chives
• few grates,  Grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon Italy white truffle oil
• few dash red chili flakes

Procedure:

1. Heat  olive oil (medium heat)
2. Add 10g garlic, sun dried tomatoes cook 1-2 minutes (stir frequently until golden on the edges-don't overcook)
3. Add hummus and pasta (stir to combine). Carefully add 1/4 reserved pasta-cooking water (or until sauce reaches desired consistency)
4. Off the heat, add Himalayan pink salt,pepper, garlic powder, fresh lemon juice, olives , cherry tomatoes, marinated artichokes
5. For dressing, add 1-2 leaves chives, few grates Grated Parmesan cheese,  1/2 table spoon Italy white truffle oil, few dash chili flakes

 **Recipe may improvised to 2 serving with whatever ingredients available & depends on our preferences.
**Refer credits for original recipes.

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Credits :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYhKDweME3A
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/265915658
https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/articles/how-to-make-an-antipasti-plate

Wonton noodles recipe

Wontan noodles

Servings: 1pax

Ingredients:

cook noodles 

• 500 ml water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

noodles seasoning

• 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (1/2 tablespoon - lighter taste, 2 tablespoon -more concentrated taste) 
• 5 grind salt / to taste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil (1 tablespoon for lighter taste)
• 3 dash pepper 
• 1 pcs dried noodles (use nan shan misua as alternative)
• 1 teaspoon garlic oil
• spring onion (optional)

Procedure:

1. Boil water and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. 
2. place noodles into boiling water and cook for 4 mins (depends on brand, the brand i'm using recommended 3-5minutes)
3. Drain the water and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix to avoid noodles from sticking together. 
4. Mix seasoning in another bowl.
5. Add seasoning into noodles and mix well. 
6. Add garlic oil & spring Onion for garnishing

Note: typical wonton noodles is made of egg noodles. For coronavirus lockdown we used nan shan misua noodles with natural ingredients as alternative. texture and noodle size are quite similar to egg noodles. texture and noodle size are quite similar to egg noodles. Lockdown with limited ingredients just made us re-imagined food, improvised recipes and replace things with all kinds of alternative.  


 **Recipe may improvised to 1-2 serving with whatever ingredients available & depends on our preferences.
**Refer credits for original recipes.

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Credits :

https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipes/wonton-noodles~SJ-yOPiDzqW7
https://rasamalaysia.com/wonton-noodles-malaysian-wantan-mee-recipe/
https://whattocooktoday.com/dry-wonton-noodles.html

Authentic Hai Di Lao steamboat paste -review

Q: Which hot pot / steamboat paste & what flavour is recommended for homemade hotpot?

• Hai di lao hot pot seasoning
• Soup : Spicy Vegetable oil/ 麻辣清油, fragrant tallow (beef)/麻辣浓香牛油 , mellow tallow/麻辣醇香牛油, delicacy pickled fish/上汤酸菜鱼, excellent spicy boiled fish 精品水煮鱼, sour soup/泡椒酸汤
• Dry/without soup: Spicy Chili  Pot/ 麻辣香锅
• Sauce: Fragrant peppery flavor/ 麻辣味火锅蘸料
• Refer official link for full series of hotpot soup base & seasoning http://www.yihchina.com/en/product.html

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Hai Di Lao hotpot seasoning

Recommended? : Yes

• easy to use and taste compatible with those in hotpot restaurant.  
• can add plain water only. add homemade chicken/pork bone soup will elevate the taste. 

Spicy level? : 2-moderaterating scale: 1-mild, almost none, 2-moderate, 3-extreme

• Moderate spicy: Spicy Vegetable oil/ 麻辣清油, fragrant tallow (beef)/麻辣浓香牛油 , mellow tallow/麻辣醇香牛油, Spicy Chili  Pot/ 麻辣香锅
• Mild spicy: delicacy pickled fish/上汤酸菜鱼, excellent spicy boiled fish 精品水煮鱼, sour soup/泡椒酸汤, Fragrant peppery flavor/ 麻辣味火锅蘸料
• require to add additional Sichuan peppercorn if you opt for the extreme spicy level in China hot pot restaurant.  

Serving: 2-5 pax/ pack  

• Typically 1 pack = 1-2 round of soup 
• Recommended to buy at least 2 packs / flavour for each round of steamboat for better taste and able to add >2 round of soup.  

