Objectives: | To understand the characteristics of umami taste by tasting various ingredients. |
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Tasting Utensils: |
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**The Umami Information Center uses multicolor stickers to mark each sample.
Tasting plate of cherry tomato
and cheese
Tasting plate of dashi
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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Cherry tomatoes are available all year around and versatile in most of countries. In this context, they are one of the most efficient ingredients with which to experience umami.
(For more information on tomatoes →)
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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Parmesan cheese is an Italian hard cheese. Please choose cheese that has aged for 24 to 36 months. For more information on cheese →
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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Dry cured ham is one of the most umami-rich ingredients. For more information on dry cured ham, please refer our website at →
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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To compare umami in different aging periods, we use a semi-hard type cheese such as Cheddar, Compte or Mimorette made of the same ingredients by the same producers. Please prepare two types of the same cheese; young (3 - 6 months) and aged (from 12-18 months and more).
What did you discover in this tasting?
With ripening cheese loses water becoming harder and saltier. As a result, cheese flavor is stronger and more complex. In addition, don’t you taste a stronger umami?
If you are not sure, we recommend you taste the younger one again to make sure you detect the difference between the two cheeses. Aging causes protein in cheese to break down into amino acids even further increasing the content of glutamate, one of the umami substances.
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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Kombu is harvested in Hokkaido and part of the Tohoku region in Japan. The shape, taste quality and umami strength vary by origin. Kombu is one of the most glutamate rich ingredients. Glutamate is one of the umami substances. (For more information on kombu →) The Umami Information Center prepares kombu dashi in two ways: the preparation method for heated kombu dashi and soaked kombu dashi. The recipe to make each type of dashi is explained below.
A-1 Preparation method for heated kombu dashi
(for Rishiri Kombu)
The Umami Information Center prepares kombu dashi for umami tasting by the method indicated below. The amount of glutamate extracted will increase by around 30% compared to a conventional method using same ingredients.
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
Note:
Please ensure the water temperature does not exceed 60℃, otherwise, the dashi will be slimy.
A-2 Preparation method for heated kombu dashi
(for Ma-kombu, Rausu-kombu, Hidaka-kombu and other kinds of kombu except for Rishiri-kombu)
The method mentioned above (A-1) is suitable for Rishiri Kombu. In the case of using Ma-kombu or Hidaka -kombu and other varieties, please refer to the conventional method below.
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
How to prepare dashi using a thermos
Using this method, you can obtain umami rich kombu dashi easily.
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
Pour the water and kombu into a container such as a cooking bowl or glass jar and leave overnight in a refrigerator.
Some people experience the smell of the sea which they find unpleasant.
How to prepare dashi using a thermos
With a thermos, you can prepare kombu dashi for umami tasting.
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
How to Taste
Umami Substances : | Inosinate |
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The taste and flavor of Katsuobushi vary depending on the part of the body (back part, stomach part, half body) used, whether it is with or without chiai, the red bloody muscle part, and with or without the molding process even if the same bonito fish is used. In addition, shaving styles differ. There are basically two methods: Atsukezuri, thick shavings for long cooking times and Usukezuri, thin shavings for short cooking times to expand surface area. The Umami Information Center chooses Hon karebushi (*) without chiai, thinly shaved aiming to yield more inosinate rich and less fishy flavored dashi. (For more information on Katsuobushi →)
*Hon karebushi : This type has undergone the entire process including molding.
How to Prepare
Ingredients: |
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content. |
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Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
Note:
*Using two strainers and placing a sheet of kitchen paper in between will help the bonito flakes to mix into the dashi.
*Using a thermos pot, you can serve the dashi at a good temperature.
How to Taste
Umami Substances : | Inosinate |
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Niboshi are small fish that are boiled and then dried. There is no specific “niboshi” fish - rather, the types of fish used to make niboshi vary, with each lending a different flavor to the cooking into which it is incorporated. The most popular use for niboshi dashi in Japan is in the miso soup eaten at home, traditionally as part of every meal. Let’s taste niboshi dashi to expand your umami dashi experience. We reheat soaked niboshi dashi to lessen the fish flavor and maximize its umami. Not only inosinate comes from fish but amino acid is felt in this dashi and you feel strong umami.
Ingredients:
*The stomach and head of niboshi often carry a bitter flavor. That is why it is best to remove them.
**The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
*Before straining, put cooking paper between the two strainers. That helps to make clear dashi without fish pieces.
*Using a thermos pot, you can serve the dashi at a good temperature.
How to Taste
Umami Substances : | Guanylate |
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Here, let’s try dashi made of dried shiitake mushroom which is crucial for shojin, vegetarian cuisine. Shojin dashi, vegetable dashi is a fish free stock that can be used in any vegetarian dish. It is most commonly associated with Buddhist cuisine, playing an important role in the food served at religious ceremonies or events. It can be made from a great variety of dried vegetables, but the most popular combination is dried shiitake and kombu. It has a slightly sweeter taste than fish based dashi. The umami substance of dried shiitake mushrooms is glutamate and guanylate. For more information on shiitake mushrooms, →
The preparation shown below adopts the method for obtaining a dashi rich in guanylate. Dried shiitake mushroom contains two types of enzymes: one generates guanylate and the other breaks down guanylate. They activate in different temperature zones. Our method makes use of this theory. The Umami Information Center presents two types of dried shiitake mushroom dashi: Simply soaked and soaked dashi that has been reheated. The soaked dashi imparts other tastes beside umami and has an astringent and bitter taste. Reheated dashi minimizes the astringent taste and increases the umami taste.
How to Prepare
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
How to Taste
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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Here, we present a preparation method using only vegetables. This recipe was originaly created by the Umami Information Center for umami tasting. The umami substance of this bouillon is glutamate. The key points of this bouillon are a short cooking time at a low temperature and low salt seasoning.
How to Prepare
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
Note:
● Please use only the stems of broccoli, celery and parsley since the remaining parts have a strong flavor and impart a bitter taste to the bouillon.
Use a thermos
With a thermos, you can prepare vegetable bouillon for umami tasting.
How to Prepare
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
How to Taste
Umami Substances : | Inosinate |
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This is a light tasting bouillon made of chicken breast meat and water. The main umami substance of the bouillon is inosinate.We add a small amount of salt (0.3% of the bouillon) before serving.
How to Prepare
Ingredients:
*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
How to Taste
Umami Substances : | Glutamate |
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Inosinate | |
Guanylate |
Without Japanese origin ingredients such as kombu or katsuobushi, by utilizing synergistic effect and combining other ingredients, you can obtain tasty dashi. For example, dashi made from ingredients which are available in Western countries such as dried tomatoes and dried morel, could be used for Japanese dishes such as osuimono, clear coup and chawan mushi, salty egg custard. This recipe was originally created by Chef Yoshihiro Murata, the owner of kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto.(Please look at the recipe in “Umami Lecture in Fukuoka”→)
How to Prepare
Ingredients:
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*The Umami Information Center uses soft water with low mineral content.
Preparation:
How to Taste