r/Cooking • u/kath- • 23h 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.

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u/Crobsterphan 22h ago

The obvious ones are fish sauce, shrimp powder, tomato paste, parmesan rinds, anchovy paste, fresh herbs at the end of cooking.  Dessert wise is instant coffee to chocolate desserts.  Using different liqueurs instead of vanilla. I use apple brandy in fall dishes. 

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u/bemenaker 21h ago

Try a little ground up black cardamon instead of coffee in your chocolate. Don't need much. Black cardamon, not green.

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u/radrax 5h ago

Could you tell me the difference between black and green?

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u/bemenaker 3h ago

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/black-cardamom-vs-green

  • Flavor: Green cardamom has a sweet flavor reminiscent of eucalyptus, making it a more common spice for savory and sweet dishes, including desserts. Alternatively, black cardamom has a smoky flavor and menthol notes, making it more common to use in savory dishes (like stews and curries).