I've sometimes used baking soda to accelerate softening of beans, and I imagine the effect is more appreciable at higher altitudes perhaps? Some of the usage of baking soda could be innocent enough.

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scorpionfeet 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Alkalinity softens the husk of legumes. Look up nixtamalization. It’s what the Aztecs invented.

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SketchySeaBeast 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Did we discover a new diet hack?

	▲	scorpionfeet 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		A few thousand years ago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization

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ChrisMarshallNY 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Try using it on meat. Turns it into pink slurry.

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papercrane 4 hours ago | parent [-]

You're using too much! Its commonly used to improve meat texture, especially in Chinese cuisine. It's called "velveting".

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torhorway 3 hours ago | parent [-]

you're thinking of corn starch

	▲	Hikikomori 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Both are used, for different reasons, but it's a pretty loose term. Can also use enzymes or other alkaline things. With or without a marinade. Pass through oil or water, or just stir fry with a little extra oil.

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MengerSponge 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

No reasonable person would be confused by use of baking soda as an ingredient in cooked food (reasonable) vs the addition of baking soda after cooking as an adulterant.