Yondu Vegetable Umami
We love finding new “magic” pantry ingredients from around the world that instantly boost flavor, and this Yondu is no exception. Fermented soybeans and a rich stock made from a robust blend of vegetables—including shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic and cabbage—yield a concentrate bursting with umami. Not only will it give you delicious savory vegetarian broth in the blink of an eye, it can also be used as a secret umami boost for everything from marinades to cooked grains. We love how it’s an easy-to-pour liquid (and not a paste, which can be harder to incorporate into dishes) and how deeply savory its flavor is compared to store-bought broths—which can taste too sweet from relying on carrots. It’s wonderfully earthy from alliums and mushrooms, yet remains balanced. And the yeast extract, a popular ingredient for boosting savoriness in vegan dishes (and for creating the distinctive flavor of Marmite), produces an incredibly rich, intensely savory character that complements the Yondu’s complex flavors perfectly.
Milk Street Sofrito
We created our sofrito to be the perfect building block to cook a wide variety of recipes in less time, based on the tradition of Italian and Spanish grandmothers who make this by the jar to simplify cooking and boost flavor. After much testing, we came up with an aromatic base of sautéed onions, carrots and celery, complemented by the bright tones of tomatoes, white wine and vinegar. For additional depth, it has earthy, umami notes from mushroom powder, aromatic notes of rosemary and thyme, and just a hint of heat from black pepper and Kashmiri chili powder. A few tablespoons of this jammy sofrito is all it takes to spread rich, concentrated power into soups, sauces, stews, braises and nearly anything else that needs a boost of big flavor.
Hanamaruki Foods Liquid Shio Koji
A traditional condiment made from fermented malted rice, shio koji is known in Japan for packing a punch of umami into everything from marinated meats to savory soups. All shio kojis aren’t created equal, though, for Hanamaruki Foods distills the powerful flavor properties of this essential Japanese ingredient into an easy-to-use liquid form—the only Liquid Shio Koji available on the market—to create the ultimate pantry secret weapon. We love the condiment’s clean, yet bold flavor: salty rounded out with a pronounced sweetness and burst of umami. It’s made by pressing shio koji in its original paste form and filtering until it yields the clear, golden-hued liquid. The product isn’t heat-treated, so its enzymes remain active and effective in rendering meat remarkably moist and juicy, balancing bitterness in veggies like eggplant and adding amino acids for a full-flavored finish to any dish to truly change the way you cook. Use as a marinade for meats and fish, drizzle into salad dressings and sauces to balance savory flavors, or incorporate into baked goods to add a layer of tantalizing complexity.
Namikura Kyoto-Style White Miso
Savory, sweet and flavor-dense, white miso is an absolutely essential pantry item. Winey-sweet, buttery and deeply rich, this organic version from Japanese family producer Namikura Miso Co. is more complex and less salty than other brands, which means it can be used more freely with soy sauce without dishes tasting overly seasoned.
Miya Company Blue & White Soup Spoon Set
Made in Japan, this adorable set of four ceramic spoons are equal parts sleek and charming. Each spoon features a different blue and white design—from scallops to floral—all giving a modern touch to the traditional blue and white pottery of Japan.
Hario Donabe Glass Lid Cooking Pot
A donabe is an essential piece of cooking equipment in the Japanese kitchen. Made from thick earthenware, these traditional pots maintain a gentle, even heat. It’s the best way to make fluffy, evenly cooked rice. Hario’s ceramic products are known as Banko ware, a regional form of pottery from Mie Prefecture that are perfect for making rice dishes or other filling one-pot meals. Equipped with a glass lid with a silicone handle, you’ll be able to keep an eye on your ingredients without losing steam by opening the lid. Try it to make koge (scorched rice), in which the lower bits of rice become crunchy and nutty as they overcook, which is difficult to make in a typical electric rice cooker.
Kayanoya Original Dashi Stock Powder
Kayanoya's Dashi Stock Powder is the best version of this essential Japanese ingredient. In addition to the traditional bonito flakes, the powdered soup stock gets layers of savory complexity from sardines, herring and roasted flying fish for a meaty-rich flavor and delicate aroma like smoked fish. And unlike many store-bought versions, it's not overly “fishy” or salty.
