Japanese Spices with recipes & info

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Updated: 25. October 2021 13:10
japanese-spices

Table of contents:

    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.

    SHIMAYA Dashi No Moto (1 x 50 g) | 50g (1er Pack)
    SHIMAYA Dashi No Moto (1 x 50 g) | 50g (1er Pack)

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    48g Dashino Moto Würzpulver (Dashi) für Sushi, Miso Suppen
    48g Dashino Moto Würzpulver (Dashi) für Sushi, Miso Suppen

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    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.

    KIKKOMAN - Sojasoße (Pet) - (1 X 1 LTR)
    KIKKOMAN - Sojasoße (Pet) - (1 X 1 LTR)

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    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
    [ 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.

    Yuzu Shibori - Japanischer Zitrussaft 180ml
    Yuzu Shibori - Japanischer Zitrussaft 180ml

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    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.

    Ginger
    Ginger Ginger

    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)
    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
    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.

    Shinjyo Shiro Miso – Helle Miso-Suppenpaste aus Japan – Ideal zum Kochen von Misosuppe oder zum Würzen von Dressings & leichten Marinaden – 2 x 300 g
    Shinjyo Shiro Miso – Helle Miso-Suppenpaste aus Japan – Ideal zum Kochen von Misosuppe oder zum Würzen von Dressings & leichten Marinaden – 2 x 300 g

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    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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    Comments

    • Gast Logo Hartmut W. Fischer : 11. September 2019 00:24

      ....finde ich sehr gut. Allerdings mißtraue ich Amazon als Quelle für Lebensmittel extrem. Gibt es auch brauchbare online-Shops, deren Qualität bewiesen sind?\nLG Hartmut W. Fischer

      • RyuKoch Logo Ryusei von RyuKoch

        Hallo Hartmut, vielen Dank :) Ja z.B.: https://www.asiafoodland.de/ https://www.nanuko.de/ MfG Ryusei Hosono

    • Gast Logo Roki : 20. October 2021 20:42

      Hallo und vielen Dank für die Infos und tollen Rezepte! Eine Frage zum japanischen Senf: Gibt es eine brauchbare Alternative in deutschen Supermärkten bzw. kann man etwas zusammenmischen, dass dem Geschmack von Karashi nahekommt?

      • RyuKoch Logo Ryusei von RyuKoch

        Hallo Roki, freut uns, dass dir die Rezepte gefallen. Eine richtige Alternative zum japanischen Senf gibt es in deutschen Supermärkten nicht. Allerdings könnte man den Senf mit dem Löwen drauf (mit dem schärfsten Level) mal probieren, der sollte dem japanischen Senf wahrscheinlich sehr Nahe kommen! Liebe Grüße Ryusei Hosono

    • Gast Logo Lenni : 01. February 2022 15:02

      ich liebe eure arbeit und binn sehr begeistert von erem tun ich mache gersde eine lange arbeit über japanische sachen u´nd ihr helft mir super danke für die tollen sachen die ihr mir scho beigebracht habt ,eure rezepte sind auch der hammer\ndanke

      • RyuKoch Logo Ryusei von RyuKoch

        Hey Lenni, das freut uns sehr zu hören. Viel Erfolg bei deiner Arbeit. Liebe Grüße Ryusei

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