What Is Umami? Everyday Ways to Build Savoury Flavour
Updated: 7 days ago
Umami is the savoury taste you recognise in a good broth, mushrooms, ripe tomatoes or aged cheese. Alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter, it is one of the five basic tastes.
What gives food umami?
Free glutamate is a key source of umami taste. Other compounds, including the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate, can strengthen the umami sensation when combined with glutamate.
That is why combining ingredients can create a different result from using just one. The flavour also depends on aroma, texture, salt, acidity and the balance of the dish.
Everyday ingredients to try
Mushrooms: Sauté or roast them for a savoury addition to pasta, rice and vegetables.
Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes, tomato paste or sun dried tomatoes to add savoury depth and acidity.
Fermented ingredients: Miso and soy sauce bring umami along with salt and their own aromas. Add gradually and taste.
Aged cheese: A little grated cheese can bring savoury flavour to pasta, soups and vegetables.
How UmamiBee fits into your cooking
Dish Lifter brings slowly roasted aromatics and traditionally fermented ingredients together in a cooking paste. Stir it into mince, rice, soup or a marinade.
Sarsa is a fermented mushroom sauce for cooking, dipping and drizzling. Its sweet, savoury and tangy character works with salads, burgers, noodles and roast dinners.
Balance the whole dish
Add a little at a time. Taste before adding more salt, because many umami ingredients are already salty.
A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar can brighten a rich dish. Fresh herbs and crisp vegetables bring contrast in aroma and texture.
Umami is not a dietary claim
An ingredient can taste savoury and still contain significant sodium. Check labels and portion sizes if you are choosing products for a particular dietary need.
Try one small change in a familiar recipe and notice what it does. Building flavour gets easier when you taste as you go.
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