Umami- a.k.a. deliciousness

Umami was discovered by Mr. Kikunae Ikeda, a Japanese Scientist in 1908, joining sweet, sour, salty, bitter as the "fifth taste". There is no one perfect translation for Umami in English, but perhaps a combination of deliciousless, savoriness, ripeness and fullness. Yes, this is still very abstract. The best way to explain it is really to look at the food which is rich in umami, and try it for yourself!! The list goes like this: truffle, cured meats, stews, aged cheeses, kombu, soy sauce, marmite, vegemite, fish sauce...

When it comes to wine pairing, umami might cause some problems: too much will turn a wine into bitter and acidic. Sake, being fermented from rice, contains amino acids contributing to its own umami flavour- which will match certain food very well.

This is one of the reasons why sake is a great partner for almost all the cuisine in the world!

Stay tuned for more recipe that can best represent umami,