What is This ‘Umami’ You Speak Of?

So, everything I’ve learned about cooking is either self taught, or from my father and mother.  But my Mommy never told me anything about Umami.  Well now there’s a cookbook.

 

This cookbook has recipes that enhance your ‘Umami’ experience.  It’s available on Amazon if you’re interested.

But let’s discuss.

Umami in Japanese cooking is described as ‘the 5th taste’.  You know the more popular tastes dont you?

Sweet

Sour

Salty

Bitter

Well, we need to make room for taste number 5. 

I’m trying to wrap my culinary mind around this taste.  And have I tasted it before and subconciously decided that the taste belonged in one of the other, better known tastes?  Do I really know my own taste buds?  And if I do…how come I needed to do some research and watch commercials to learn about ‘Umami’?  Shouldn’t I have KNOWN this taste before someone told me I had it?

Oh, the power of wanting to be in the culinary know. 

How impressed will my 70 something year old parents be when I call them and tell them that they actually have a 5th taste in their mouths.  Not very. 

Umami (literally translates to taste) is supposed to be the taste we taste when we consume foods such as soy sauce, fish sauce, beef, sweet potatoes, and parmesan cheese.  Oh…and human breast milk.

Just to name a few.

And now we now have ‘Taste no. 5′ Umami Paste.  (think Chanel No 5 of food additives)

According to the Daily Mail Online Umami was discovered in 1908 when Tokyo chemist Kikunae Ikeda identified it as a flavor that was present in foods high in glutamate.   This led him to crystallise monosodium glutamate (MSG).  Then in 2000 researchers at the University of Miami discovered the tongue had taste receptors dedicated to sensing glutamate, which signals the presence of proteins in food that the body needs.

Well, I know you’re grabbing your pedal pushers and about to run out the door to snag this ‘taste’, but unfortunately it’s only being sold in the UK right now.  Or so I’m told. 

Since we don’t go to the store to buy the other ‘tastes’, then why would we need to go to the store to buy this one?  I mean, do we go to Walmart and ask what isle the ‘sweet’ is in.  Or ‘Excuse me, where do I find the tubes of ‘sour”?  But for some reason, we should be chomping at the bit to run out and buy ‘Umami’. 

S0meone please explain this to me.

I guess I’ll have to go with my natural ‘umami’ until I’m lucky enough to be suckered into buying it.

 

Tori no kara-age

Ok.  That’s a pretty fancy name.  It’s just Chicken Nuggets.

But these are no ordinary nuggets.  These are little pieces of heaven Japanese Chicken Nuggets!  That means that whenever I know I’m gonna be eating them or making them, my tummy does the happy dance.

Nope…the Golden Arches have nothin’ on these chicken nuggets!!

Serves 2

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces ( To change it up a little, I usually use one thigh and one breast)

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp grated ginger

1 clove garlic, grated

2 tsp soy sauce

1 lemon, halved

2 tbsp wheat flour

2 tbsp cornstarch

Oil for deep frying

Directions

Mix together the egg, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and the juice from 1/2 a lemon in a medium sized bowl.  Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and toss to coat.  Let the chicken marinate for about 1/2 an hour.

Meanwhile, mix together the flour and cornstarch.

Heat the oil in your wok, or heavy bottomed skillet.

After the chicken has marinated, remove from the liquid and let the excess drain off.

Toss the chicken in the flour mixture to coat.  Deep fry in the oil until golden brown.

After cooking is complete and the chicken is removed from the oil, squeeze the other half of the lemon over top the chicken.

print this recipe here

 

Gyoza

As I’m sure you can tell…I love all kinds of foods.  I’ve been lucky enough to have traveled outside the U.S. in my younger years, and during my adult life I’ve made friends with quite a few people of many different nationalities. 

These potstickers origininated in China, but have become widely popular in Japanese cuisine.  They are time consuming, but I’m the type of person that actually enjoys cooking.    Gyoza have always been one of my favorite things to eat.  Everytime I’m at a Japanese restaurant, they’re are always part of my meal.  

Having the ability to make these, as well as other well known Japanese dishes is truly a bonus.  With this Gyoza recipe, you can tweek this pretty much any way you’d like.  I’ve added minced shrimp, beef, and have even had them vegetarian style. 

 

10 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 cups cabbage, minced

1/4 cup green onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced 

(fyi…obviously all the mincing  goes alot quicker if you use a food processor)

1/2 lb ground pork

2-3 shakes of soy sauce

Vegetable oil

1 pkg Gyoza wrappers (you can use wonton if you can’t locate Gyoza)

Water or Beef Broth

Directions

 

In a large bowl, add the sesame oil, cabbage, green onion, garlic, ginger, pork, and soy sauce until well incorporated. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium highg heat. 

Lay the Gyoza wrapper on a flat clean surface, and place approximately 1 tbsp of the mixture in the center of the wrapper.   Wet one half of the wrapper with moistened finger tips, and then fold over.  (It should look like a half circle)  Crimp the edges about 5 times.  (See the pictures I’ve posted to see how they should look).  Repeat this process until all the mixture and wrappers are processed.

Add a few Gyoza to the hot oil (do not overcrowd the pan) and cook for approximately 1 minute or until nicely browned.  Increase the heat to high, and add enough water (or beef broth) to the wok to until the liquid is about half the height of the dumplings.  Cover immediately and steam until the liquid has evaporated. 

Remove and repeat the process until all dumplings are cooked. 

Enjoy with Gyoza dipping sauce.

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Gyoza Dipping Sauce

(adjust to you’re personal taste.  This can be a little spicy)

Soy Sauce

Sesame Chili Oil

Dash of vinegar

minced garlic

print this recipe here