What is Umami?

Years ago when I first left Thermomix and started my own food business I was very much into creating ideas and recipes that were unique and reduced the family intake of food additives to a minimum. (I still do like powdered ranch dressing mix having said that!)

Anyway, a natural progression from all that was the discovery of a umami paste that would enhance anything it was added to. Like a natural MSG if you like, it is high in glutamate rich foods.

Umami has been described as a meaty or savoury taste generally associated with meat or fermented foods. Umami has a mild but lasting aftertaste associated with salivation and a sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth. By itself, umami is not palatable, but it makes a great variety of foods pleasant, especially in the presence of a matching aroma. Like other basic tastes, umami is pleasant only within a relatively narrow concentration range.

I have found that adding a small block of Umami Paste to most savoury dishes will certainly enhance the depth of flavour and can even act as a saver to a bland dish. It just has that little hit of whatever is missing in your recipes.

To create an umami paste I looked at a list of the glutamate content in common foods then worked out a combo that would probably taste ok together. I have to say I don't like it on it's own but loads of people eat it like a dip!

So get organised and get your glutamate tastebuds tingling naturally with some Umami Paste in your next dish!