In this post I gonna share you some of the important ingredients in Japanese Cooking Recipes. Most of the time you might have no idea what is those ingredients looks like?

For instance, what is shichimi togarashi(七味唐辛子) which it also called nanami togarashi in Japanese? As it’s name, it contain seven ingredients. The main ingredient is coarsely ground red chili pepper, to which is typically added, mandarin orange peel, sesame seed, poppy seed, hemp seed, nori, ground sansho (a relative of Sichuan pepper).

Katsuobushi(鰹節) which is widely used in garnish of Okonomiyaki(お好み焼き), Takoyaki (たこ焼き) etc and to flavor soup stock. It is dried shavings of the bonito fish;

Miso(味噌), a paste made from soybeans and used in soups, sauces, and as a garnish.
It has various flavors such as

1) Shiromiso(白味噌), “white miso”,
2) Akamiso(赤味噌), “red miso”,
3) Kuromiso(黒味噌), “black miso”,
4) Hatchomiso(八丁味噌),is made by the Hatcho Miso Company in Hatcho (Eighth street), to the west of Okazaki castle. The name Hatcho is taken from this location. In the Meiji era, Hatcho Miso became the daily choice of the Emperor of Japan.

White and red (shiromiso and akamiso) are the basic types of miso available in all of Japan as well as overseas. Different varieties are preferred in particular regions. For example, in the eastern Kantō region that includes Tokyo, the lighter shiromiso is popular, while in the western Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, darker brownish hatchomiso is preferred, and akamiso is favoured in the Tokai area.

Recently I read this great book, “The Art of Cooking with Miso” by Jan Belle. I would strongly recommend to all who likes cooking with Miso especially miso beginner is a must.

Japanese Cooking Ingredients (1)

See Also : Japanese Instant Cooking Ingredients