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Home Cooks Reveal 29 “Secret” Ingredients They Use To Make Food Taste Better
Article created by: Monika Pašukonytė
Remember the wonderful cartoon "Kung Fu Panda" and the protagonist's adoptive father, who cooked delicious noodles with a secret ingredient? Yes, of course, later it turned out that there was actually no ingredient (we hope this was not a spoiler!), But it often happens that every person who is fond of cooking has their own secrets.
Just let's recall the famous secret mixture of 11 herbs that glorified Colonel Sanders and his chicken dishes all over the world - almost eighty years have passed, but KFC still keeps its composition top-secret. In general, there is always some little thing that can turn an ordinary meal into a real masterpiece.
There was a thread in the Reddit Cooking community a few days ago, whose topic starter asked just one simple question: "What is your secret ingredient?" The Original Poster also admitted that they use a tbsp of cocoa powder when they make lentil or black bean chili (wonderful idea, we support it!) Other redditors liked it too, and now the original post has almost 1.2K upvotes and over 1.2K different comments.
Bored Panda has collected for you a selection of the most popular, interesting and original ideas, whose authors are confident in their kitchen magic. So feel free to scroll to the very end, and don't forget to share your own cooking secret (especially if you're a KFC top manager!)
More info: Reddit
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#2
Vanilla
More of a baking one than cooking, but I always double/triple the vanilla in EVERYTHING, and always add a little vanilla if the recipe doesn't list any. And I always add more ginger/cinnamon/nutmeg than the recipe lists.
#5
Shallots
Shallots shallots shallots. They elevate any dish and take olive oil based pasta sauces to a whole new level.
#8
Powdered Mushroom
Powdered mushroom. I put in in everything savory that has a liquid base. It’s essentially an Umami bomb. I buy dried shiitakes at an Asian market where they are cheap, powder them in the vitamix, and store in vacuum sealed mason jars.
#10
Worcestershire Sauce, Siracha, Pickle Juice, And Mustard
Depending on the dish - Worcestershire Sauce, Siracha, Pickle Juice, and Mustard.
#12
Nutmeg In Mac And Cheese
Nutmeg in mac and cheese.
Molasses in chile.
Dash of acid in anything rich (not a secret but it feels like one!)
#13
Cayenne
Cayenne. It started with *Food Wishes* and now I put a little dusting on many recipes
#14
Peanut Butter
A little creamy peanut butter thickens a sauce (like a roux would) and adds a complex toasted umami component to the flavor. Just don't overdo it.
#15
Cornstarch
Cornstarch. Not a flavour thing, but a texture thing. Dredge proteins for crisp-crunch. Add into baked goods for super softness. Thicken sauces quickly for cling and gloss.
and msg, especially in super simple vegetable heavy dishes, like zoodles.
#16
Fish Sauce
For me it's fish sauce. A little bit of fish sauce in the sauce goes a long way. I recently saw people on here debating on what the best brand of fish sauce is. I've always been a Three Crabs guy but the consensus seemed to be for Red Boat. I bought a bottle of Red Boat and I've been using it but I'm not sure which I like better yet.
#18
Tarragon
A tiny amount of tarragon in fries (frozen or homemade), not enough that you get flecks of green on every fry, just a bit enough to get the aroma but people usually have a hard time wondering why the fries taste so good.
#20
Pomegranate Molasses
Nobody has mentioned pomegranate molasses yet, so I am putting in a word for that. It is a tasty and versatile ingredient. For starters, try adding some to a vinaigrette for a salad.
#21
Allspice
Allspice anytime you use black pepper, especially meats, soups, and stews. Adds some aromatic, earthly, warmth and a touch of sweetness.
Crushed red pepper is my go to spicy add on, I prefer it over cayenne as it has a brighter taste imo.
Savoury anytime I use woody herbs like oregano or thyme but I think that might be a cultural thing.
I've also been adding anchovies to a lot of dishes that require cooked onion/garlic mixture. I could use fish sauce or Worcestershire but I like watching the filets melt away.
#24
Masa Harina
2-3 Tbs of masa harina in a large pot of chili. It thickens and gives a subtle corny flavor. Now I want chili.
#25
Horseradish Spread
Horseradish spread for sandwiches in my coleslaw. The kick gives the slaw something special
#28
Vinegar-Based Hot Sauce
Vinegar-based hot sauce in mac and cheese (Frank's). The spice enhances the flavor and the vinegar cuts the richness of the cheese sauce.
#29
Liquid Smoke
Liquid smoke in my chicken salad.
Mascarpone cheese to thicken a “brothy” soup and give it a silky texture.
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