[INGREDIENTS] by Karen Nachay Charting a New Flavor Course lobal cuisines are more popular than ever, thanks in part to the Gproliferation of cooking shows and cookbooks, movement of people across borders, and consumers’ gen- eral willingness to try new foods. Two-thirds of consumers eat a wider variety of ethnic cuisines now versus five years ago, according to the National Restaurant Association (NRA 2015). In particular, foods and ingredients from Asia—everything from sushi, matcha tea, and kimchi to gochujang, fish sauce, and ghee— seem to be garnering the most attention, especially as they become more available at grocery stores and online retailers and in restaurants. Asia is a vast region with a diverse population whose differences in cul- ture, politics, religion, and location have shaped their cuisines and con- sumption patterns. Exploration, colonization, and immigration have also influenced the cuisines, and gaining traction is Filipino, which has snacks, the report found. Ingredients from Asia these influences can be seen in the been influenced by the Chinese, As far as some trending ingredi- enhance sauces, meat, ingredients and preparation methods Malaysian, Indonesian, and Spanish ents and foods are concerned, Chris vegetables, and more. Photo courtesy of Wixon used. and has flavors that are not too spicy Warsow, corporate executive chef at Consumer interest in Asian but are rather “a little more fer- Bell Flavors & Fragrances, cuisine has moved beyond a general- mented and funky,” she says. While Northbrook, Ill. (bellff.com), says ization of a particular cuisine or Filipino food uses some ingredients gochujang, Korean BBQ, and ramen Americanized versions of foods to that are unfamiliar to many are three to watch. He points out that foods that are authentic and truer to Americans, and is often thought of as gochujang, the fermented chili paste the various regions of a country. being heavy on pork, sugar, and salt, used in Korean cuisine, “hits all of the Where chop suey, crab Rangoon, and some chefs are serving traditional right flavor notes of spicy and savory.” fortune cookies were once thought of Filipino fare or updated versions of Korean BBQ is the Korean method of as exotic Chinese cuisine, consumers classic dishes in restaurants, grilling meat, usually using a small grill are now more educated about according to CCD Innovation’s on the tabletop, and serving it with Chinese and other Asian cuisines. In Culinary Trend Mapping Report: garlic, vegetables, and flavorful fact, there is a lot of curiosity about Filipino Fresh (CCD 2015). Offerings like sauces. Warsow says that meat the cuisines of other regions of Asia, banana ketchup, adobo, lumpia, and snacks are available in Korean BBQ says Christine Keller, director of halo-halo have potential in QSR and flavor, and that the flavor is being used trend practice at CCD Innovation, casual dining restaurants and in cat- in traditional salty snacks as well. One Emeryville, Calif. (ccdinnovation. egories like prepared meals, frozen that he proposes: Korean BBQ pop- com). One cuisine in particular that is meals, sauces, condiments, and corn. As for ramen, he believes that it 11.15 • www.ift.org 49 pg [INGREDIENTS] Charting a New Flavor Course continued... is finally getting the attention that it whose leaves have sweet, floral, and deserves, moving from being a cheap eats vanilla-like flavor notes; sambal goreng, Asian Sauces Bring option for college students to being the one of many different types of sambal main entrée at hip ramen shops. “The sauces made from chili pepper, shallots, Variety to Foods many broths that are offered can keep you and garlic; and hoisin, a thick sauce-like The use of sauces and other liquid interested in this trend,” explains Warsow. ingredient made from fermented soy- condiments in Asian cuisines is one This is a very approachable food for beans, garlic, spices, and sometimes way to add distinctive flavors, Americans looking for the most authentic sugar and vinegar. whether it’s a slight sweetness from experience possible, he adds. Asian citrus flavors are quite popular mirin, umami from fish sauce, or Keep an eye out in this article for right now, and one that Warsow points to savory and salty from soy sauce. descriptions of some Filipino product con- in particular is calamansi lime, which is a Mizkan Americas, Mount Prospect, cepts, gochujang, Korean BBQ, and more hybrid of a mandarin orange and a kum- Ill. (mizkan.com), manufactures four developed by food technologists and quat. Calamansi lime is popular in Filipino such ingredients derived from rice chefs. Of course, what follows is designed cuisine, giving meat and fish a sharp citrus that is milled at the company’s facility to provide inspiration for your product note, he says. Bell’s calamansi lime flavor in California. “Being a Japanese development efforts as you learn a little has a bright acidic citrus profile and can company, we produce ingredients more about the many Asian