# How to add Depth to Vegetable Stew



## LuxEterna (Aug 26, 2011)

Hello,

I'm newbie to cooking.

I have started to learn cooking for myself, cos I realised my family's cooking is unhealthy. We are Chinese family. There's too much meat in the family dinner. 3 meat dishes to 1 veggie dish. And a lot of spicy foods and sodium.

But I have this problem in that when I boil a pot of vegetables with rice, I dont know how to make it taste nice.

How do I season my vegetable stews? 

Usually, I put some Ragu pasta sauce, and bay leave powder, and basil and worcester sauce and soy sauce. and maybe a slice of cheese for depth.

How else can I make the pot of veggie rice stew taste nice??

Typically, my veggies are Carots, cabbage, capsicum, tomato, and canned kidney beans.


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## MSC (Aug 26, 2011)

One of the easiest and best ways to deepen the flavor in a veggie stew is to roast the vegetables, but, about the only veggie you listed that you use that would benefit from that is tomatoes.  Actually carrots also roast well.  Other veggies you might want to add that roast well are onion, bell pepper and parsnips, and there are many others.  You should get some ideas if you do a search for veggie stew recipes.  I'd also add a little garlic and maybe a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 26, 2011)

Adding onion and browning them well will add more depth and adding mushrooms like portabello will add a meaty flavour without adding actual meat.
You can also try adding some Thyme, it's a wonderful addition to most savoury dishes. browse some of the recipes on DC, maybe you will get some inspiration and find a dish that you can adjust to your own taste.


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## Claire (Aug 26, 2011)

MSC has it right.  Roast them.  If you have a charcoal or gas grill, grill the veggies, or in an oven.  But brown them before boiling.  I know you're trying to reduce the meat in your family's diet, but using a chicken broth when boiling will help, since you are not actually vegetarian.  If you use canned, don't add salt until the last moment, or let your family add the soy sauce at the table.  Add eggplant (aubergine) or summer squash (courgette) as well.  Winter squash (the harder ones) can be pierced, then put in an oven or over coals until the outside almost looks burnt, then peeled, seeded, and mashed to give some body and thickness to the stew.  

A very little bit of cured/smoked meat in an entire pot will give some flavor.  I know there are some very flavorful sausages in Chinese cooking, and just a few slices can give the vegetable stew quite a bit of flavor.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 26, 2011)

Using meat bones in your stew will enhance its flavor, without adding all the fat.  Salt is a requirement to make it taste good.  But go easy with it.  Adding herbs such as the previously mentioned thyme, along with rosemary, sage, basil, garlic, ground black pepper, or even a seasoning mix such as Old Bay will add depth of flavor.  A small amount of pork, beef, or chicken will really help, especially if the meat is well browned.

I like adding a bit of dill to my stews.  But then again, a little light soy sauce, with Chinese 5-spice powder adds a wonderful flavor as well.  Mushrooms are great, but need that touch of salt to bring out their flavor.

Broths with dissolved collagen are prized in Asian cuisine.  They add texture and nutritional value.  And the bones, cartilage, and connecting tissues from which the collagen is extracted by boiling add wonderful flavor as well.

Think of the Vietnamese Pho restaurants.  The soups are great, without adding much meat at all.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## 4meandthem (Aug 26, 2011)

KITCHEN BOUQUET will add some color and flavor.


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## Rocklobster (Aug 26, 2011)

Boullion cubes, bouquet garni, chunk of salt pork(you can remove this later), I love alspice berries with my beef stews, beer, dried mushrooms, dry mustard, steak spice,


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## Claire (Aug 26, 2011)

Maggi seasoning has a little more Asian flair than Kitchen Bouquet; I use it quite a bit.


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## Timothy (Aug 26, 2011)

I add anywhere from a small pinch to a full tablespoon of Pav Bhaji Masala to many things that I prepare. With veggies, it adds just a tad of "mystery" seasoning to them that no one can ever tell what it is. It's very strong, so start small with it. I buy it at my local "Health Food" store for $1.99 per/100g/3.5 oz.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 26, 2011)

A teaspoon full of Marmite will add a nice rich flavour.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 26, 2011)

A teaspoon of Marmite will add a nice rich flavour.


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## Timothy (Aug 26, 2011)

Snip 13 said:


> A teaspoon of Marmite will add a nice rich flavour.


I've never even seen Marmite. I had to look it up to find out what it was!

Marmite

I'll order some and try it!


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## Snip 13 (Aug 26, 2011)

Timothy said:


> I've never even seen Marmite. I had to look it up to find out what it was!
> 
> Marmite
> 
> I'll order some and try it!



Don't you get Marmite where you live? It's fantastic on hot buttered toast! Just spread lightly, it's got a very strong flavour 
You can also use Oxo, Bovril or Vegemite spread. They taste almost identical


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## Timothy (Aug 26, 2011)

Snip 13 said:


> Don't you get Marmite where you live? It's fantastic on hot buttered toast! Just spread lightly, it's got a very strong flavour
> You can also use Oxo, Bovril or Vegemite spread. They taste almost identical


 
They must not sell them in the stores I frequent. I've never seen any of them!


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## Dawgluver (Aug 26, 2011)

Timothy said:
			
		

> They must not sell them in the stores I frequent. I've never seen any of them!



Think it's an Aussie thing.  Men at Work had a song about vegimite sandwiches back in the day.  

Land Down Under
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...hfrfGkzeqEvkF91TQ&sig2=rfrlHuA8zIxSU8dVl8fN9g


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## vitauta (Aug 27, 2011)

adding mild or medium salsa is a quick and simple way to lend immediate complexity to a vegetable dish. easy to build on in almost any direction.


