Umami Synergism

If you taste food rich in monosodium glutamate with either of the 5’-nucleotides (inosinate or guanylate), you will find the umami taste much stronger than if you consumed them separately. By themselves, the 5’-nucleotides don’t have as much umami taste compared to glutamate; you can use this property when selecting ingredients to make richer savory notes. Combine a seaweed like kombu or nori with shiitake mushrooms to create a stock or broth with a powerful note of savoriness. You can test this quickly for yourself when you sear the peppers in Blistered Shishito/Padrón Peppers with Bonito Flakes. Taste it first with the soy sauce and again after you sprinkle them with bonito flakes: the umami intensity will be more powerful.