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What is umami?
Umami means savoriness and is known as the fifth taste. Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, & Savoriness (aka umami). The flavor of umami is from several amino acids combined which are usually found in meats & cheeses. But you can find these flavors in things like miso paste, soy sauce, seaweed, & even cooked tomatoes. It is a secret flavor that just makes people think "wow this dish is incredible". Its my favorite addition to making all different dishes but it is widely tasted in Asian cuisine.
Last night I was having our cousin over for dinner & I figured why not try to do Chinese food (because who doesn't like Chinese food!!?). I knew it would be much healthier if I took the time to create these dishes at home! I wanted us to be full but didn't want to be overloaded. It was perfect because I was in control of what went in the food! I was able to cook with less oil, no MSG, and I had control over the sodium level.
Dinner was Veggie Lo mein, baby corn & snow pea stir-fly, & lotus root chips. It was all so delicious!
It was excited to go to the Asain market because I get ingredients I don't usually cook with. If you have never been you should find one near you! They have so many exotic things I can honestly get so carried away just reading the different produce & products. They have the best veriety of mushrooms! It is hard for me not to overdo it. I walk around reading the labels of product but since my kitchen is kosher, I am limited of what products I can buy. It makes it more fun to walk around though! I might just find the kosher symbol on something like the Lo mein Twin Marquis noodles I found (the lo mein noodle isn't vegan but they have other noodles which are. The recipe would be fine with any other of their noodles)!
I encourage you to go shop at the Asian market near you
& try making dishes with the exotic things you find.
Scroll down below to see recipe for Snow Pea & Baby Corn Stir-fry
Here are the link for Lo Mein & Lotus Root Chips.
Snow Pea & Baby Corn Stir-fry
Vegan
Ingredients:
1 Fennel Bulb
1 Package of Snow Peas
1 Package of Baby Corn ( I used raw but you can used 1 can)
3 leaves Purple Cabbage
1/4 Cup water
2 Tbsp Yakitori Sauce ( I used Chef Myrons. You can also use teriyaki sauce instead)
1 tsp Sesame Oil
Pinch of Sea Salt
Directions:
Cut the fennel into small cubes.
Heat a medium skillet with a little Avocado oil & saute the fennel until soft. Add in water slowly if needed. Thinly slice cabbage into strips. Then add in snow peas, baby corn, & cabbage. Pour in yakitori sauce. Cover for about 10 minutes on low heat. Add more water if needed. Mix constantly until veggies are tender. Pour sesame oil over the dish once you have turned off the flame. Top with a pinch of sea salt.