Umami Sauce 2.0
No need to reach for the soy sauce when you have a batch of this on hand. Umami Sauce 2.0 can be used to boost the flavor of sautés or stir-fries without adding the sodium of salt or soy sauce. Umami is one of the five basic tastes, though many are only learning about it now. The word was created by a Japanese chemist named Kikunae Ikeda from umai, which means "delicious," and mi, which means "taste."
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vegetable Broth 2.0
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1½ tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt-free tomato paste*
- ½ teaspoon ground pippali or black pepper
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the Vegetable Broth 2.0 over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, then simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the molasses, tomato paste, and pippali, and bring just to a boil.
- Blend together the white miso paste and hot water.
- Lower the heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, then stir in the miso mixture, vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir well. Taste to adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Allow the sauce to cool before transferring to a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Alternatively, pour the cooled sauce into an ice cube tray and freeze into individual portions.
Notes
*TIP: The remaining tomato paste can be frozen in teaspoon or tablespoon portions for future use.