Getting to Know Sate Ambal and Umami Flavor
Tauhid Nur Azhar
On a train journey, I remember taking the Lodaya Pagi train from Bandung station to Solo Balapan station, as usual, I immediately scrolled through the Rail Food menu on the Access app, and accidentally stumbled upon a new menu that I had never seen before. The menu that had never been on my previous train journeys, the menu was uniquely named: Sate Ambal from Keboemen, as written on the morning menu list. I didn’t even bother to correct the spelling of Keboemen, which still used the old spelling. Of course, I immediately ordered it, along with Mangut Lele Girli alias pinggir kali Kutoarjo and Bakmie Kadin Jogjakarta. If this train journey was the Argo Wilis heading to Surabaya Gubeng station, I would also order the Nasi Pecel Madiun Yu Gembrot, which would be picked up from Madiun station.
Sate Ambal from Keboemen was first introduced by Mr. Sabar Wiryo Taruno from Ambalresmi Village, Kebumen Regency. Initially, the satay was sold by carrying it around using a pikulan (a traditional carrying pole). Until now, it has become an icon of Kebumen, similar to the history of Nasi Gandul Pati, which originated from Gajah Mati Village, Pati City.
Sate Ambal has a special feature because the meat is marinated using 12 basic spices of Javanese cuisine. The liquid marinade that has mixed with the meat juice and undergone sitolysis is used as a dressing mixture, which is tempe that has been mashed.
No wonder the level of deliciousness of this satay is very high, because the content of umami molecules or amino acids in tempe and meat, which are rich in glutamate, are perfectly combined in the orchestra of tempe sauce that accompanies the caramelized meat that has been grilled over charcoal.
The caramelization reaction is a reaction that occurs due to the heating of sugar at a temperature above its melting point, which will result in a color change to dark brown or brown (Tranggono and Sutardi, 1989). The source of sugar can come from palm sugar or soy sauce, which has a saccharide chain due to fermentation.
The delicious taste of caramelized sugar will increase if there is a cross-reaction with several types of amino acids that are also heated. These amino acids come from meat and tempe. This reaction is known as the Maillard reaction, which occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars when heated together.
This reaction produces new compounds, known as Maillard reaction products (MRPs), which have unique colors and flavors.
The Maillard reaction is very important in the formation of flavor and color in various food products, such as grilling fish, satay, barbecue, steak, and also bread, including pastry products, of course.
The Maillard reaction occurs through three main stages, namely initial condensation, where the carbonyl group of carbohydrates condenses with amines.
Followed by the formation of Amadori products, where a series of reactions occur in which Amadori products react to form furfural, reductone, and degradation products.
The Maillard reaction itself occurs rapidly in alkaline conditions and in liquid form. At a water content of 13%, browning has already occurred. Soto and semur are examples of Maillard reactions in liquid conditions.
In addition to its unique color and aroma, which we often encounter in the process of ngabeuleum or grilling fish, satay, ketan/ulen, and huwi or ubi rambat, the Maillard reaction and caramelization seem to help increase sensitivity to umami sensations.
Umami, which is often associated with monosodium glutamate (MSG), is the fifth basic taste in food, in addition to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
In Japanese, umami means a savory and delicious taste. Umami is often described as the richness of meat and savory flavors that deepen the taste.
Umami can be obtained naturally from various food ingredients, such as:
- Broth (chicken, beef, pork, or fish), shellfish, shrimp, fish sauce, soy sauce, seaweed or nori, tomatoes, garlic, asparagus, mushrooms, miso, tauco, cheese, coconut milk, terasi, etc.
Umami was first scientifically identified in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda, a professor from Tokyo Imperial University. He observed that the taste of kombu dashi broth was different from sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, and named it umami.
As part of the chemical process in cooking that changed revolutionarily after the discovery of fire, optimizing umami has become an obsession for chefs.