Storage life : 12 months
Key Features:

• Produced by Yihai International holdings, a food distribution and seasoning manufacturer for Haidilao hot pot chain .
• Zhang Yong (the haidilao founder) holds majority stakes of Yihai international holdings. So don’t worry, this is legit haidilao sauce. 

Brand awards

• Top 10 hot restaurant award for 5 consecutive years in China
• won more than ten titles and honors such as “advanced enterprise”, “consumer satisfaction unit”, “famous hot pot” famous hot pot in Sichuan, Shanxi, Henan and other province in China. 
• "Haidilao” trademark was awarded “China Famous Brand”
• "Chinese Famous Hot Pot" by the CCA.
• “National Well-known Trademark” by the Trademark Office of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce
• “Top 100 Chinese Catering Enterprises” for 5 consecutive years.

Original Price :

• (2020, April), steamboat soup paste ~RM8.45 -RM9.5/pack.
• (2020, April), sauce ~RM3.5/pack.

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Hai Di Lao Background:

• Hai Di Lao is one of the reputable China’s hotpot giant and for this company quality and service comes first.
• Sichuan style hot pot chain famous for its unique special service with manicure, hand care, free leather show cleaning service, free photo printing, offers massage chairs, have children's play rooms (accompanied by special personnel),  Sichuan's characteristic face-changing performance,  fusion of Chinese martial arts performances, noodles making performances. It also provides variety of snacks, fruits, and games. During birthday celebration, the staff will sing birthday songs with Happy Birthday LED panel.
• Typically require to queue for hours, there’s limited seats / day and might not be able to get seats.
• Haidilao founder Zhang Yong. Forbes has named him  as Singapore’s third richest, has also been listed as the 224th richest man in the world.
• Haidilao is a successful Sichuan-style hotpot chain with 466 stores at the end of 2018. 
• has oversea outlets in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan.
• has more than 36 million VIP members and 60,000+ staff.
• Zhang Yong (Hai Di Lao founder) has majority stake in Haidilao Catering, Hai Di Lao International Holding (parent company of Haidilao),  Yihai International (food distribution and seasoning manufacturer for Haidilao).

-the information provided is based on personal experiences & reference materials during purchase 

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Credits :
http://www.yihchina.com/en/product.html
https://www.haidilao.com/en/gyhdl/ppgs/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haidilao
https://vulcanpost.com/659450/haidilao-founder-chinese-hotpot-chain/
http://www.eeo.com.cn/ens/feature/2011/05/26/202211.shtml

These are my favourite. There are new flavour on their website. if you've tried them & let me know which flavour is recommended. 

Pan Mee noodles mince meat without oyster sauce recipe

Pan Mee noodles mince meat without oyster sauce recipe

Servings: 2 pax

Ingredients:
Minced meat (2pax)

• 150 g minced meat
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon / 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 3 pcs Shiitake mushroom (diced)
• 1⁄2 tablespoon sugar
• 10g shallot
• 10g  garlic clove
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1⁄2 tbsp kombu seaweed sauce (oyster sauce replacement)
• 2 dash kombu seaweed granules (salt replacement)
• 3 dash pepper

Pouched egg with runny yolk (1pax)

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vinegar / white wine vinegar
• 2 grind salt
• 2 grind pepper
• 500 ml water / depends on your pot

Pan mee noodles (1 pax)

• 1 pan mee dried noodles
• 500 ml water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking noodles)
• 1 tablespoon kombu seaweed sauce (oyster sauce replacement)
• 3 dash pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1⁄2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Spring Onion for garnishing

Stir fried chinese cabbage

• Refer link. Skip rice wine if needed.
• https://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/janenetwork.wordpress.com/241

Procedure:
Minced meat (2pax)

1. Marinate minced meat with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pepper, kombu sauce, sugar and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.(Marinate overnight for better taste)
2. Heat up 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Add garlic & shallot, stir-fry 5 seconds.
3. Add Shiitake mushroom, stir-fry 5 seconds.
4. Add marinated minced meat, stir-fry 3-5 minutes / until cooked.

