Celebrate Belém’s anniversary with a special, different Tacacá recipe | Press

January 2019 – On the 12th, the city of Belém, capital of the state of Pará, turns 403. To mark the date, the Umami Committee—an organization responsible for promoting the fifth basic taste of the human palate in Brazil—presents a special recipe by Chef Shin Koike: Oriental Tacacá.

In this version, the dish gains a unique touch with ingredients from East Asian cuisine. “Shrimp, conger eel, and scallops are highly protein-rich and showcase umami very prominently,” explains Lisiane Miura, chef and nutritionist at the Umami Committee, referring to the fifth taste on the palate, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. “The result is very flavorful,” she adds.

Check out the method:

ORIENTAL TACACÁ

INGREDIENTS

• 1 L tucupi
• 1 onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 1 small bunch shungiku (edible chrysanthemum greens)
• 60 g desalted dried shrimp
• 8 pieces (about 5 cm each) conger eel
• 8 fresh shrimp
• 8 scallops
• 50 ml olive oil
• 60 ml Kirin sake
• 15 ml nam pla (fish sauce)

METHOD

Slice the onion and bell peppers into rings. Set aside. Quarter the cherry tomatoes and set aside. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, dried shrimp, and peppers; sauté until softened. Add the shungiku and cilantro. Stir in the tomatoes, then add the fish pieces, shrimp, and scallops, stirring gently. Pour in the sake, then add the tucupi and the fish sauce; simmer over low heat until all ingredients are cooked through. Serve immediately.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.