UMAMI

Often referred to as “the 5th taste”, umami literally means “delicious flavor” and it’s a little more subtle than its sweet, sour, salty and bitter counterparts. If you’re not sure what it is, imagine the deep savoriness of mushrooms, meat, tomatoes, and cheese. Once you become familiar with umami, it almost feels like meeting a stranger you’ve always known.

Foods from all over the world contain umami-richness like parmesan cheese from Italy or fermented fish pastes from Asia. The recent invention of the Umami Burger in the U.S. has also gathered quite a following. Obviously, umami is no stranger to the food city of Japan. Osaka has been known as “The Nation’s Kitchen” since the Edo Period (for over 300 years). Historically, Osaka was in a prime position for obtaining the freshest ingredients from all over Japan because of its central location and large port. Of course fresh ingredients are key to preparing good food, but when it comes to umami- the secret is in the broth!

The first discovered source of umami was “konbu dashi” or kelp broth. And a surprising amount of the flavor that is hiding in Japanese cuisine is actually added with dashi. You’re probably aware of the broth pooled around your udon noodles and maybe that “nimono” boiled dishes are cooked with dashi. But did you know that Osaka’s specialty dishes, okonomiyaki and takoyaki, have added dashi in the batter leading to maximum umami?

Japanese chefs have a deep understanding of the art of umami and Osakan chefs are credited for making “Awase dashi”, which beautifully pairs the flavors of bonito and kelp. They are experts at extracting flavor from all kinds of food like seaweeds, fish, meats, mushrooms, and other vegetables only to infuse them into other dishes for an ultimately flavorful experience. No matter what you eat in Osaka, it’s sure to be good!

Bowls of umami coupled with the renowned friendliness of locals and you’ve got yourself a great recipe for a comfort. Osaka feels a lot like a stranger you’ve always known.

Cook in Osaka Sa shi su se so

Practice making and tasting your own dashi, the basis for Japanese cooking. Then use your dashi to make okonomiyaki and takoyaki!