umami
oo-MAH-mee
/uˈmɑː.mi/
A category of taste in food (besides sweet, sour, salt, and bitter), corresponding to the flavor of glutamates.
Often described as 'savory' or 'meaty', umami is the sensation of depth and richness found in foods like soy sauce, aged cheese, and mushrooms.
The story behind the word. The term was coined by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. He realized that the savory taste of dashi broth didn't fit into the four known categories, so he named it after the Japanese word for 'deliciousness'.
Word relationships
- savory: Savory is the English equivalent, but umami specifically refers to the glutamate-driven taste.
Commonly confused with
- salty: Saltiness comes from sodium chloride; umami comes from amino acids like glutamate.
Collocations
- rich umami
- umami bomb
- savory umami
- umami flavor
Example sentences
- "Adding a dash of fish sauce provides a boost of umami that rounds out the entire dish." Explaining a cooking technique.
- "Kikunae Ikeda identified umami as a distinct taste in 1908 while studying the properties of kombu seaweed." Scientific discovery of the fifth taste. (Nature (Scientific Journal))
Memory hook
Umami starts with 'U'—think of it as the 'Ultimate' savory taste. Umami: The 'fifth element' of the tongue.
When not to use
Don't use it to describe simple saltiness; it is a distinct chemical sensation.
Fun facts
- Breast milk is actually very high in glutamates, making umami one of the first tastes humans experience.
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