Tips for Low-Sodium Dishes and Salt Substitutes

[In response to someone looking for low-salt tips that don't involve onions or garlic.]

This is easier than it seems. I don't use onions or garlic either and am not that fond of salt. My SO prefers almost no salt so I usually leave it out or use very little.

The secret is concentrated flavors. To add flavor, cook slower (lower heat) and longer (meats, eggs, sauces, etc), add a sauce or condiment, or add herbs. You can dilute flavor by boiling (I never boil vegetables). Also, cooking too long dilutes flavor. Some foods are best cooked fast over high heat (like stir fries). You'll have to experiment. Also, you will get more flavor out of fresh foods. Canned has the least. Some frozen foods are okay because they freeze the foods fast. I like Trader Joe's frozen fish and frozen vegetables.

To bring out flavor, add a tiny amount of a high quality oil just before serving. Olive and sesame work well (choose which one based on the flavors you want). You can buy olive oils with herb flavors in them or make your own. Get the expensive smaller versions of olive oils. Extra virgin. Use the cheaper stuff to cook with.

Grow fresh herbs too. Pick them just before using. Rinse in cold water if needed. Chop fine or as you wish. Good herbs to grow are rosemary, basil, parsley, cilantro (coriander), and oregano. Add to food as it cooks.

I often add vinegar to my food. Balsamic is my favorite. You can get good quality stuff cheap at Trader Joe's. I don't recommend the really cheap stuff at Price Club/Costco, though it's okay for baking fish (or presumably meat) in. I also use rice vinegar and wine vinegar. Save the white stuff for cleaning. Fresh (not bottled!) lemon juice works well too.

If you can stand some salt, there are reduced-salt soy sauces and other Asian condiments that add lots of flavor to food.

You can find specific recipes on my webpage or in various food archives. I'm not sure if the ones I've posted here in the last few months are in the archives but there are several using the ingredients I mentioned above.

(posted to rec.food.recipes 3/98)

Cyndi Norman / cyndi@consultclarity.com / Last Modified: 2/28/99

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