What is Umami?

For most of history, the big four: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes dominated our culinary vocabulary. Only in recent years did the term umami gain worldwide recognition, adding depth, complexity, and savory richness to our food. Umami is the elusive taste present in so many of your favorite ingredients, working behind the scenes to elevate and boost the flavor in your dishes. But what exactly is umami? How does it work? And most importantly, how can you maximize it in your cooking? Join us as we explore all these questions and share our best tips for infusing your food with this exceptional fifth taste.

The Savory Origin Story

Over a century ago, Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda detected a distinct taste in certain foods. As the story goes, it was as he was enjoying a bowl of his wife’s Kombu Dashi (kelp broth) that this realization first dawned. Convinced of the truth behind his gustatory revelation, Ikeda was able to isolate the chemical compound glutamate present in the seaweed soup.

Once he had found the source of the savory flavor, he was able to see it in all manner of other foods. From tomatoes and mushrooms to aged cheese and meat, the amino acids were in hundreds of ingredients, adding a uniquely delicious flavor. Ikeda named his discovery umami, meaning “pleasant, savory taste,” a fitting moniker for what we now know as the fifth fundamental taste.

Not Four, but Five

Our tongue is covered in taste buds, and until the early 2000s, scientists believed that humans only detected the big four. However, in 2002, they discovered umami taste receptors throughout not only the tongue but the entire digestive system. Each of these receptors responds to the presence of glutamate, as well as inosinate and guanylate, two nucleotides that enhance the sense of umami. The visceral sensation that accompanies the joys of eating umami-rich foods gives us layers of savory, meaty flavors that linger on the palate and make our mouths water.

Cooking with Glutamate

Though shrouded in mystery for centuries, umami may be the most important of all the tastes, and in recent years, chefs and gourmands have been looking for ways to boost those distinct qualities. By using ingredients naturally rich in glutamate, you can instantly enhance the profile of your recipes, intensifying dishes and boosting their flavor.

Key Sources of Umami include:

• Fermented Foods: Think soy sauce, gochujang, fish sauce, and fermented bean paste like miso.
• Tomatoes: A ripe tomato is practically bursting with glutamate. From fresh to sundried, this versatile ingredient adds depth to everything from soups and sauces to marinades and salads.
• Meats: Roasted and braised meats that are lowly and slowly cooked develop a deep, savory taste thanks to the Maillard reaction; this translates to an intense umami flavor.
• Aged Cheese: Hard grateable cheeses like Gruyere, Parmesan, and the like are renowned for their intense complexity. Keep a microplain handy to quickly bring savory flavor into every meal with a sprinkle of cheese.
• Seaweed: The ingredient that started it all, seaweed in all its forms, is a great way to add umami to your recipes. Nori and kombu can be added to broths, sprinkled over a finished dish, and so much more to quickly add a hint of those intrinsically savory flavors.

Food enthusiasts and chefs have embraced this “new” taste, using it as a tool to make their dishes even more delicious. The term ‘umami-bomb’ is now used to describe ingredients like mushrooms and anchovies that are bursting with complex savory tastes. Techniques like sous vide and fermentation can also be applied to help amp up recipes, bringing recipes to new heights of perfection in the quest to infuse even more flavor into our meals.

Stocking your Pantry

Whether purposefully or not, we often add umami when it seems like something is missing in our preparation. Adding in a splash or pinch of umami-rich foods rounds out the flavors of any dish. By keeping a few of these flavor enhancers in your kitchen pantry, you’ll be able to fix almost any misstep or level up your favorite dishes.

In addition to using the ingredients listed above, be sure to always keep a few umami-rich condiments on hand for mid-recipe tweaking.

• Soy Sauce
• Ketchup
• Miso
• Truffle Oil
• Dried Mushrooms

In the Kitchen and at the Table

Whether you are crafting something traditional or preparing a new modern fusion recipe, understanding the basics of taste and flavor sets the foundation for a well-prepared meal and good cooking in its most basic sense. Using all five of the taste sensations to add depth, complexity, and richness to your preparations will go a long way to making you a better chef and a more discerning and appreciative eater. So, the next time you savor a rich broth, bite into a juicy tomato or sprinkle Parmesan on your pasta, remember to thank umami for its savory magic. Happy cooking!