Can someone recommend an alternative to this dip ingredient please?

[Mykittensmittens]

On holiday we had halloumi fries with a warm honey dip. The honey dip had something ‘else’ it wasn’t just honey. I asked the waiter and he said chef uses a little kimchi paste - gives the honey an umami level.

I can’t get kimchi paste without fish sauce in it and I’d like to use the dip when we are hosting someone who can’t have fish sauce.

any ideas for a tiny pinch of something else to replace it? I was thinking soy? I don’t want to waste the honey testing.

thanks

Miso paste? (waitrose sell it)

yes miso or soy

Brill thanks I didn’t think of that. I have some I think I drink it as soup!

Mix of some kind of hot chilli paste/sauce and soy

Umami is glutamate so you need some kind of msg thing. Vegemite or marmite. Tomatoes are also fairly high in glutamates. Parmesan another.

It's looks like you can buy a small jar of kimchi paste at Waitrose for £1.60 so it should be easy to recreate the chef's recipe Unless there's another secret ingredient he didn't mention

the kimchi paste I've had is more peppery than umami, so I would go for sriracha plus a little soy, and a few drops of lime juice or rice vinegar for the sour note.

Kimchi paste always seems to have fish in it - every one I’ve found including Waitrose.

marmite is a potential - and sriracha - I have both those and miso - I’ll have a try with very small quantities. It was barely discernible - it was just a ‘something’ more than just honey. Plus it was warmed very gently. It was like the salty halloumi with the sweet honey and just something else

I shall enjoy investigating 😂

I've had fried halloumi with honey and balsamic glaze lightly drizzled over, not a dip just a light drizzle of each, separately.

Very tasty!