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## Claire (Aug 27, 2011)

These are products I've never seen outside of British novels.  Certainly not in a Midwest small town grocery store.  I'm sure you can buy them on-line.  I'll have to ask my English friend what they are!


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## Snip 13 (Aug 27, 2011)

Claire said:


> These are products I've never seen outside of British novels.  Certainly not in a Midwest small town grocery store.  I'm sure you can buy them on-line.  I'll have to ask my English friend what they are!



Live and learn hey  I thought America had just about everything!


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## Claire (Aug 27, 2011)

Snip 13 said:


> Live and learn hey  I thought America had just about everything!



Oh, like you, we can get just about everything on-line.  But I live in a small, although quite cosmopolitan, small town (3500).  We can get some "fancy" stuff at our local grocery store.  But I've travelled the USA by car more times than I can count, and believe me, there is a lot of the US that many, to include most Americans, will never see, understand, or "get".  I've heard much of this country I love (and have lived in much of it) called "fly-over" states or "square" states, like we don't exist.

Yes, I know you were being facetious!  But it hit a chord.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 27, 2011)

Claire said:


> Oh, like you, we can get just about everything on-line.  But I live in a small, although quite cosmopolitan, small town (3500).  We can get some "fancy" stuff at our local grocery store.  But I've travelled the USA by car more times than I can count, and believe me, there is a lot of the US that many, to include most Americans, will never see, understand, or "get".  I've heard much of this country I love (and have lived in much of it) called "fly-over" states or "square" states, like we don't exist.
> 
> Yes, I know you were being facetious!  But it hit a chord.



It was also half meant as a question, since I only mentioned it because that is the impression given to us. I've never been to America so I won't claim that I know much about it.
Thank you for giving me a better understanding of what your country is really like 
Hope I didn't offend you, that was not my intention at all!
We just go by what we hear over the news and see on television programs.
P.S I love small towns, I live in one too. I don't buy anything online since I don't own a credit card so I just buy what I can get locally.


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## MSC (Aug 27, 2011)

As this has moved on to 'not-strictly' vegetarian, another of the easiest ways to add depth to a veggie stew is to add a dollup or so of demi glace.
Also mushrooms benefit from roasting, sprinkle a little oil on them along with some minced garlic and roast for approx 25 minutes (depends on the mushrooms being roasted) at 350 F.  So better to err on the side of caution and roast for less time and eyeball them to sse if more roasting is required.


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## LuxEterna (Aug 28, 2011)

thank you all!!!

I have Marmite at home. I do use this sometimes, but I prefer not to, as it is high on sodium. It's processed after all. It was my own idea to use MArmite, and I was doubting my own brilliant idea, cos i'm so new to cooking. So it is great to know that there are people who use this too.So it is good to know that I'm smart after all!!! 

Graet to know that i can roast garlic, onions, etc to add depth to my cooking. I can do that next time !!!


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## LuxEterna (Aug 28, 2011)

MSC said:


> As this has moved on to 'not-strictly' vegetarian, another of the easiest ways to add depth to a veggie stew is to add a dollup or so of demi glace.
> A


i had to check online to find out what's demi glace.

i don't think i will use that. it's too "Exotic". I don't think i can easily get it here in Singapore. But I can look out for it, when i go to a more cosmopolitan supermarket.

i'm looking for more simple ways to make my food tasty. 

i will definitely use your roasting of mushrooms idea! I love mushrooms !


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## LuxEterna (Aug 28, 2011)

Claire said:


> Maggi seasoning has a little more Asian flair than Kitchen Bouquet; I use it quite a bit.



noooooo !!!!

I'm trying to cut Monosodium Glutamate from my diet....


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## LuxEterna (Aug 28, 2011)

LuxEterna said:


> noooooo !!!!
> 
> I'm trying to cut Monosodium Glutamate from my diet....



Or are you talking about a different seasoning ? hm...... i can check it out in the supermarket....


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## Claire (Aug 29, 2011)

Cutting down on MSG isn't much of a problem for us.  I use it maybe once a month, and neither of us has a bad reaction to it.Yes, Maggi seasoning which I love to use to marinate meats before stir frying, has MSG.   "Accent" is MSG.  If you have a problem with it, you should avoid those seasonings and read the labels when you buy other seasonings.  But my husband and I don't, and I only use it occaisionally.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 29, 2011)

This may sound strange, but fish sauce, if used in extreme moderation, can add a great flavor to stews and soups, even stir fries.  But again, be very very careful with the stuff as a little too much can completely ruin a meal.

Using herbs and spices will add depth of flavor to any dish, be it a stew, or fried chicken, or pumpkin pie.  The trick is, learning how to pair the correct seasonings with the ingredients you are using.  Something I did when I first was teaching myself to cook was to purchase as many herbs and spices as I could find.  Frequently, I would open them up and smell them, without reading the bottle, until I could identify them by their unique aroma.  When you can do that, you can start putting flavors together in your head, with a reasonable chance of success.  You will fail a few times when actually adding flavorings to your food.  But more often, you will succeed.  And trust me, you will learn by your failures just as much as you will learn by your successes.

When you learn to identify herbs and spices by aroma, you will also be able to taste them in foods you eat at restaurants, and in meals you didn't make yourself.  Then, when you find something you like, you can, with some practice, replicate it at your own home.

Good luck on your culinary journey.  You will learn and become great, just like everyone else who is willing to work for what they want to learn.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Claire (Aug 30, 2011)

Fish sauce, anchovy paste, and Worcestershire sauce.  All vaguely related, and as Goodweed said, in moderation, can add a certain _je ne sais quois_ to foods.  Add them before  you salt.  You don't want the resulting dish to taste fishy or overly salty.


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