I know, it's the devils food but I'm not always cooking with the best quality, best tasting ingredients and I've never been adverse to using a small amount and neither of us have ever reacted badly (of course, if he knew I used it......).

Thing is, I don't know how to find it. I've looked in supermarkets for the little blue tin which was the last I bought from Chinatown in Melbourne, I think the name might be Vse Powder or similar (Chinese name but also printed in English), but no luck, so I'm going to have to ask. Does anyone know the name?.

Thanks in advance

ผงชูรส is MSG written in Thai, pong choo rot is how to pronounce.

Sorry dont know the Chinese brand you refer to,the Thais sometimes refer to it as, ayinamoto, which is a brand name here.

'Ajinomoto' or as said above pong choo rot (powder to boost flavour)

Here you go, just print off and hand to the shop, saves having to pronounce Thai.

Same thing, different brands.

Ajinomoto and this is how the packaging looks like

Directly translated: Raise/elevate Flavor/taste. Pump it up!

Note that a lot of flavor enhancers - sold as powder here, also have a significant MSG component, ~ 35% (popular ones are made by Ajinomoto), and a cook might ajinomoto as well!

http://www.ajinomoto.co.th/en_products_brand.php?id=7&sl=6&openSl=1

Edited March 16, 201313 yr by lomatopo

Thank you everybody.

I'll print the image off. I know it has a really bad name, but if used judiciously it isn't all bad. Injudicious use in Chinese restaurants in Farangland is probably what gave it the bad name.

Peanuts, seafood and wheat gluten aren't bad, either. Unless you're sensitive to them, then they can kill you.

I don't claim MSG can kill you, but I can tell when I have eaten a meal with a lot of MSG because for the next few hours, I'll be horribly cranky and looking for any opportunity for a nap. There were restaurants in China that I was "entertained" for lunch and the dilemma was I had to eat the food to be politically correct, all the while knowing I was going to be miserable the rest of the day.

If you're not sensitive to it, enjoy! I love seafood and peanuts.

Edited March 16, 201313 yr by impulse

I've heard it called Mor Sor Gor around Chiang Mai - sort of easy to remember.

Many year ago there were adverts (infoverts?) warning people not to use too much as it damages eyesight.

Only time I use it myself in Thailand is with fried tomatos as they can often be devoid of flavour otherwise. Also use it on eggs in the UK for the same reason.