Pouched egg with runny yolk (1pax)

1. Heat up water to a gentle simmer, add salt, pepper, a teaspoon vinegar.
2. Break an egg into a teacup/small bowl, whisk the water to create a gentle whirlpool, and tip the egg into centre of it.
3. Leave to cook for 3 minutes, or until the egg floats to the top and the white is cooked but the yolk still soft.
4. Lift the egg out with slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 
5. Gently season with salt and pepper.
   Note:
   -Refer Gordon Ramsay's video for method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHGO8ygUk0w
   -perfect poached egg should take between 90 seconds and 2 minutes.
   -get the water to boil initially, then set to gentle rolling boil before whisking.
   -stir to gain momentum to carry the egg white around the egg yolk 

Pan mee noodles (1 pax)

1. Boil water and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. 
2. place noodles into boiling water and cook for 10 mins (depends on brand, the brand i'm using recommended 9-11minutes)
3. Drain the water and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix to avoid noodles from sticking together. 
4. Mix seasoning in another bowl. Mix 1 tablespoon kombu seaweed sauce, pepper, light soy sauce, 1⁄2 tablespoon sugar.
5. Add seasoning into noodles and mix well. 
6. Add Spring Onion for garnishing

**Recipe may improvised to 2 serving with whatever ingredients available & depends on our preferences.
**Refer credits for original recipes.

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Credits :
https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipes/chili-pan-mee~HkkB_PsvM9-Q
https://my.com.my/trending/eat-nice-food/ganlaomian-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAWduxoCgVk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHGO8ygUk0w
https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/recipes/avocado-on-toast-with-poached-eggs/

Golden egg fried rice recipe

Golden egg fried rice recipe

Servings: 1pax

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl of rice (preferable with overnight rice)
• 2 eggs (separate egg white and yolk)
• 6 prawns (optional)
• 5 grind salt / salt to taste   
• 3 dash pepper 
• Spring onion for garnishing 
• 10g shallot (optional)
• 10g garlic (optional) 
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil 

Note:
*do not put shallot & garlic if require yellowish visual . garlic & shallots gives dimmer visual but with better aroma. 
*overnight rice with be dehydrate, add a few drips of water before cooking. 

Procedure:

1. Separate egg yolk and egg white. Add egg yolk into white rice & mix well. 
2. Add sesame oil, stir fried shallot, garlic for stir-fry 5 seconds. Add prawn and stir-fry for 1 minute (optional)
3. Add rice with egg yolk. Use broth saddle to press the rice lightly to ensure rice is in original shape but separated. Normal cooking spatula may damage the rice.
4. Wait until the rice move slight / with jumping effect. Add egg white and stir-fry for for 5 seconds. 
5. Add spring onion, salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry for 5 seconds. 
6. Add sesame oil 5 seconds .
7. Add spring onion & pepper for garnishing.

Note: For procedure 2,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee1PxlV9s-o
 **Recipe may improvised to 2 serving with whatever ingredients available & depends on our preferences.
**Refer credits for original recipes.

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Credits :
https://www.xinshipu.com/zuofa/723302
https://www.xiachufang.com/recipe/102187643/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee1PxlV9s-o

with shallot and garlic 

without shallot and garlic 

Crispy pork belly - Reheat method

Reheat overnight crispy pork belly

• Crispy roasted pork belly will never be crispy if u put in fridge overnight & it won’t be nice anymore. That's a myth. 
• In fact, you can reheat & restore the crispy & crackly pork belly skin texture.
• Crispiness can be restored for 100% chewy & gummy pork belly that has put in fridge for few days.
• Salt in pork belly recipe is to dehydrate the skin. The skin will only be crispy when there’s no moisture . If there’s moisture inside , of course you’re getting gummy & chewy jelly like texture.
• Normal pan doesn’t provide uniform heating like enclosed built in oven with ventilation fan & provide gradual temperature change. It will not restore the creepiness of pork skin. 

Procedure:

1. Placed the pork belly with skin facing up in built in grill oven.
2. Roast with uniform heating fan cooking setting, 15 mins 180C , 15mins 240C (similar temperature as pork belly recipe).  Timing may varies due to the shape & size of pork belly. This setting is for two pcs of roasted pork belly ( ~35cm x 7cm x ~ 3cm ). 
3. All excess moisture & oil leaked out. The whole layer of pork belly skin becomes super crispy & crackly. Simulating the same preparation process can restore the condition. 

**Recipe may improvised to 2 serving with whatever ingredients available & depends on our preferences.
**Refer credits for original recipes.

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Credits :
https://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-roast-pork/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/slow-roasted-pork-belly-crispy-skin-3059509
https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/43183/how-to-reheat-pork-belly-keep-the-crackling-crackly