What is Umami ?

Umami is one of the five basic flavors. There used to be only 4 basic flavors, sweet, sour, bitter and salty and a new basic flavor umami was found about a hundred years ago. Umami is created by three acids, glutamic acid, inosinic acid and guanylic acid. Each acid creates umami by itself but combining two boosts up umami more than double. Bonito flakes which is full of glutamic acid and kombu seaweed which is full of inosinic acid are used to make Japanese fish broth Dashi and this is why miso soup tastes so good. Umami is a Japanese word because it was discovered by a Japanese professor. It's often translated savory flavor, rich taste or meaty flavor but if I translate it into English literary, it means yummy-ness. So sweet, sour, bitter, salty and yummy 😋!