Can someone please tell me why is it that when you go to a Chinese Restaurant (UK) you always get a jelly-like, sloppy, goopy, mess infused with bits of meat and veg.
Why do they smother everything in MSG?
My hubby and I went out for Chinese last night, spent £40 and I only ate about 1/8 of my dish (Chicken Chow Mein). It was nothing more than a gelatin goop slopped atop a pile of noodles.
We live in Manchester, anyone know where we might get some really nice, MSG-free food? Something Chinese that is closer to real Chinese food?
2006-10-29 20:19:49 · 13 answers · asked by Feta Smurf 5 in Food & Drink ➔ Ethnic Cuisine
I live in China. Everything IS covered in MSG, and fried in second hand oil!
I find Indian food is far tastier. The only Chinese dish I ever really liked was Aromatic duck, served with little pancakes, and veggies, so you make like a roll.
But I'm vegetarian now, so I never eat out, I just cook my own food at home.
However, the benefit is that I can get the same food you got for only £1.
2006-10-29 20:29:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, that goopy mess was made for the "foreigners". It's a modified recipe for western "chinese" restaurants. MSG is used to lower the cost of production in order to get more flavor out of inferior ingredients. And yes, there are chinese food made WITHOUT that stuff.
If you want the authentic stuff, follow the real chinese. If you are the only white folks sitting in a noisy joint surrounded by assorted asians, you got a better chance of getting some decent food.
BTW, there is an old chinese saying "if it's alive, it can be eaten" So venture at your own risk.
2006-10-30 05:30:18 · answer #2 · answered by minijumbofly 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yeah I know exactly what you mean.
They mix MSG crystals / powder with water or something, and make a liquid of it. Then they pour it into whatever they are stir-frying in the wok. It can make it very sticky depending the consistency of the MSG liquid they make to start with. Other times it can come out more like a gravy.
I was at a Chinese in Spain and they make it right in front of you. I shouted for him to stop before he poured in the MSG because I just wanted the normal stir-fry meat and veg. Not sure why they do that - obviously flavour enhancer, but surely people would eat their food without all that in it.
I like crispy duck and the chicken lettuce wraps.
2006-10-30 05:05:07 · answer #3 · answered by quay_grl 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
OK, I'm wondering what kinda Chinese restaurants you go to, coz I've been to alot of Chinese restaurants and I've never encountered this sloppy gelatin type substance you talk about.
I even go to a cheap Vietnamese restaurant and I've never had any of this kinda problem but I'm in Australia.
2006-10-30 04:36:45 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alot of times, cornstarch is use in chinese delicacies to thicken the sauce. It all depends on the cook, the food suppose to be tasty despite the gooey state.
You'll be surprise, gooey consistency in chinese food differs from country to country ie. HK/China/Singapore/Malaysia, US etc.
An interesting read:
http://www.sfbg.com/39/08/x_take_that.html
2006-10-30 13:01:28 · answer #5 · answered by j 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That sloppy goopy mess has nothing to do with MSG. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a flavor enhancer and comes in the form of a crystal, much like salt.
2006-10-30 04:35:24 · answer #6 · answered by tmills883 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Go to those with lots of Chinese cutomers or learn to cook Chinese food at home.
2006-10-30 04:37:41 · answer #7 · answered by Coco 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to a Chinese resturant where a lot of chinese people go.They wouldn't accept bad food.If' there's lots of Chinese people eating there you'll know it's good.
2006-10-30 05:08:33 · answer #8 · answered by up urs 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was put off Chinese food as a kid when the rumours went around saying that one of our local Chinese restaurants had frozen cats in the freezer.
2006-10-30 07:28:24 · answer #9 · answered by person 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I am in INdia and i love chinese food...soups...chowmin...anything chinese will work for me and here they really dont do like this thank god....anywayz sorry nt abl to help you...:)
2006-10-30 04:37:13 · answer #10 · answered by Angela 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