Starting from the exploration of flavors in the kitchen corners of elite chefs who initiated the birth of a new community of food scientists in the field of gastronomy, in the late 1800s, Chef Auguste Escoffier, who opened a revolutionary restaurant in Paris, created dishes that combined umami sensations with salty, sour, sweet, and bitter tastes.
However, Escoffier did not know the source or chemical substance of this unique taste. Umami was only identified precisely in 1908 by scientist Kikunae Ikeda, a professor at Tokyo Imperial University.
Ikeda discovered that glutamate was the cause of the deliciousness of kombu dashi broth. Ikeda observed and noted that the taste of kombu dashi was different from sweet, sour, bitter, and salty and named it umami.
Later, one of Prof. Ikeda’s research assistants, Shintaro Kodama, discovered in 1913 that dried bonito (tuna) flakes also contained umami substances. This substance is IMP ribonucleotide.
In 1957, Akira Kuninaka realized that GMP ribonucleotide contained in Shiitake mushrooms also had umami molecules. One of Kuninaka’s most important discoveries was the synergistic effect between ribonucleotides and glutamate. When foods rich in glutamate are combined with other ingredients containing ribonucleotides, the resulting taste intensity is higher than the sum of the two ingredients.
This umami synergy explains the existence of various food combinations that can produce a burst of delicious flavors, from the classic Japanese dashi combination with dried bonito flakes to the magical formulas of various other cuisines, such as traditional Chinese cuisine.
Chinese chefs often add scallions and cabbage to chicken soup, just like Scottish cuisine’s Cock a leekie soup. Italian chefs, especially from the Tuscany region, often combine Parmesan cheese with truffle mushrooms, which are very expensive.
What about in Indonesia? Yes, of course, although we have different terminology and terms, optimizing umami sensations is still being pursued by optimizing the potential of food ingredients and cooking methods. This includes the use of coconut milk, peanut sauce, kemiri, and the selection of cooking methods with Maillard reactions, caramelization with soy sauce on satay Tegal and Klathak, and so on.
So let’s imagine the deliciousness of pecel Yu Gembrot, sate Batibul Wendys, Konro Makassar, Cakalang Garo Rica, Taliwang from NTB, and the use of Andaliman in sambal Tuk Tuk and mie Gomak in North Sumatra, all of which are matters of optimizing taste receptors to bring umami into our culinary lives.
How is it possible? It’s definitely possible, especially for those who master the techniques and biochemical knowledge.
From a biological perspective, the taste receptors responsible for umami taste are modified protein forms of the mGluR4, mGluR1, and T1R1+T1R3 genes, all of which are found on the papillae of the tongue.
From various molecular biology studies, strong candidates for umami receptors have been identified, including the T1R1/T1R3 heterodimer, and the metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR4 and mGluR1, which are truncated and lack most of the extracellular terminal-N domain.
The mGluR1 and mGluR4 receptors are specific for glutamate, while T1R1+T1R3 is responsible for the sensation of taste discovered by Akira Kuninaka in 1957.
There are also G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with signaling molecules that include protein G beta-gamma, PLCb2, and calcium ion (Ca2+) release mediated by PI3/IP3 intracellular signaling, which will activate melastatin 5 (TrpM5) in the selective cation channel, leading to membrane depolarization and subsequent release of ATP and secretion of various neurotransmitters, including serotonin.
So, the delicious, savory, or umami taste, which has various terms in Indonesia, such as “mak nyuss”, “mak legender”, “ajib”, “ngeunah pisan”, “ga ada obat”, etc., is indeed the most pleasurable trigger of human happiness. There will be an increase in serotonin, dopamine, and endorphin secretion, especially for foods dominated by capsaicin.
It turns out that behind the smoky flavor due to the burning process, the emergence of umami taste from ingredients with certain amino acids and the reception mechanism in our taste organs, there are various signs about the nature and meaning of human existence that have the capacity for procreation, which can give birth to various innovations in various forms of technology. Including technology in producing and processing food ingredients in such a way that it can give birth to and present not only the mechanism of fulfilling basic needs but also create pleasure and happiness that become part of our motivation to appreciate the nature of life.
