Elevate your grilled and braised meats, soups, and stews using this Japanese 7 Spice recipe! This flavorful seasoning mix contains seven spices that will keep your taste buds happy!
What is Shichimi Togarashi?
Shichimi togarashi, or Japanese 7 spice powder, is a mixture of spices that dates back to 17th century Edo, Japan. Typically, this mixture contains seven flavorful spices, dried orange peels, and sesame seeds. The main ingredient is togarashi or dried pepper, crushed and used in Japanese cooking.
There are a few variations of Japanese 7 spice: shichimi and namami, which are essentially the same thing. However, ichimi is pure heat and does not contain the milder components of shichimi and namami.
What is umami powder?
We use umami powder in this Japanese 7 spice recipe. If you are unfamiliar with it, umami powder is made from a combination of bonito (fish) flakes, dried mushrooms (shitake), and kombu (dried sea kelp or seaweed). This powder adds a nice salty, richly flavored base to spice mixtures, marinades, and sauces.
How to Use Japanese 7 Spice
Apply Japanese 7 spice directly onto meats like beef, pork, chicken, fish, and seafood before hitting the grill. Use it to season noodles, soups, marinades, sauces, and steamed vegetables. Be aware that togarashi pepper can be quite hot! We recommend adjusting the amount in this recipe to suit your palate.
Ingredients
- Sweet paprika: Or plain paprika. Do not use spicy or smoked paprika for this spice recipe.
- Dried orange zest: This can be found in most grocery store spice aisles or online retailers.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Purchase them pre-toasted or toast them yourself. See below for details.
- Umami powder
- Togarashi (spicy ground pepper)
- Ginger powder
- White pepper
How to Make Japanese 7 Spice
- Combine ingredients in a small bowl and apply to meats.
- Double or triple this recipe for future cooking projects.
- Store rub in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 year after preparation.
- Do not store any rub that has come into contact with raw meat.
- Toasting sesame seeds: Heat a small skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the sesame seeds to the pan. Move them around, so they do not burn. They will toast quickly, so keep a close eye on them. Once they turn golden brown, remove them from the heat. Pour them into a small plate and let them cool for 5 minutes before using.
Japanese 7 Spice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons dried orange zest
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon umami powder
- 1 tablespoon togarashi (spicy ground pepper)
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a small bowl and apply to meats. Double or triple the recipe for later cooking projects. Simply combine and store rub in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 year after preparation. Do not store any rub that has come into contact with raw meat.
Nutrition
You can find Umami Powder and Togarashi online or in an Asian market.
