I came a across a tofu marinade that looks promising - but the recipe included something called "Spike seasoning".
It's apparently this:
Gayelord Hauser brand
It looks a bit disturbing to be honest - makes me think that the main ingredient in Spike(TM) may be E621 - but is it? Is it more complex than a middle-of-the-road umami taste? There is already soy in the recipe...
Any suggestions of what I could substitute it with? Or perhaps just what are the main qualities of the taste of Spike - e.g. sweet, sour, sharp, strong, pungent, biting, cold, fresh, mellow, etc. - then I can figure out myself what to use.
The recipe is this:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce, tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Spike seasoning
- 1 generous pinch saffron