Why do experienced cooks sometimes add a pinch of sugar to a vegetable salad: when should this be done?

23.02.2023 14:53

Most amateur cooks always finish preparing a vegetable salad by adding olive oil.

But professionals sometimes also sprinkle chopped vegetables with sugar.

It would seem that a sweet ingredient has no place in a popular dish.

In fact, granulated sugar can turn a salad into a real culinary masterpiece. But not always.

When should you add sugar?

You can't do without a sweet component in a situation where one of the ingredients is not ripe enough.

salad
Photo: © Belnovosti

This is usually typical for tomatoes, which often turn out to be sour.

Adding a small amount of sugar (maximum one pinch) helps to “even out” the taste.

The extra sourness disappears. At the same time, if you don’t overdo it with granulated sugar, you won’t feel the sweetness either.

Thus, the ingredient allows to “soften” the taste of chopped tomatoes. As a result, the vegetable salad becomes much more aromatic.

But if the tomatoes cannot be called sour, then you should not use a sweet component.

Kurchev Anton Author: Kurchev Anton Deputy Editor-in-Chief