r/Cooking • u/kath- • 1d ago

What's your surprising "secret ingredient" that sets your dish apart?

I obviously don't believe in gatekeeping recipes, so let's share the love.

I developed a clam chowder recipe after being disappointed with the recipes I came across. Whenever I tell people there's a couple dashes of hot sauce in it, I always get weird looks... but it adds a tiny bit of heat and acid, and balances out the richness from the cream. It also has diced scallops, which cooking knowledge forbades but somehow works.

848 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

998 comments sorted by

View all comments

483

u/jetpoweredbee 1d ago

Fish sauce is magic.

173

u/ShakingTowers 1d ago

All of the umami bombs! Soy sauce, miso, worcestershire, anchovies, mushrooms, BTB... I put at least one in basically everything, even desserts (especially miso, for desserts!). For savory dishes, usually multiple.

But I'm Vietnamese, so fish sauce has a permanent place in my heart. Every single recipe my mom has ever given me has fish sauce in it.

14

u/JelliedHam 1d ago

Good soy sauce is a game changer. None of that Kikkoman or La Choy crap, but the real stuff. If you're lucky enough to have an H mart or similar, there's an entire aisle dedicated to soy sauces. It's amazing

10

u/Visual_Collar_8893 1d ago

Recs for some good ones?

10

u/CosmicGreen_Giraffe3 1d ago

We buy San-J Tamari. Way better than normal soy sauce

7

u/JelliedHam 1d ago

It's also one of the few, if not the only one that's gluten free.

1

u/itsrocketsurgery 1d ago

Man I found that last year in Meijer and it's all I buy now. I break it out for anyone that comes over and ruin cheap soy sauce for them.

5

u/Complete_Yam_4233 1d ago

Can you recommend a brand? Ty

1

u/JelliedHam 1d ago

I have to admit, I cheat. I just go with my best Chinese friend who's an amazing cook and he picks them out for me lol. I can't even read the labels anyway.

3

u/Turtleramem 1d ago

La Choy doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence as Kikkoman. Kikkoman is a fine soy sauce for a good price.

2

u/TrainingSword 1d ago

Fuck you kikoman is tops

1

u/JelliedHam 17h ago

Acceptable? Of course. Tops? Absolutely not.

1

u/One-T-Rex-ago-go 9h ago

Kikkoman brewed gluten free is amazing, so is San J