In Chinese cooking, what can I use to replace MSG in egg-fried rice?

Question

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is an optional part of the recipe, however I would like to know how it affects the flavour of a dish, if it does affect the flavour what can I use to replace the MSG and maintain a similar effect? Thank-you in advance for your answers.

Answer 1

I am an asian and from a culture who uses MSG. The purpose of using MSG is to enhance the flavor, and it can be used for most of cooking, but is not a natural ingredient and bad for health. Any food you see MSG, you don't need to substitue with anything else. With fried rice, one of ingredient you may have is soy sauce. Some fried can also be made with salt to season. That will be good enough with some meat and vegetable, and maybe eggs. As for my personal experience, my body is sensitive to MSG that my body swells when I consume it, and I don't like the after taste. I rather stick with wholesome food.

Answer 2

Soy sauce will be the best flavor substitution because it contains table salt and glutamic acid, just like MSG.



If you want to taste umami, the Japanese name for the taste of glutamic acid, make a batch with MSG and a batch with regular table salt. Cut the salt in half because table salt tastes saltier than MSG.



If you start reading about glutamic acid as a neurotransmitter, remember that consume glutamic acid is almost nothing compared to the concentration inside your neurons. There are a lot of urban legends around this one. The same thing happens with tryptophan. People think eating tryptophan increased tryptophan in their neurons, but nobody says they get tired from eating a steak, which has about five times the tryptophan as turkey. Similar urban legends exist around MSG. People think it affects them, but if you break people into two groups, one with MSG and one without, there is no difference in reports of supposed MSG effects.



MSG is available under the brand name Accent in the United States. Look in your spice aisle. Or use mushroom stock, which contains glutamic acid.

Answer 3

Egg fried rice Ingredients 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2tsp sesame oil 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp/1fl oz/30ml groundnut oil enough long-grain rice to fill a glass measuring jug to 400ml/14fl oz, steamed and cooled completely ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions Method 1. Put the eggs, sesame oil and half the salt in a small jug or bowl, mix with a fork and set aside. 2. Heat a wok over a high heat. Add groundnut oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the cold cooked rice. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until it is thoroughly heated through. 3. Next drizzle in the egg and oil mixture and continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the eggs have set and the mixture is dry. 4. Add the remaining salt and the pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes longer, then toss in the spring onions. Stir several times, turn once on to a platter and serve at once.

Answer 4

A tiny amount of sugar, I think if you are used to MSG nothing replaces the taste, however if you eat it plain, then the natural flavours of the ingredients themselves will be also apparent.

Answer 5

MSG is a sweetener and a flavor enhancer, its terrible for you and causes stomach aches and nausea in some people. There is nothing, however, that can really replace it, you can try a bit of sugar but it doesn't really nail the flavor that MSG does. Having had the same dish cooked for me, both with and without MSG, its not quite the same...

Answer 6

According to Chinese food website, they say that low sodium soy sauce is MSG substitute.

You may read the article if you like.

Answer 7

I have never fely the need for it and generally use light soy low fat sauce and finds that it will add a kick to the flavour of plain rice.

I like to use Ketjap Manis as a change, but if you want to check out the various asian tastes look at Soy Sauce here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_sauce#Indonesian_soy_sauce

Answer 8

MSG is a flavor enhancer and has not been scientifically proven to cause any harm. You cook with it or you cook without it and that is basically it!

Answer 9

dont like vegetables or vegetables either. Most my menu involves is hamburgers, pizza, chips, and rooster.

Answer 10

use stock in the powdered form.

i use mushroom&vege stock in almost every savoury dish i cook, and it works just like MSG but without MSG..can turn any crappy food taste good.

Answer 11

You don't need MSG in fried rice, or in any dish.

Answer 12

Just leave it out.



It's not going to taste the same, though!