Umame

Umame (旨味 or うま味) is the Japanese name for the taste sensation produced by monosodium glutamate. This is one of the five basic tastes.

Also spelt umami as, for example, in the title of the "Society for Research on Umami Taste" at " class="external">http://www.iijnet.or.jp/srut/index_e.html.

The same taste is referred to as Xian Wei (鮮味) in Chinese cooking.