Why do Asian savory recipes call for a few pinches of sugar?
I've got a few Asian recipes (e.g. Mongolian lamb and Singapore duck) that request only ⅛ teaspoon of sugar for a meal fit for 2 or 3 people. That feels too little to affect sweetness.
Are there particular ingredients common in Asian cuisine that require de-acidifying with sugar, or is the sugar used for another purpose?
Best Answer
First, there are plenty of sour ingredients in Asian cooking, that are de-acidified by a little sugar. Tomato paste, peppers and soy are examples that come to mind.
Second, and this is the Zen-style answer, is that the sugar is to sweeten the dish a little. One teaspoon of sugar in a sauce is plenty sweet enough, especially if you're not used to having 6tsp of sugar in a can of Coke daily. Sweetness, like saltiness and spicyness, is something we get used to easily.
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Quick Answer about "Why do Asian savory recipes call for a few pinches of sugar?"
Palm sugar is used in everything from desserts – to savory recipes that require a bit of sweetness around the edges. Some curries and heavier savory dishes call for a touch to be added to round out the flavor profile.Why does Asian food have so much sugar?
Why Do Asians Put Sugar In Food? sugar tends to be used to give a particular flavor rather than to give a certain sweetness to some foods, so adding it to soups, marinades, and braises feels too much sweetness.What does sugar do in a savory dish?
Sugar balances both salty and sour flavors in dishes. Adding just a little sugar makes salty things taste less salty and sour things taste less sour, without actually reducing the amount of salt or acid in the recipe.Why do so many recipes call for sugar?
I know that there's some baking science here, because sugar provides things like structure and caramelization in addition to just flavor. Baking blogs like King Arthur Baking Company also recommend not blindly reducing sugar.Does Asian food have a lot of sugar?
Staple American Chinese dishes like orange chicken, sweet and sour chicken, and General Tso's chicken are actually shockingly high in sugar due to the syrupy sauces that make them delicious.Chef's Favorite BBQ Roast Pork (Char Siu 叉烧) • Taste Show
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Answer 2
I can certainly taste the difference, that little bit of sugar is rather useful! Especially as I fry the food briefly on high heat which I guess might tend to caramelize that sugar. More sugar might make it too caramelized for some people. That said, normally I would use about half a tablespoon of sugar, but Singaporean duck and Mongolian lamb are already very sweet (due to their fat, and the marinate, I wouldn't want to make it significantly sweeter.)
Then again, I rarely have sugar. I don't have sugar in my coffee, my oats for breakfast have only half a teaspoon of honey, etcetera.
Answer 3
since i don not use MSG, I add a pinch of sugar to add flavor to my recipe. aside from that, in our country we celebrate fiestas. we prepare foods in great quantity. like estofado(pork with banana, potato and pineapple) it is really a sweet menu becuase we add generous amount of mascovado sugar to achieve its ideal flavor. this food is still edible after two days with out keeping inside the fridge. i am convinced that sugar contributes to the preservation of food.
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