ingredients be used in applications like dressings and that are original and authentic,” says that are available and how these ingredi- sauces. Another popular flavor is fish Dave Sackett, executive director of ents function in both product and menu sauce. Fish sauce is made from fermented sales and marketing, food ingredi- concepts. anchovies and salt, but some food manu- ents, at Mizkan Americas. facturers do not want to introduce fish Mirin is a sweet cooking wine Flavorings Bring Asian Flair to Foods allergens into their processing facilities, with mild acidity. Mizkan produces its For a comprehensive range of flavorings says Warsow. Bell’s solution to this is an version, Mirin Cooking Wine M-3, by inspired by Southeast Asian cuisines, allergen-free fish sauce flavor that allows blending a naturally fermented rice product developers can turn to Bell food manufacturers to add the fermented extract with corn syrup, water, and Flavors & Fragrances. The company’s new and umami notes to soups, sauces, and salt. Honteri Sweet Seasoning is a collection introduced this summer other applications without the fish mirin-style liquid ingredient for use in includes familiar flavors like lime, basil, allergens. teriyaki sauces, marinades, and suki- and cilantro. It also branches out to flavors Product concepts served at recent yaki. Corn syrup is added after that the average American might not know food shows illustrate the versatility of fermenting the rice for sweetness. much about, such as pandan, a plant Bell’s Asian flavorings, which are Sake Cooking Wine has salt added to it after fermentation, while Shao Xing Rice Cooking Wine contains salt, Product developers can use ingredients like chili natural flavor, and caramel coloring. peppers and ginger or turn Another supplier of Asian to flavor ingredients that sauces—Lee Kum Kee—features capture the flavor and many gluten-free or non-genetically aroma notes of foods used modified versions. The company, in Asian cooking. Photo courtesy of CIA Strategic which is located in City of Industry, Initiatives Calif. (lkk.com), produces oyster-fla- vored sauces with a mellow oyster flavor and plenty of umami com- pounds and soy sauces, including a mushroom-flavored dark soy sauce that combines the rich, salty flavor of soy sauce with the earthy notes of mushrooms. Lee Kum Kee also pro- vides chili sauces in chili garlic, sriracha, and sweet chili versions; black bean garlic sauce made from fermented black beans and garlic; hoisin sauce that combine soybeans, spices, and sugar; and plum sauce made form salted plums, chili pep- pers, and ginger. pg 50 11.15 • www.ift.org [INGREDIENTS] Charting a New Flavor Course continued... formulated to capture many of these flavor and adzuki beans mashed with a sweetener and aroma notes, in both traditional Asian and non- enhanced with the company’s red bean paste Asian foods and beverages. At the 2015 flavor, which has an earthy sweet flavor pro- SupplySide West show, the company devel- file. Other flavors that would pair well with red oped a citrusy and spicy Kumquat Ginger bean paste or other sweet fillings are yuzu, Gummy made with its kumquat and ginger fla- calamansi lime, coconut, taro, and halo-halo. vors and Thai Basil Mint Lemonade that had The company’s line of Asian-inspired fla- hints of licorice from its Thai holy basil flavor. vors enhance not only Asian foods like hotteok The Bo Kho Bao product concept featured at and bo kho, but also traditional baked goods the IFT15 expo was Bell’s twist on a traditional and beverages like cupcakes and tea. Give Vietnamese stew. Bo kho is a beef stew made plain cupcakes a tropical twist with flavors like with various aromatic ingredients. Bell’s ver- lychee. For a Sweet Potato Cupcake, Bell sion featured its beef, bo kho spice, lime juice, boosted the flavor of the sweet potato batter umami enhancer, basil, and fish sauce flavor with its sweet potato flavor. Other Bell flavor ingredients, and was served on bao, yeast- offerings to consider for baked goods are ram- raised bread that is steamed rather than butan, coconut, calamansi lime, halo-halo, baked. Hotteok is a thick, pancake-like snack yuzu, and pandan. Try flavors like white peach with a sweet filling. The hotteok product con- and chai to formulate ready-to-drink tea bev- cept developed by Bell was formulated with erages. Bell showcased these flavors inWhite red bean paste, which is made from cooked Peach Tea and Chai Cardamom Tea Beyond Asian Cuisine Asian ingredients and cuisines are all the bran, and pregelatinized corn flour courtesy rage, but many different foods from other cui- of Didion Milling, Johnson Creek, Wis. (did- sines are equally as engaging. Not only will ionmilling.com). Dip applications offer you find bao and Korean BBQ product con- product developers a great opportunity to get cepts, but also ones that draw inspiration creative with flavors and ingredients repre- from the cuisines of the Mediterranean, sentative of various global cuisines.