If so, what is it called in the various languages? My coworker claims that it doesn't exist at all in India, but it's hard for me to believe that MSG is so popular in China and Southeast Asia, but hasn't ever come into South Asia.
If somebody has tried KFC he must have also tasted the MSG or Azinomoto, I remember there was a big hoopla over KFC in India few years back because they were using the MSG beyond permissible limit, anyway most of the restaurant uses MSG to bring taste into chowmien.
It seems so. Most of you that have even heard of MSG, only seem to know of it under a brand name, and a Japanese brand at that. I guess MSG really isn't a big part of the South Asian diet. I thought I had something with sarko, but a quick investigation on Google shows that sarko is vinegar, which is not the same as MSG.
Now I have to go to my coworker and admit that she was right.
Originally posted by Greg Charles: If so, what is it called in the various languages? My coworker claims that it doesn't exist at all in India, but it's hard for me to believe that MSG is so popular in China and Southeast Asia, but hasn't ever come into South Asia.
MSG is monosodium glutamate, a flavor-enhancer, typically used in Chinese dishes. This gives them what's called the umami taste, which makes Chinese/Oriental soups taste better/fuller than otherwise.
It's commercially available as Ajinomoto, which is a Japanese term meaning the "essence of taste". あじのもと.
Many people, however, cannot stand it and are alergic to it.