Umami

Umami, the fifth taste, has been getting a lot of press. Scientists says it's a real taste, via NPR.

To understand the taste of umami, imagine a perfectly dressed Caesar salad, redolent of Parmesan cheese, minced anchovies and Worcestershire sauce; or slurping chicken soup; or biting into a slice of pepperoni-and-mushroom pizza. The savory taste of these foods, and the full, tongue-coating sensation they provide, is umami, via WSJ.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was developed from kombu in Japan last century - and umami seasoning made its way onto the tables of Japenese kitchens, via NPR. The seasoning got a bad rap because MSG was used to make lousy processed food taste like something: Umami. Some allege that it causes headaches, heart palpitations and nausea. And, for many, it's still synonomous with crappy Chinese fast food:

I see there are many secrets to Chinese cooking, and these days MSG isn’t one of them, via tP.

But stirfries without bonita, kombu or fish sauce won't have the same umami-ness. Some other non-MSG sources include ketchup (originally derived from fermented fish), uni, and Duckfat's fries, via T&L.