What to serve at a umami show and tell?
May 8, 2015 1:08 AM Subscribe
I'm giving a presentation about umami for my fellow students in a foreign language course. There are no cooking facilities in the classroom. What kind of dishes could I prepare beforehand, and what could I make on the spot?
I'll be making dashi, using a french press & a thermos of hot water, and bringing some parmesan cookies, and a lot of umami staples: kombu, katsuobushi, dried & pickled shiitake, jamon, fish sauce, soy sauce, etc.
I'll also be bringing some MSG. How could I demonstrate the effects of MSG on taste? I've done this at home, before, using fried bell peppers with & without MSG - the difference was very clear.
I'll be making dashi, using a french press & a thermos of hot water, and bringing some parmesan cookies, and a lot of umami staples: kombu, katsuobushi, dried & pickled shiitake, jamon, fish sauce, soy sauce, etc.
I'll also be bringing some MSG. How could I demonstrate the effects of MSG on taste? I've done this at home, before, using fried bell peppers with & without MSG - the difference was very clear.
Kimchi has umami and could be prepared beforehand, or store bought. Ketchup as a common and everyday example.
My partner and I often use applewood smoked salt when we need to add not just seasoning, but actual umami to a dish. It changes everything.
Similar to the applewood smoked salt, adding MSG tends to "perk up" a dish in need of seasoning; you could add it to anything that is initially bland or semi-bland like scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, vegetables lightly sauteed in oil.
Also, if you're doing dashi, I'd bring miso soup or just plain miso paste since dashi and miso go hand in hand.
posted by nightrecordings at 3:25 AM on May 8, 2015
My partner and I often use applewood smoked salt when we need to add not just seasoning, but actual umami to a dish. It changes everything.
Similar to the applewood smoked salt, adding MSG tends to "perk up" a dish in need of seasoning; you could add it to anything that is initially bland or semi-bland like scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, vegetables lightly sauteed in oil.
Also, if you're doing dashi, I'd bring miso soup or just plain miso paste since dashi and miso go hand in hand.
posted by nightrecordings at 3:25 AM on May 8, 2015
How about normal mayonnaise vs Kewpie?
posted by hawthorne at 4:45 AM on May 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by hawthorne at 4:45 AM on May 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
Just a simple demo of a little msg dissolved in water would give an idea of the taste of MSG and then move on to its effect on food. Just an idea. Sounds fun!
posted by alchemist at 5:22 AM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by alchemist at 5:22 AM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Make two batches of chicken bouillon from msg-free cubes. Add msg to one batch. I can taste the difference in my imagination!
Also if they've never tried Doritos, those things are full of the stuff.
posted by STFUDonnie at 6:57 AM on May 8, 2015
Also if they've never tried Doritos, those things are full of the stuff.
posted by STFUDonnie at 6:57 AM on May 8, 2015
Came to recommend Vegemite sandwiches for the Umami part, if you've never had it or Marmite it's taste is very close to salty soy sauce umami wise. Serve on white bread with lots of butter if you can't make hot toast.
Could you oven roast the bell peppers, remove the skin & then use them as a delivery for MSG. They are tasty cold that way, actually cold fried bell peppers taste fine too.
posted by wwax at 8:12 AM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Could you oven roast the bell peppers, remove the skin & then use them as a delivery for MSG. They are tasty cold that way, actually cold fried bell peppers taste fine too.
posted by wwax at 8:12 AM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sliced tomatoes. Eat one slice naked, eat the other with shaved parmagiano on it. Massive difference. (Aged cheeses are high in glutamates; not just Asian ingredients).
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:50 AM on May 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:50 AM on May 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
I love marmite and peanut butter on toast; for this situation, how about on saltines. Stuffed mushrooms. Bake beforehand; they're good at room temp.
posted by theora55 at 9:28 AM on May 8, 2015
posted by theora55 at 9:28 AM on May 8, 2015
Response by poster: Excellent suggestions, everyone, thank you. Excited about the Marmite, Vegemite & Kewpie - being from Beligum, I've never eaten those.
I made a fresh batch of kimchi and some chicken stock earlier this week, so those are definitely in, as are the stuffed mushrooms - I just realised that I usually make those with parmigiano, jamón ibérico and a dash of fish sauce, which is about as umami-laden as it gets.
posted by Siberian Mist at 10:44 AM on May 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
I made a fresh batch of kimchi and some chicken stock earlier this week, so those are definitely in, as are the stuffed mushrooms - I just realised that I usually make those with parmigiano, jamón ibérico and a dash of fish sauce, which is about as umami-laden as it gets.
posted by Siberian Mist at 10:44 AM on May 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
Nutritional yeast on popcorn is surprisingly great, and would be nice and portable.
posted by lhall at 1:20 PM on May 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by lhall at 1:20 PM on May 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
This dried olive and miso powder is easy to make and an amazing umami bomb.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:19 PM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:19 PM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, and not sure if you've given your presentation already, but doritos use MSG. You could compare them to other types of corn chips.
posted by capricorn at 5:29 AM on May 13, 2015
posted by capricorn at 5:29 AM on May 13, 2015
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posted by Halo in reverse at 2:47 AM on May 8, 2015 [1 favorite]