For those living in 100%....looking for a "dark" flavoring....

[T-Bird]

I really really love the flavorings of soy sauces. The saltiness is a big part of that - but there is also that dark undertone that I always found added so much to my recipes. I used liquid smoke too:eek:

What raw techniques do you use for that darker kind of flavor. I've been using mushrooms, but can't think of anything else.

Any ideas?

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

Bragg's liquid aminos, not raw, but it is a LIVING food, made from vegetable protein, it tastes 100x nicer than soy sauce, IMO, which I had an addiction to when cooked vegan!! I also used it on raw mushrooms.. now I just use olive oil and braggs.

[T-Bird]

I've heard very bad things about BLA's - I've eliminated it from my diet, but thanks!

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

I've heard very bad things about BLA's - I've eliminated it from my diet, but thanks!

Ok, I'll have a look around and see if I can source anything for you. What bad things have you heard about BLA's? I have to cut down on it anyway:o, I tend to overdo these things sometimes!

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

This thread may be of help to you in regard to taste: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?p=506696

[Veronica01]

Irish Vegan Girl Here is an article about how Bragg's is made and how it can be salty with adding no salt. http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2005/06/bragg_liquid_am.html

After reading that article i immediately threw mine out and would never consider using it again. Any kind of soy sauce is a safer bet imo, but even the process of making soy sauce is troubling in itself.

[mstrish]

I read that article and it now makes sense to me....every time I use braggs I get a HA the next day. I am so not using it anymore.
Thanks for the info,
Trish

[EatRaw]

every time I use braggs I get a HA the next day.

Hope this isn't to stupid...but what's HA? I had read the posts about BLA's and I bought low sodium tamari..

[oceanluv]

HA=head ache

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

Irish Vegan Girl Here is an article about how Bragg's is made and how it can be salty with adding no salt. http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2005/06/bragg_liquid_am.html

After reading that article i immediately threw mine out and would never consider using it again. Any kind of soy sauce is a safer bet imo, but even the process of making soy sauce is troubling in itself.

Omigod, that would be awful if it is true, it sounds like it probably is. I'm really worried now, I use it alot and rely on it because I have been incorporating more greens into my diet and i like the taste of these big salads on their own, but with cold pressed olive oil they have a nicer texture and then I add braggs and it's just so delicious. I just recently bought another bottle, as the one I am using is nearly gone, I don't know if I will just bring it back now..
I have been getting a raw pain in my stomach after eating it the last few days and itchy lips but they are mild and that could be from any other foods...as I have been having one potato with the salad... I really will have to think about this braggs info now...

[Veronica01]

Hey, well I'm glad I could pass the info on, I only used braggs once for marinated mushrooms and they were so gross i even rinsed off all the sauce from the mushrooms but they were still too strong, i felt sick the rest of the day and then i found a link to that site on this forum and was glad i found out early in my raw journey. It is was way stronger than any kind of nama shoyu or tamari so it kinda sent up red flags for me.

Also Im making a lot more fat free dressings now, because the amount of olive oil and seasoning you have to put on, adds up to a lot of fat and additives. Try some vegetables blended for savoury or fruits for sweet. It's so easy to over do it with olive oil and vinegar or soy sauces.

[RawKnitster]

I use Nama Shoyu for that kind of flavor. (Nama is Japanese for raw.) I don't use it often, but it is a must have for Teriyaki Kale Chips and Marinated Portabello mushroom.

Another rich, dark flavor I like once in a while is a high quality Balsamic Vinegar. There is nothing else like it.

Also, once in a great while I use smoked sea salt. Adds a new dimension of flavor.

[ShantiLove]

I would say somthing like miso or tamari. Yes it starts out cooked but because of the fermentation, witch can take years, it is a living product (if you get a good quality one). Tamari is the "juice" from making miso, and they now comes in a chickpea version aswell. Same for miso. I use one made from brown rice and I love it. Amasing rich "dark" flavor.
http://www.southrivermiso.com/store/pg/26-What-is-Miso.html

[circle]

a lot of rv cafes use nama soyu. i don't know how it is made or what it is made out of. i just see it used in recipes a lot especially at cafes.

[Bookish Lass]

Burdock root?

[Tirza]

Irish Vegan Girl Here is an article about how Bragg's is made and how it can be salty with adding no salt. http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2005/06/bragg_liquid_am.html

After reading that article i immediately threw mine out and would never consider using it again. Any kind of soy sauce is a safer bet imo, but even the process of making soy sauce is troubling in itself.

That is a pretty chilling article. Now do we dare try to find out the details of how miso is made? Even Nama Shoyu?

[SweetTangerine]

Veronica01: Thanks for the info about Braggs. It is certainly something to consider. I like Nama Shoyu better anyway.

[Lavendula]

I only really tried BLA last year, I had bought it because of all the raves about it. I tried it in my onion bread and really didn't like the way it smelled, tasted or made me feel. I dumped the rest out. I have used tamari since about 1979, but it is something that I don't use very often, and actually haven't really used any since raw. Balsamic is wonderful too, but I read something about why I shouldn't use it and haven't used it for along time either. I don't need to read the BLA articles, it just did not seem like a good thing.

[Tirza]

Here are some herb mixtures that I have in a book that I got years ago. Sincere apologies if I offend by reprinting them here. The book is no longer in print.
These recipes make a lot of seasoning which lasts you a long time, so you could consider scaling the recipes down to try them out first. Keep in mind that you will only be using about a Tablespoon of these seasonings for every 2 cups of your mixture. The recipes are meant to impart various flavours to gluten which we know is tasteless. They also added a Tablespoon of soy sauce, Worchester Sauce, Kitchen Bouquet and olive oil to each cup of water in which the gluten was boiled, but since we aren't boiling anything in water (which would dilute the flavours anyway), we don't need it. If we did use a tsp of Nama Shoyu, it would still be a lot less than we might use otherwise without these seasonings.
The first 2 have Nutritional Yeast, but how much is there in each Tablespoon of these mixes? It's up to you to decide whether to use those recipes of course. The other 2 recipes are good anyway.

