Shichimi Togarashi

Bringing that flavour of Japan to your kitchen.

The name Shichimi Togarashi translates to seven-flavoured pepper, hence the Japanese seven-spice nickname that you will sometimes see.

As Shichimi Togarashi can vary from prefecture to prefecture there are hotter versions than others, however our version takes some liberties on the traditional with a hint of smoky, earthy seaweed flavours and a punch of citrus giving it an umami bomb like no other.

Shichimi togarashi is unique among herb and spice blends in that we can still pinpoint its beginnings even though it has been around for centuries. Not only do we know the location where it was first made — the Yagenbori herb shop in Tokyo — we also know the exact year, which was 1625. What this means is that it was invented around the time that chili peppers from the Americas were introduced to Japan.

Although you might think Shichimi Togarashi is hot, if you were to compare this blend to a harissa powder or berbere seasoning, you would probably conclude that it wasn’t that hot. However, it’s spicy when you compare it to other Japanese foods. The heat comes almost entirely from the red chili pepper.

As Japanese cooking revolves around the flavour of fresh, quality ingredients; shichimi togarashi is meant to complement those ingredients without overwhelming them.

Think of shichimi togarashi as the Japanese equivalent of salt and pepper. Japanese restaurants commonly offer it at the table. You use it to add heat to soba or udon noodles, soups such as miso soup, or to fatty and fried foods like grilled eels (unagi) and tempura.

 Shichimi Togarashi is versatile enough to be used in Western dishes as well.

Add it to tuna salad or chicken salad for a unique spark. While shichimi togarashi is traditionally used on cooked food at the table, you can use it to season raw food as well as a dry rub for grilled meat or in a marinade.

Boil it! Braise it! Smoke it! Roast it! BBQ it! Chef it!