What's your secret ingredient that makes your version of a common dish better than anyone else's?

ClockworkOtter@lemmy.world to Asklemmy@lemmy.ml – 244 points –

Mine probably isn't that secret these days, but almost every sauce I add nutritional yeast to. Curry, chilli, bolognese, it just makes them all better.

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I don't know about "better", but I've been experimenting with adding bitter chocolate to my indian curries. The thinking being, some masalas are a bit like mole if you squint (yes, I know most moles don't actually contain chocolate). Balancing out the bittersweetness has been challenging, especially given that the tomatoes I can get around here are already quite sweet. It also affects how much lemon juice or amchoor is needed. I'm not quite convinced yet that it's a good idea lol.

Feels like you should use cocoa powder or instant coffee/espresso instead. Seems like you're trying to add bitterness, but the fact that the chocolate you are adding also has sugar, it is making things more challenging to balance.

Yeah, cocoa powder is what I am planning for the next attempt. I keep forgetting to pick some up at the supermarket. Coffee sounds interesting, though I'm typically not a fan.

I use it in Japanese curry all the time. The goal is not to make it taste like coffee, but add a bit more boldness.

Cocoa is such a strong taste; from my experience you probably want to start with less than a teaspoon and gradually go up while testing regularly.