| Category | Examples | Primary Role | |----------|----------|---------------| | Salty | Soy sauce, salt, fish sauce, oyster sauce, miso, bouillon powder | Base salinity and depth | | Umami | MSG, mushroom powder, dashi, anchovy paste, tomato paste, nutritional yeast | Savory richness | | Oily/Fatty | Sesame oil, chili oil, butter, lard, olive oil, toasted nut oils | Mouthfeel, aroma, carrying fat-soluble flavors | | Acidic | Rice vinegar, black vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, white wine vinegar | Brightness, balance, cut richness | | Sweet | Sugar, honey, mirin, hoisin sauce, palm sugar | Balance salt/acid, caramelization | | Aromatic | Garlic (raw/roasted/fried), ginger, scallions, shallots, cilantro, Thai basil | Freshness, complexity | | Spicy | Chili crisp, gochugaru, doubanjiang, sriracha, red pepper flakes, wasabi | Heat, pungency |
How you apply seasoning matters just as much as the ingredients you choose. Cook noodles one minute under package instructions. Reserve: Save one cup of starchy noodle water. Bloom: Fry dry spices in hot oil for 30 seconds. good seasoning for noodles