Umami Bomb Salt
Umami, if you haven’t heard of it already, is one of the five basic flavours that we can taste. It gives savoury foods depth, richness and meatiness. I love making my own umami salt, as I can control the levels of saltiness, sweetness and add other flavourings.
So, what is umami? To give a brief overview, umami is one of the five basic tastes that we are capable of perceiving. It is the essence of savouriness and meatiness, with its flavour coming from amino acids present in meats, seafood and seaweeds. You can also find these amino acids in mushrooms, cheeses, and fermented foods.
Umami is also the key flavour profile of MSG, or monosodium glutamate (originally derived from kombu or kelp, a type of seaweed). The addition of umami-rich foods adds depth of flavour, richness and intensity to savoury dishes, and sometimes to sweet dishes too (think miso caramel)!
I love this umami salt recipe, as unlike premade umami salts it is customisable and seriously, seriously packed with flavour! Add it to anything you can imagine will benefit from a burst of umami goodness. It’s furikake meets everything bagel seasoning, so give it a bash on rice, pasta or avo toast!
This lovely little recipe comprises only 6 basic ingredients and takes <30 minutes to throw together.
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photo #theculinarycartel on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Happy cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use shallots?
Shallots are easy to cut into fine slices or cubes compared to full-sized onions. If you can’t find shallots, finely slice half of a white or brown onion.
Why toss the onions and garlic in flour?
The onions and garlic will burn without the coating of flour, so don’t skip this step. Use gluten-free flour if you are GF.
Can I make this vegan?
You can indeed. Simply substitute your favourite granulated vegan sweetener such as unrefined or coconut sugar.
Umami Bomb Salt
- Total Time: 20 Minutes
- Yield: 1 Small Jar of Salt
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Umami, if you haven’t heard of it already, is one of the five basic flavours that we can taste. Umami gives savoury foods depth, richness and meatiness. I love making my own umami salt, as I can control the levels of saltiness, and sweetness and add other flavourings.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 banana shallot, approximately 30g, 1/4 cup
- 8g (2 small packets) crispy seaweed snacks/toasted nori, shredded into small pieces
- flour, to coat
- 1 –1.5 tsp salt (use less if your seaweed snacks are already salted)
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Slice the shallots and garlic finely and toss lightly in flour to coat.
- Spritz lightly with oil and cook the shallots and garlic in the air fryer at 120C for 20 minutes.
- Mix together the salt, sugar, and chilli flakes, along with the baked garlic and onion.
- Grind in a pestle and mortar until fine, about the same size as the sesame seeds,
- Add the sesame seeds and shredded seaweed/nori. Mix to combine, and enjoy.
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