One ingredient to always consider using is dried and powdered mushrooms. They add a "meaty" flavour.

MOCK “BEEF” SEASONING MIX - (Only if you use Nutritional Yeast)
Yields: 2 cups seasoning
17 T Nutritional Yeast, Powdered
3 T Sweet Pepper Flakes, Powdered
3 T Parsley Flakes, Powdered
3 T Salt
4 ½ tsp Dill Seed, Powdered
4 ¼ tsp Celery Seed, Powdered
4 ¼ tsp Onion Powder
1 T Basil, Powdered
1 tsp Rosemary Leaves, Powdered
1 T Thyme, Powdered
2 ¾ tsp Black Pepper

Mix well, store in jar. Label. Shake before using. Use about 1 Tablespoon of this for every 2 cups of mixture you want to season. To taste of course.


MOCK “CHICKEN” SEASONING MIX - (Only if you use Nutritional Yeast)

Yield: 2 Cups of Seasoning

21 T Nutritional Yeast, Powdered
2 ½ tsp Sweet Pepper Flakes, Powdered
3 tsp Onion Powder
3 ½ tsp Salt
2 ½ tsp Sage, (dry) rubbed
2 ½ tsp Celery Seed, Powdered
2 ½ tsp Thyme, Ground
2 ½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 ¼ tsp Marjoram, Ground
1 ¼ tsp Tarragon, Powdered
1 ¼ tsp Paprika
1 ¼ tsp Rosemary, Ground
1 ½ tsp Black Pepper
½ tsp Ginger, Ground
½ tsp Turmeric, Ground

Mix, store in jar. Label. Shake before using. Use about 1 Tablespoon of this for every 2 cups of mixture you want to season. To taste of course.

“MEAT LOAF” SEASONING
Yield: 1 cup Seasoning

13 T Onion Flakes
7 tsp Salt
7 tsp Sweet Pepper Flakes, Powdered
3 ½ tsp Black Pepper
4 ½ tsp Celery Seed, Powdered
2 tsp Sage, Ground
1 ¾ tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Curry Powder

Mix ingredients well, store in jar, label, shake before using. Use about 1 Tablespoon of this for every 2 cups of mixture you want to season. To taste of course.

“SAUSAGE” SEASONING This one is a really special mix. I've used it a lot.
Yield: 1 cup Seasoning

3 T Rosemary, Ground
13 T Sage, Ground
7 T Salt
3 T + 1 tsp Marjoram
3 T + 1 tsp Basil
3 T + 1 tsp Cayenne (careful here - I used a lot less to try at first.)
3 T + 1 tsp Garlic Salt
For a more spicy flavor add
Dried Red Pepper Chillies, Powdered ¼ to ½ tsp

Mix ingredients well, store in jar, label, shake before using. Use about 1 Tablespoon of this for every 2 cups of mixture you want to season. To taste of course.

[klomasius]

I often have this as an addition to my salads, I also sometimes blend it up into a sauce and it does the trick of substituting for that 'dark' flavour for me.

2 -3 sheets of nori roll seaweed (raw)

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

pinch or two of salt

raw sesame oil (or olive oil)

crushed garlic (optional)

two tablespoons of water

Tear up sheets and place into a bowl, place the ingredients into the bowl and stir. Leave to marinade for at least ten minutes.

Also, dehydrated mushroom pieces: blend dry into a powder into the food processor, add salt, oil and a bit of water and blend again into a sauce.

[Tsurugi_Oni]

The "dark" flavor you're talking about is in Japanese cuisine known as "Umami" flavor, or meatiness. MSG helps add this flavor to food, but there's lots of natural sources of MSG.

[circle]

i am visioning a raw vegan ponzu sauce made with dates and lemon juice and some other things... ? =)

dates, lemon juice, sundried tomatoes?

[Veronica01]

Just wondering how there are natural sources of MSG? Mono Sodium Glutamate i thought was made by burning molasses until it was black and it's carniogenic? Giving the dark flavouring...

I'm definitely sure all soy sauces and miso are made in a gross way as well. So using them sparingly would sound like a good idea. :)

[mstrish]

HA's is short hand in the medical field for headaches....Hope this helps.
Trish

[EatRaw]

Hahaha...I got it now! :D

That's laughing....not headache, headache, headache...LOL :D

dave

[klomasius]

Veronica,

MSG, which gives the umami flavour is naturally ocurring in vegetables such as tomatoes and mushrooms etc.. There are a number of threads if you want to look them up. People eat naturally occurring MSG all the time.

[Tsurugi_Oni]

Seaweed and mushrooms are very good sources of natural MSG, as well as all meats.

Cooking molasses till it blackens is a process similar to caramelization, which is what they do to turn sugar into caramel. Except molasses already has a high caramel flavor and so they don't cook it. Sugar has nothing to do with umami flavor.

Soy sauces and miso are good foods for a natural diet, they're simply fermented products. Just like saurkraut or pickles, except they're made from soybeans. They also provide many amino acids which can often be lacking in vegetarian type diets. They're made from pefectly natural processes too. The only real problem associated with these products is that they are very high in sodium content.

For a raw foodist this isn't too much of a problem since the diet naturally leans towards low sodium foods.