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Natural Herbs Enhance Flavours and Aromas |  Food seasonings have been an integral part of both Eastern and Western cuisines.Rightly added to foods,they not only enhance flavours but also reduce unpleasant odours. Rhoda,a registered dietitian,shares a variety of natural seasonings,which are healthy choices for making delicious dishes. Rhoda said,“The Chinese culinary practice emphasizes a combination of flavours,aromas and presentations.Food flavours are perceived through smell,as flavourings contain strong odorous compounds which can stimulate appetite.It's not uncommon to lose your appetite when you have a flu,”she adds,“because your sense of smell is being affected.” Apart from ginger,spring onion,garlic and herbs,fruits are also ideal natural seasonings.For example,lemon juice can reduce fishy smell whilst lemon skin can enhance food freshness.Tomatoes and mushrooms have strong flavours that can highlight the umami of other ingredients,particularly when cooking meats.For instance,steamed pork with shiitake mushrooms and fried egg with tomatoes are both simple yet flavourful dishes. Characteristics and Nutritional Values of Selected Natural Seasonings | Fruits (Orange,apple,lemon and mango,etc.) | Each fruit has a distinctive aroma while some have a tangy flavour that helps highlight the flavours of meats. | | Vegetables (Tomato,celery,onion and carrot,etc.) | Strong-flavoured vegetables not only enhance the natural flavours of most foods,but also contain a host of nutrients such as potassium,dietary fibre,and lycopene. | | Herbs (Thyme,lemongrass,peppermint and lemon leave,etc.) | These are plants containing distinctive aromas,some of them are for eaten fresh,while some are for slow cooking such as simmering and braising. | | Natural Spices (Pepper,Sichuan pepper,Chinese anise and black pepper,etc.) | These spices,mainly obtained from seeds,fruits,roots and barks of plants,are primarily used for seasoning food.They have strong flavours and are suitable for steaming and braising food to highlight meat flavours. | | Spicy vegetables (Ginger,garlic,spring onion and coriander,etc.) | They are often used to combat the unpleasant odours and flavours in certain foods as well as to enhance pleasant flavours.They are usually used in stir-frying vegetables. | | Flavouring Ingredients (Mushrooms such as shiitake mushroom and monkey head mushroom,as well as dried prawn,dry scallop,etc.) | All natural enhancers like mushrooms can enhance food flavours since they contain dietary fibre and the fifth taste known as“umami”evoked by Free Glutamic Acid. | |
Extract from CookSmart, Issue 24
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