Dan and Kenji Use MSG to Make Fried Rice, Chili Crisp, and a Dirty Martini | What’s Eating Dan?

Byamazingfoodstv


You’ve probably heard a lot about umami by now, but you might not realize just how many ingredients are packed with this distinctive taste and why they’re so useful in a wide variety of recipes. Kenji, esteemed author of The Food Lab and The Wok, joins Dan to chat about MSG and other sources of umami.

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44 Comments

  6. Just saw this video a few days ago. Got my hands on a jar of chili crisp and promptly lost my mind over how delicious it is. Then….. the vanilla ice cream…. 🤯♥️😭…. I'll never be the same after this. Thank you!!

  9. My first brush with the malaise of misinformation.
    90’s me was warned about the dangers of this “horrible” ingredient.
    Only years later did I find out how wrong I was; and how big a moron I was for not fact checking an urban myth (the internet wasn’t a thing, information moved slowly).
    Now I proudly keep a full jar of the magic in my cabinet at all times.

  12. Dan: Today’s episode has something for everyone.
    Me: patently false… I know for a fact that I am not the only oddity who has a sensitivity to MSG and it’s neurotoxin ilk. Let’s recall that MSG was isolated and put into mass production to improve military rations because MRE’s tasted like crap. Effectively MSG is crack for the flavor sensors… and it can actually cause damage to neurons not to mention it is also actually addictive. I can not blame manufacturers of cheap mass produced foods who use MSG. Well I do but at least I can understand the corporate greed aspect choosing crack as an ingredient to increase their profit margin. But when I see any chef choosing to add MSG to their cooking I am so deeply disappointed in them for choosing to add flavor crack rather than honest to goodness flavors from their ingredients. shaking my head sadly

  14. I am confused as to Kenji stating, "it has a this history that's fraught with racism, that started with racism." The paper was published by Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok a Chinese immigrant in the 60's. How could it be "racism" if the man publishing the article was Chinese?

  20. OK Kenji, I had to look up the word, interstitial, to tell what you meant whicH is "the space between". Thanks for the stretch! (heart)

    Comment about the end- the chili crisp part. I bought a small jar of this delic. stuff that wis crispy garlic, probably a minor player version, at a big Japanese market, Mitsuwa in LA. I liked it so well I saved the jar. It was expensive to me $5 for a small jar.
    Found it. 3.9oz of "Crunchy Garlic Topping" S&B Foods, product of Japan.. I want to know how to make this. (I tried but must be missing some technique.)

  22. sugar vs. processed sugar; corn vs. processed corn (aka High-fructose corn syrup). kombu (dasima, haidai, kelp) vs MSG. good vs bad. Just another ingredient to sell more dish.

  31. Here is the problem, I don’t trust an industry, which seemingly influence all influencer!
    I think normal MSG is not bad. But we are consuming a lot of MSG. Unnatural amounts. And this will degrade our palates and also sway us to eat things which are definitely bad for our health.

  32. Making Fried Rice without MSG, and Soy Sauce, and with the freshest ingredients is so much better tasting and has no adverse illness side effects. So sad that ATK’s pimping for ‘The Glutamate Association’. Reminds me of those deceased Pimps for ‘The Tobacco Institute’ of years past. “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” is a very real documented medical condition of the adverse effects of MSG exposure, in all its hidden processed forms.

  33. I find these combos really help when cooking with bitter/ sulphurous compounds – especially veg like broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts etc. I've had so many people say 'Oh, I hate <insert veg here>'. It's so fun to see their eyes widen in shock and awe when they try it 'my way'! 😀 I'm glad that the research around MSG continues to grow. It still has a bit of a stigma from that 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' article, of course. It's good that people understand that it occurs naturally in so many different foods.

  35. I hate Doritos, because I can't stop eating them. Pro-tip: just buy those little tiny bags, because you'll eat the whole bag, no matter the size (even the Organic Doritos – ESPECIALLY those).

  40. There's a Chinese place near me that has a black colored condiment that I'm now wondering if it is a different version of chili crisp. It is oily with a lot of crunchy black stuff and it might be one of the best condiments in the world. I've tried to ask them what it is called but not gotten an answer. I'm not sure if it's the language barrier or if it's just a secret.

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