Then, a hilarious anti-MSG story back in late 1960 was born ~ Chinese Restaurant Syndrome (CRS) by a Chinese American doctor ~
There was an intriguing fact that a component of MSG (glutamate) is found naturally occurring in the human body and amino acid, which is one of the building blocks of protein.
There was more intriguing fact that most living things on earth contain glutamate and it is also in many foods, including tomatoes, walnuts, pecans, Parmesan cheese, peas, mushrooms and soy sauce.
I knew Umami (Japanese word means "deliciousness" ) derived from dried seaweed (one of the healthiest ingredients on the planet) became fifth flavor addition to four primary human taste - sweet, sour, bitter and salty -
After all, my gut feeling was right. Anything consumed in excess amount is no good. Maybe, there was not a single thing we can point and say, "it is bad for you"
Maybe, getting allergic reactions to food is still a huge mystery to human being because it could be truly to the ingredients or seasoning used in the food, or to a preconception of the ingredients, or to the smell just passing by, or to something in the air, or even to someone who sat next to you while eating....never know.
I have never used MSG in my cooking in my entire adult life but remember seeing my mother using just one shake of MSG bottle onto the whole soup pot. The amount used in the pot which fed the entire six family members may be about 2 or 3 crystal pieces out of ten thousand pieces in the bottle...means it was atomic size.
Never heard anybody had headache nor allergic reactions to MSG when grown up in Japan.
After all, I am still addicted to life that brings delicious food and wonderful company to eat with whether the food is cooked by MSG or organic top-notch ingredients.
All these, MSG creation story, hilarious CRS story and my mother's love and ingenuity for cooking added beautiful colors in my life.
Especially, when I eat Sushi with wonderful friends, I feel that the shiny beautiful ingredients with lots of amino acid on top of vinegar rice are truly becoming colors of my life.
Saba (mackerel), Hamachi (yellow tail), Salmon, Shrimp, Squid
Tamago (Eggs), Salmon, Squid, Scallop
Buri Ponzu (yellow tail), Ikura (Salmon Caviar), Scallop, Konchi Shell,
Katsuo Tataki (Bonito)
I have just recently read that Japanese cooking involves such a small amount of MSG (as your mother did) that you'd never have a CRS reaction. The problem happens when too much is added. I have had a CRS reaction to MSG (after slurping down Chinese broth with noodles on a very empty stomach--which is just the situation where it's most likely to occur, I know now), and I can say from experience it is most unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteToo much is too much. A little is enough.
Beautiful sushi pictures, very appealing. :-)
(Why does the tuna look like the edges have been cooked?)
I agree....I rarely see a recipe that use MSG in Japanese cooking book but there were such books long time ago. I wonder which recipe you saw? Curious.
DeleteThe tuna is called "Seared Tuna" which is cooked lightly only the outside.
You will see this a lot in the restaurant used in salad called "Seared Ahi Tuna salad"
I've just read the Time-Life Foods of the World book, Cooking of Japan, from the 70s, I think. She talks about how Japanese cooking uses only a very small amount of MSG, and it's in many of the recipes. I haven't thought to look in my other Japanese cookery book (which is newer, I think).
DeleteI've never seen Seared Tuna as part of sushi. I often get tuna sashimi. But not since we moved to the countryside of France, which makes me think this needs to be a stop the next time we visit NL. The vinegar rice really sounds like it would scratch an itch, and your sushi pictures look scrumptious.
Kaye, it was actually not Tuna but Bonito (Katsuo Tataki)...sorry. I was wrong and you are right. Seared Tuna is not usually used for sushi but salad or sashimi.
DeleteI've just read the Time-Life Foods of the World book, Cooking of Japan, from the 70s, I think. She talks about how Japanese cooking uses only a very small amount of MSG, and it's in many of the recipes. I haven't thought to look in my other Japanese cookery book (which is newer, I think).
ReplyDeleteI've never seen Seared Tuna as part of sushi. I often get tuna sashimi. But not since we moved to the countryside of France, which makes me think this needs to be a stop the next time we visit NL. The vinegar rice really sounds like it would scratch an itch, and your sushi pictures look scrumptious.
Yes, it is what I thought...you read it from Time-Life foods of the world book from the 70s!!! The cook books I mentioned were exactly around the time period.
DeleteSushi means "seasoned vinegar rice" and I crave for it sometimes ...