When it comes to taste trends, savoury is the new sweet. (But we could have told you that three years ago!)
Why? Our tongues have taste receptors for five basic flavours: sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami.
And while humans are born with a preference for sweet tastes, the health problems associated with indulging a sugary-tooth seem to be turning the trend tides on sweet flavours in favour of savoury. (Hello Cheddar-flavoured yoghurt!)
Here are our suggestions for cooking with savoury flavours in the most delicious and nutritious ways possible.
1. Salty flavours.
Salt is the most common ingredient in savoury cooking. In many cases, different types of salts are used to elevate a dish by enhancing the other flavours.
This tart is a prime example, with the addition of salt bringing the other ingredients – coconut, cardamom and vanilla – to life.
Cardamom + Sea Salt Chocolate Ganache Tart
2. Sour flavours.
While tastes that make us scrunch up our noses might not be as popular as others, sour flavours are important for adding oomph to a dish and can also help tame spiciness.
Fermented foods that are great for your gut health fall into the sour flavour pile. Find them them in pickles, ferments, kombucha or this recipe for kimchi.
3. Bitter flavours.
Bitter flavours are often combined with others to provide depth and dimension in a dish. Although sugar is a common partner, using salt as a balance to bitterness is just as effective.
When it comes to your health, bitter is better. Research indicates that unlike sweet foods which can cause blood sugar, insulin and hunger to soar and slip, bitter foods play a role in moderating hunger and blood sugar levels. Bitterness is also said to stimulate bile production, which emulsifies fats and makes the nutrients in fats more available to the body.
Introduce your tastebuds to a more bitter bite by trying rocket, swiss chard or endive. Or this recipe for a salad featuring both radicchio and blue cheese.
5-Minute Fig, Radicchio + Blue Cheese Salad
4. Umami flavours.
From the Japanese word for “pleasant savoury taste”, umami adds a rich meatiness to dishes. Perhaps that’s why this is the flavour we crave most when we’re hungry.
Find it in tamari, bacon, seaweed, miso and vegemite. These Parmesan-flavoured chips are also delicious.
Basil & Parmesan Polenta Chips
5. Sweet flavours.
While we encourage a savoury state of mind, you don’t have to give up your sweet tooth entirely. We do suggest you fuel it with fructose-free sweets like these veggie-based brownies instead.
Do you have a sweet or savoury tooth?
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