Kitchen Superheroes: Umami, Crunch & Braise

 

Each Flavour Booster is designed around a specific role in cooking — not a cuisine, not a dish, but a function. They’re meant to be used intuitively, depending on what a dish needs in that moment.

Umami

This is about depth and savouriness.

The Umami booster adds body to dishes that feel thin or one-note — the kind of rounded, lingering flavour that makes food feel complete without tasting overtly spiced. It works quietly in the background, amplifying what’s already there rather than announcing itself.

Use it when:

• Dals or broths feel flat

• Vegetable dishes need grounding

• You want richness without heaviness

Think of it as the layer that makes flavours stay a little longer on the palate.

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Crunch

Crunch is about contrast and texture.

This booster brings crispness, nuttiness, and a subtle hit of savoury heat. It’s designed to be added towards the end of cooking or used as a finishing element — not just for crunch, but for the way texture wakes up a dish.

Use it when:

• Soft foods need lift

• You want bite without frying

• A dish feels complete but slightly dull

It’s not garnish for the sake of garnish — it’s structure.

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Braise

Braise is about slow, layered flavour.

This booster is built to support long cooking — stews, curries, vegetables, legumes — where flavour develops gradually. It deepens dishes over time, adding warmth and cohesion rather than sharpness.

Use it when:

• You’re cooking low and slow

• You want warmth without heat

• A dish needs time and patience to come together

It’s the flavour equivalent of letting something simmer until it finds its balance.

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Together, Umami, Crunch, and Braise aren’t meant to replace ingredients or recipes. They’re meant to support the way you already cook — stepping in quietly, when a dish needs just a little more clarity, depth, or intention.