Sonoko Sakai Japanese Curry Powder
A deep marigold yellow, this mild, Sonoko Sakai’s Japanese-style curry powder lingers on the palate with notes of warm spices such as cardamom, black pepper and cayenne. Each small batch is made by hand—blending 16 different sustainably-sourced spices (and no artificial additives) to achieve the perfect harmony of tastes. If you stop and savor its deeply-layered aroma, you can nearly identify every ingredient due to the freshness of each spice and seasoning. The sweetness of clove and cinnamon are given a grounded base by the mustard, black pepper and cumin, with earthy and herbal notes shining through with tumeric and coriander. What truly sets this curry powder apart from others, though, is the hint of rich umami brought by infusing the powder with kombu and mushrooms.
Acclaimed cook and food writer Sonoko Sakai developed and fine-tuned this balanced blend over the course of many months, keeping in mind versatility and concentrated flavor. This curry powder is perfect for making traditional curry bricks—the Japanese curry equivalent to bouillon cubes—or adding an aromatic kick to any recipe. Incorporate into a rub for meat, bloom with other aromatics when sauteeing, or perhaps stir into a soup such as our Black Eyed Pea and Tomato Stew. Combine with butter or ketchup to craft a condiment with a kick, or add to entrees like Ed Lee’s Coconut Curry Braised Fish or our Japanese-Style Beef Curry—substituting the curry powder in place of the garam masala.
Sugimoto Japanese Dried Shiitake Mushroom Powder
Japanese producer Sugimoto grows their shiitake naturally on sawtooth oak logs, which are known in the country for imparting sweet, dense flavor into the mushrooms, and then dried with an far-infrared method, which minimizes moisture more than other brands to preserve quality and taste. These woodsy shiitakes are then ground into a fine powder that’s easy to sprinkle into all manner of savory dishes to add a touch of umami. Its flavor is delicate, but can easily be amped up the more you sprinkle into your dish, adding a lovely mushroom character to dishes without the prep work.
Japanese Pantry Yamatsu Tsujita Shichimi Togarashi - 15gr
Japanese shichimi togarashi spice blend brings more than just heat. A blend of chilies, seaweed, sesame and more, it’s a terrific addition to miso soup, fried noodles, sautéed shrimp or roast salmon. And it can turn a simple fried egg and bowl of rice into a meal.
Japanese Pantry Yamatsu Tsujita Yuzu Shichimi Togarashi - 15gr
Spicy and citrus-bright, this yuzu-laced spice blend is perfect for dishes that need a punch of bright flavor. We like to sprinkle it over roast salmon, shrimp or scallops and add a pinch or three to miso butter (equal parts white miso and softened butter), which we melt over rice and tender soba noodles. Or try a pinch on your next batch of devilled eggs to punch up the flavor.
Bando Farm Yuzu Salt
A close cousin of the fragrant meyer lemon, yuzu balances punchy citrus with floral freshness. While many flavored salts go too easy on the aromatics, this one makes a true statement—likely because it incorporates the peel, juice and pulp of the fruit and not just the rind like your standard citrus salt. Shaved into airy flakes that melt on the tongue like snowflakes, this elegant salt yields a lightness and delicate crunch that’s not present in denser grains. It’s laced with a pale yellow powder, a clear visual of its vibrant, mild-sour taste. The flavor is unquestionably yuzu: complex and bright, not mellowing into a vague citrusy taste like other similar products, but the even salt itself brings its own nuanced taste to the table. Mined from a 420 million year old salt dome, it offers earthy mineral and peppery notes. Infinitely sprinklable, this seasoning distills the zest and punch or fresh yuzu into a shelf-stable format. Sprinkle atop deep fried dishes like French fries or our Japanese Fried Chicken to cut the richness, or incorporate into a rub for grilled meats to balance the well-browned savoriness with citrus. Shake into soups or into side dishes like our Sichuan Dry-Fried Cauliflower. And if it’s after 5 o’clock, consider using the salt to rim our Chili-Pineapple Margarita.
Santaka Spice Karashi Yoogarashi Mild Mustard Powder
This Japanese mustard powder has a peppery kick and straightforward flavor compared to Western mustard, as well as a pungent aroma. Made only with rare Japanese white and yellow mustard seeds, it is perfect for adding to recipes that call for whole mustard seeds or in place of mustard for extra spice. Or mix it with water for a condiment that has sharp, clean flavor.
Marukura Organic Brown Rice Koji Powder
A powdered form of the traditional Japanese fermented rice product, this koji powder is easy to sprinkle into any and all recipes. It has a nuanced nutty flavor with a touch of savory umami and it’s made with pulverized organic brown rice. Beyond its traditional applications to make shio koji (a fermented rice condiment) and amazake (a Japanese rice drink), this powder can even be used as a unique seasoning, as it coaxes out the sweet and savory complexity of food.
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