What is umami? Some facts about the flavor profile
Besides salty, sweet, bitter, and sour (and spicy) there's the latest profile of taste called umami. Described as savoriness, the taste is found in foods like broths. It has a pleasant taste with a long-lasting coating sensation over the tongue. Since umami has its own taste receptors, scientists consider it an inherent taste. It got recognized globally as the fifth core taste thereafter.
How was it discovered?
Discovered in 1908 in Japan, by Kikunae Ikeda, a professor of the Tokyo Imperial University, umami was first scientifically recognized in 1985. While enjoying a bowl of kombu dashi broth, the professor noticed that the savory flavor was distinct from the four basic tastes. He named this "umami," which translates to "essence of deliciousness." Dr. Ikeda found the flavor was attributed to glutamate.
Understanding the flavor
Umami is the taste of a combination of salts, or more commonly just glutamate, an amino acid that is one of the building blocks of protein. Glutamate occurs naturally in many of our everyday foods including, aged cheeses, cured meats, tomatoes, mushrooms, salmon, anchovies, green tea, and MSG, or ajinomoto, the main component of umami seasonings among many others.
Science of taste
The synergistic effect between ribonucleotides (another umami substance) and glutamate was discovered later in the '50s. The resulting taste intensity is higher, some examples in food pairings would be: Parmesan cheese on tomato sauce with mushrooms, Chinese leek and Chinese cabbage with chicken soup, etc. Umami has a lasting aftertaste and a furry sensation on the tongue and the roof of the mouth.
Some more facts
Most taste buds on the tongue and other regions of the mouth can detect umami taste, irrespective of their location. On its own, umami is not edible, but it makes other foods taste satisfying. Umami may be credited for the long-term popularity of ketchup. Some research evidence shows that umami not only stimulates appetite but might also back up satiety.
How to add umami to your food?
Wondering how to bring in the filling flavor of umami to your cooking? It's pretty simple actually. You have to use cured meats, MSG (pure umami), seasonings like ketchup, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and fermented foods while cooking to bring that umami flavor. So get your hands on these foods and revel in umami.
