Japanese Spices with recipes & info

Japanese cuisine combines a wide variety of spices, ingredients, and flavors, making it quite versatile. Did you know it even has World Heritage status? One thing that sets Japanese cuisine apart from other Asian countries is that spices are used very sparingly in order to allow the basic ingredients to develop their full flavor.

You could say that: 

• Korean cuisine is known for its spicy food
• Chinese cuisine is known for its greasy dishes
• Thai and Vietnamese cuisine are known for their well-seasoned dishes
• Japanese cuisine is known for its subtly seasoned dishes

It would go far beyond the scope of a blog post to list all Japanese spices here, so I'll limit myself to the most important ones. I have written a more detailed article about some of the spices, which I will link to in the description. 

01. Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)

Everyone who has ever eaten sushi knows the green wasabi paste, as it is often eaten with raw fish. Wasabi is a Japanese horseradish that needs very clean and flowing water to grow. For this reason, growing areas in Japan are almost exclusively found in the mountains. 

Fresh wasabi is used in Japan to add spice to dishes. The tuber is the hottest. Unfortunately, wasabi is very sensitive and loses its sharpness after only half an hour. Therefore, the wasabi you get in Germany is usually mixed with mustard and "normal" horseradish. Only 0% - 5% real wasabi (Japon Wasabi) is found in the pastes that you can buy here. That's why I recommend using wasabi powder instead of paste. This unfolds its sharpness a few minutes after mixing with water. Here you will find a detailed article on the spicy spice:

02. Dashi (fish broth)

Dashi is a broth that is used in many Japanese dishes, from Donburi to sauces. It is usually made from bonito flakes (Katsuobushi), but does not smell at all like fish. When preparing, the flavors of the fish slowly transfer to the water, giving it the special taste.

Konbudashi (seaweed broth)

The vegetarian version of Dashi is called Konbudashi and is made from the Konbu seaweed. But beware, Konbudashi is usually mixed with normal Dashi to create a balanced taste. If you are vegetarian, you should ask here.

03. Shoyu (soy sauce)

Soy sauce is probably the most famous Japanese spice. In Japanese it is called "Shoyu". It is used for many dishes and seasons, among other things, sushi, noodles, tofu and much more. We have a detailed article here about the different soy sauces and their uses.

04. Mirin (rice vinegar)

Mirin is a Japanese rice wine that is not to be confused with sake. It is sweet in taste and is mainly used for cooking. For traditional production, only glutinous rice, water and rice yeast are needed. The complete fermentation is prevented by adding alcohol. This also results in the alcohol content of 14-16%.

[ 400ml ] HINODE japanisches Würzmittel ( Mirin ) zum Verfeinern und Marinieren

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05. Yuzu (citrus fruit)

The Yuzu looks like a conventional lemon, but don't be fooled by that. The taste is very unusual and can be described as sour-bitter. When cooking, small amounts of the peel are usually used, but the fruit can also be used as an alternative to bath salts. It is best to buy the fruit in a Japanese supermarket and not online, as it is cheaper there and secondly, the staff can advise you.

06. Shouga (ginger)

Ginger is common all over the world and is also used for seasoning in Germany. In Japan, ginger is an important part of dishes, even if only a small amount is always used. You've probably tried the pickled ginger when eating sushi. It is gladly eaten to neutralize the fish flavor and for freshness in the mouth.

07. Goma (sesame)

Sesame is often found in Asian cuisine as oil or in roasted form. Its taste is so intense that a few drops of the oil are enough to season an entire dish. The roasted seeds are often used to decorate sushi, sweets or soups. Sesame is also used in some dips and marinades.

Alnatura Bio Sesam ungeschält, 6er Pack (6 x 500 g)

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Shiogoma (sesame with salt)

You can also season rice! Shiogoma is a sesame spice with salt that gives cooked rice a very special aroma. Try it yourself!

08. Sanshou (Japanese pepper)

Sanshou is a type of pepper from Japan that is more intense in taste than conventional pepper and is particularly suitable for meat dishes. The taste is difficult to describe, so you should try it yourself. You can get it in Japanese supermarkets or online. In recipes, you can also replace Sanshou with normal pepper.

09. Sake (rice wine)

Sake is an alcoholic beverage from Japan, which is often called rice wine in German, although it is more like beer in terms of the manufacturing process. Sake is a popular beverage, but it is also used for cooking. Although it has a fairly high alcohol content of 15-20%, dishes prepared with sake can be safely eaten by children as well, as the alcohol completely evaporates during the cooking process. And beware, do not confuse Sake with Shake - in German salmon.

Choya Sake 14,5% Vol. 0,75 l

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10. Karashi (Japanese mustard)

Karashi is Japanese mustard, which is hotter than German mustard and has a sweet taste. Oden and Shumai are two examples that are prepared with Karashi. 

11. Miso (fermented soybean)

Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans and is therefore very long-lasting. It has a very special taste and is the basis for many traditional Japanese dishes, such as Miso Soup ( Miso Shiru ). It comes in different varieties that look different and are made from different ingredients. The red Miso paste "Aka Miso" is fermented the longest and therefore tastes stronger and saltier than other varieties. It is also the healthiest Miso paste.

Shiromiso (white miso)

Depending on the ingredients used and the fermentation time, the finished Miso paste is lighter or darker in tone. The white Miso paste is only fermented for a short time and therefore tastes significantly milder and less salty than the other versions. It is well suited for making a mild version of Miso Soup (Miso Shiro).

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