Month: January 2013

There are 5 fundamental taste receptors in human gestation including sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness and umami. Umami is often translated as a savory flavor and its unique characteristic is synergetic effect when used with other ingredients, bumping up the umami drastically.

Japanese chefs have known this fact long ago before umami was discovered from their experience and utilized umami in their cooking. Knowing that this savory taste were distinct from other 4 fundamental tastes and used this synergistic effect from the experience when using food filled with glutamic acid such as kombu seaweed with other umami ingredients will increase the taste. That is because Japanese food is to extract ingredients taste using ingredients such as kombu seaweed. Therefore, Japanese dashi stock using kombu and bonito was invented from the experience.

4 years ago, mechanism of taste synergy effect was discovered. Receptor of Umami, shaped like venus fly trap bind close to the hinge region bind to an adjacent site when glutamic acid is together and stabilizing it. When stabilized, glutamic acid is able to stay in the receptor, increasing umami in the gestation.

venus fly trap / BotheredByBees

When umami is added, meal become more palatable with savory flavor, making the food taste the way they taste like. With little bit of work and ingredients, it will make your dish multiple times better and healthier for low sodium. Utilize umami and add healthy delicious meal.

osechi year 2010 / nAok0

In Japanese culture you will see many occasions using puns to be a good omen. Especially on New Year, the most important holiday of all in Japan, uses many puns in a hope for a better and healthy life for their family members by eating special meal called osechi.

Osechi is served in special boxes　that are just like layered bento boxes and consumed through out the new year celebration. On the New Year, there is a belief that toshigami, the New Year God will visit your house and fire was considered holy and avoids using them as much as they could. Only exception is the mochi soup called ozouni, to be eaten with New Year god. Thus, Osechi is composed food that is meant to serve cold. However, since Osechi is enjoyed thorough out New Years, Osechi is prepared to last long. Among all ingredients that are used on osechi, kombu is one of most utilized product, including boiled kombu seaweed, to flavoring with dashi stock.

Osechi originally imported from china as a food for cerebration on 700AD. Then Osechi became meal to celebrate New Year. As I stated earlier, each ingredients used in osechi has special meaning hoping for better coming year. Those foods listed below.

Simmered kombu roll (kombu maki) – kombu symbolizes happiness as Japanse word for happiness is yorokobu associate with kombu. Kombu is used in osechi in many forms and dishes

Sweet mashed potato made with chestnuts (kuri-kinton) – associated with fortune as the color reminds gold. Chestnut can be grown in all regions and is used for good fortune.

Red and white fishkcake (kamaboko) – fish cake symbolizes sunrise and must have item for osechi. Sunrise has special meaning as it depicted on national flag. Moreover red symbolize happiness and white symbolizes holiness and purity.

Black beans (kuro-mame) – beans represents health and rugged and must have item for osechi

Herring roe – as herring reproduce thousands of eggs, it symbolizes fertility.

Shrimp – as they have long beard and curved back reminds of aged men and symbolizes longevity

Burdock – thin and long plant that roots in underground is thought to be the role model life and used in many osechi foods.

Lotus roots – hole in the lotus roots let you see through the future.

Osechi put meaning on the dish into important consideration and many of them consume lots of time and effort. lots of house wives spend new years eve, preparing for the new year to have a joyful New Year with the family and relatives