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It’s the intriguing “fifth taste” prized by Asian cooks for centuries. And now—finally—chefs in this country are catching on to this savory sensation.

For too many years, it seemed impossible to imagine. Was there any culinary subject left unexplored? Although cookbook sections in bookstores continued to expand, increasingly the topics seemed the same: easy entertaining, simple suppers, 30-minute meals, even three-ingredient entrees.

That’s the problem the husband-and-wife team of David and Anna Kasabian faced a couple of years ago. David, a recent culinary school graduate, and Anna, a journalist, wanted to compile a new cookbook, but couldn’t find anything fresh. “There were 42 books on plums,” says Anna. “We were stuck.” Then David suggested a book on umami.

If you haven’t heard of umami, you’re not alone. But with their new cookbook, The Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umami, the Kasabians are hoping to change all that. When they first typed the word “umami” into Google, there were just 30,000 hits. Today, there are 453,000.

Umami is a taste, not a flavor. It’s known as the “fifth taste,” that meaty, savory something you love when you chow down on a juicy steak, sautéed Portobello mushrooms or marinated sundried tomatoes. And like its siblings—sweet, salty, bitter and sour—it evolved as a survival device. Our primitive ancestors, the Kasabians explain, used taste as a guide to nutrition. Their instincts told them to like sweet because it represented the carbohydrates they needed for energy, while they craved salt for minerals and water retention. Bitter and sour were rejected because they stood for something poisonous or past its prime. And umami? “It’s the taste of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. We have a taste for them because we need them in our diet,” says David.

So why have you never heard of it? Umami has long been accepted in Asia—in fact, the word is Japanese for “savory.” However, unlike sweet and salty, umami was never “proven” to exist by Western scientists. For thousands of years the Chinese acknowledged five basic tastes—and Indian yogis documented eight—but most people in the West couldn’t see what was in front of them. Finally, in 2000, a group of University of Miami researchers isolated a tastebud that responded to umami. “Once that happened,” says David, “people started to pay attention.”

Some foods have basic umami; that is, they’re rich in amino acids and have that oomph even when raw. Other foods, such as beef, must be cooked to release the taste. That’s why the tougher cuts of beef that need long cooking, such as brisket, shanks and chuck, are the richest cuts. It’s also why dry-aged steaks, which have had time to break down, are more full-flavored.

Of course, chefs and foodies have instinctively understood umami forever. That’s the reason, even if they didn’t know why, they paired corn and tomatoes (both umami-packed ingredients), added anchovies for depth or mixed in a drop of fermented Asian fish sauce to just about anything that needed a little zip.

And so, once again, it turns out that even a seemingly novel concept isn’t so new after all. Never mind; it’s delicious.

Get the flavor

These five ingredients will turn up the umami…

Soy Sauce Great for marinades, sauces and dressings. The Kasabians recommend “naturally brewed” soy sauce.

Worcestershire Sauce Like soy sauce, but with a fruitier, meatier flavor. Be careful, as too much can add bitterness.

Asian Fish Sauce It’s not just for fish. A small amount (one tablespoon per quart) will add a kick to sauces, marinades and dressings.

Parmigiano Reggiano Our favorite Italian cheese is packed with umami. Grate over pasta, potatoes or hors d’oeuvres. The rind adds pungency when simmered in soups or sauces.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms Dried mushrooms contain more umami than fresh ones. Reconstitute in warm water for 15 minutes, then strain. Use both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid in your cooking.

Words by Jane Black

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