Japanese Seven Spice Blend

Shichimi Togarashi

photo by george billard

Togarashi, the Japanese word for “chiles,” is a group of condiments always including chiles that bring out the clean, simple flavors of Japanese food. Shichimi togarashi is also called seven spice (shichi is “seven” in Japanese), because seven ingredients are generally used. It works well with fatty foods such as unagi (broiled eel), tempuras, shabu shabu (small bits of food cooked in rich broth), noodle dishes, and yakitori (grilled dishes). Nanami togarashi is a close cousin, with a slightly different proportion of ingredients emphasizing citrus zest.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sansho (or 1 tablespoon black peppercorns)

1 tablespoon dried tangerine peel

1 tablespoon ground red chile pepper (or less to your taste)

2 teaspoons flaked nori

2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

2 teaspoons white poppy seeds

2 teaspoons minced garlic

To make shichimi togarashi:

Combine 2 tablespoons sansho (or 1 tablespoon black peppercorns), 1 tablespoon dried tangerine peel, 1 tablespoon ground red chile pepper, 2 teaspoons flaked nori, 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons white poppy seeds and 2 teaspoons minced garlic. Grind together to a chunky consistency.

Makes 1/2 cup.

Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.

From Chowhound