Umami is a savory flavor that adds depth and richness to dishes. Originating in Japan, the unique taste is profound and enhances the overall flavor profile of a meal. Unlike more simple tastes like sweet and salty, unami creates more complex and satisfying recipes.
What is Umami?
Despite common belief, umami isn’t a food. Often referred to as the fifth flavor, umami is a word that represents a complex, mixed taste of savory and depth—adding more to a dish than salt, sour, sweet, or bitter ingredients combined.
Umami is a Japanese word that translates to ‘pleasant savory taste’. The word was invented in 1908, and though it isn’t an official scientific word, it is used to categorize food that has a distinct flavor profile that doesn’t fit into the other four flavors.
What Creates Umami Flavors?
The umami flavors in food are created by an amino acid called glutamate. Glutamate is a natural ingredient in many protein-rich foods that interacts with taste receptors to make foods more rich and savory.
Natural Sources of Umami
Meats
- Beef
- Pork
- Chicken
Seafood
- Shellfish
- Fish (anchovies, mackerel, and sardines)
Vegetables
- Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Seaweed
Dairy
- Aged cheeses
- Milk
Fermented Products
- Soy sauce
- Fish sauce
- Miso
Recently, scientists have created a human-produced version of the amino acid, which is commonly used to add flavor to Asian dishes. This artificial version is commonly known as monosodium glutamate or MSG.
Health Benefits and Considerations of Umami
- Lower sodium consumption
- Reduce overeating
- Stimulate appetite regulation
- Better cardiovascular health
While umami potentially supports heart health by reducing sodium intake, there are concerns regarding MSG. Some have reported a link between MSG and symptoms like nausea and headaches.
How are Umami and Salty Different?
Unami has a deeper and more savory taste than salty flavors. While umami foods often contain salt, they have a much more complex flavor profile than just salt.
Umami foods contain a savory factor that isn’t found in salty foods, and therefore, swapping an umami ingredient for salt could ruin a recipe. An example of this would be thinking you could leave the miso out of a ramen recipe and add extra salt instead. The result would be a salty bowl of noodle soup that would be practically inedible.
4 Uses for Umami
1. To Boost a Broth/Soup
Saltwater isn’t tasty on its own, and it’s the umami factor that makes broths delicious. Mushrooms, fish sauce, and miso are all excellent umami boosters for a broth.
2. Salads and Salad Dressings
Salads aren’t known for their umami flavor, but adding aged cheese, aged fish (such as anchovies), or fermented foods can boost the flavor profile of a salad. An example of this is Caesar salad, which contains both parmesan cheese and anchovies.
3. Meat Dishes
Umami flavors highlight the natural flavors found in meat. Items like miso gravy or brushing tomato paste on a cut of meat before cooking can take your dish to the next level.
4. Stir-Fry
Stir-fry is an easy-to-make dinner composed of vegetables, meat, and rice. What makes this dish so delicious is the sauce it is stirred in. An umami-flavored sauce is a necessity for stir fry, so consider using a fish sauce, oyster sauce, or soy sauce to achieve your desired flavor profile.
Leave a Reply