MSG IS BETTER THAN SALT

I have been cooking for about 10 years now and my restaurant serves almost all types of dishes. I cater also in special occasions and weddings are my favorite. As chef, I have a huge responsibility to my customers, customers that pay for my dishes that I serve to them. I am also concerned with their health. The local food authority in the city conducted a seminar in food preparation and during the seminar, I learned that msg or Umami is better than salt.

MSG is knwon as flavor intensifier. It is because with a small amount of it, it brings out the best in the food that you prepare. Contradictory to past notions about MSG, it is not good for the health and especially for the bones. We chefs make sure that the dishes that we prepare are all healthy to our customers. As they say, too much of the good stuff is also bad for the health. Too much salt in a dish can also lead to hypertension and high blood pressure.

In my kitchen, I use MSG, a little of it in my dishes. I try to avoid using salt because with a small amount of Umami in the dish that I am cooking, it brings the best taste already. I don't need to add salt for taste purposes. Many recipe books avoid using msg or umami. But I prefer to use this because I am sure that my customer don't get hypertension and high blood pressure.

BEEF POCHERO

BEEF POCHERO

½ kilo beef kenchi, cut into serving pieces
1 small can chorizo de bilbao, sliced
1 tsp salt
6 cups water
2 pieces medium size potato
100 grams green beans
½ medium size cabbage, quartered
2 pcs saba banana, sliced diagonally
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium size onion, sliced
2 tbsps cooking oil
4 cups broth
½ tsp vetsin
1 small can garbanzos

Eggplant sauce:
2 pieces eggplant, broiled, peeled and mashed
Salt and pepper for added taste
¼ cup vinegar

Boil beef kenchi and chorizo de bilbao in salted water. When tender, remove beef and cook potato, green beans, cabbage and banana in same broth. Set aside. Sauté garlic and onion in hot oil. Add broth and vetsin, and then put in meat, potato, green beans, cabbage, banana and garbanzos.

Prepare eggplant sauce:

Blend all ingredients well. Serve pochero with eggplant sauce.

BEEF CURRY

BEEF CURRY

Ingredients:

8 pcs dried chili
Water, warmed
2 stalks lemongrass
6 pcs black peppercorn
1 tsp chopped kaffir lime peel
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 pcs shallot, chopped
2 gloves garlic, crushed
2 cups thick coconut milk
1 lb beef rump, sliced
6 pcs small eggplant, chop into bite sizes
¼ tsp dried basil
2 cups thin coconut milk
2 tbsps fish sauce
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh red chili, shredded

COOKING PROCEDURE

Soak chili in warm water until soft; drain and pat dry. Chop lemongrass and place in mortar. Pound lightly, then add peppercorn, lime peel, cumin and coriander seeds; pound until smooth.

Heat in wok until moderately hot and stir-fry pounded spice paste, shallot, garlic and ginger 4 to 5 minutes. Add thick coconut milk and continue to stir until liquid has reduced by half. Add beef, eggplant, dried basil and 1 cup thin coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Simmer until beef is cooked

Add fish sauce and stir remaining coconut milk. Bring to a rapid boil and allow reducing slightly. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil leaves and shreds of red chili. Serve the dish while it is still hot.