In addition to miso soup and other Japanese applications, use it to make seafood paella, soups and stews for a smokier, more refined flavor than fish stock. Kayanoya’s stock packets are designed much like tea bags and can be used in two ways: For a clear broth, place the stock packet intact in a pot of water; for a stronger, cloudy broth, tear the packet open and add the powder directly to the water. Either way, in just a few minutes the easy-to-use packets yield complex stock that tastes homemade.
Kayanoya Original Vegetable Stock Powder
We find that store-bought vegetable broth often leans too sweet and tastes strongly of the carrots used to make it. Kayanoya Vegetable Stock Powder is far more balanced, with a subtle sweetness and a complex, lightly caramelized onion flavor; the result is similar to a French onion soup base. We also like the convenience factor of the powder packets, which allow you to adjust the strength of the stock to your liking.
Kayanoya Original Mushroom Stock Powder
Kayanoya uses meaty shiitake and earthy, woodsy maitake mushrooms to make this savory and aromatic broth. We can't get enough of its delicate flavor profile—the subtle extra additions of savory fermented seasonings and yeast result in a much cleaner and clearer mushroom flavor than store-bought mushroom stocks. We also like the convenience factor of the powder packets, which allow you to adjust the strength of the stock to your liking.
Aux Co. Ltd. Mizukiri Ladle
Typical colanders can be too large and unwieldy for quick draining jobs. That’s why we keep this ladle close by. Made in Japan, it’s ideal for draining small amounts of pasta, boiled/blanched veggies and any other application where you need to drain foods out of liquid. Simply scoop and tilt the ladle back to allow liquid to drain through the slots. Plus, it’s compact enough to be used for tableside serving.
KL Keller Herb Bundles (Farcellets) — Set of 6
These herb bundles from northern Spain are a bouquet garni with a Spanish twist: thyme, oregano and savory wrapped in a bay leaf and tied by hand. Farcellets are a versatile and easy-to-use selection of aromatic herbs for cooking. They are wonderful to have on hand in the dark winter months when fresh herbs are not as abundant. In Spain you will see farcellets pre-packaged with simple vegetables for one-stop soup supplies. They are fantastic in a pot of beans or stew. Place one or two in the cavity of a hen before roasting to flavor from the inside out.
Shibanuma Soy Sauce Koikuchi "Shiho-no-Shizuku"
Crafted by a 330-year-old esteemed Japanese soy sauce maker, this premium unpasteurized soy sauce is packed with umami flavor. Its rich, slightly sweet, malty flavor has a subtle pleasing funkiness and strikes just the right balance of salty, deep and sharp. For the price, it fares well when compared to other brands that cost much more, and a little goes a long way. It can be used for any recipe that calls for soy sauce in cooking, but the depth of this one stands out when used raw as a dipping sauce to elevate everyday food. The Shibanuma Soy Sauce Company employs a traditional production method, brewing and aging their sauces in wooden barrels that have been in use for decades. Winner of a Superior Taste Award, this sauce will elevate any dish—meat, fish, vegetables or tofu—but it also goes particularly well with white fish sushi and sashimi.
Milk Street Cast Iron Furusato
Here at Milk Street, we’re big proponents of cooking with cast iron because it heats evenly and retains that heat—which is why we designed our own pot for the ideal solution for soups and stews. Our Cast Iron Furusato is modeled after the traditional pot used for Japanese nabe (hot pot), but its durable cast-iron craftsmanship and stunning wooden lid carved from Japanese cedar make it a candidate for everyday use. Sturdy yet light enough to use often, it’s equipped with a swinging handle for easy maneuvering. Plus, unlike some furusato pots, this one is compatible with any stovetop, and it comes with a small silicone pot holder.
BLiS Gourmet Barrel Aged Fish Sauce
This bourbon barrel-aged fish sauce is mellowed by seven months of sitting in oak, so the earthy, meaty funk that one expects from any fermented fish product is beautifully balanced by a complementary sweetness. BLiS's product is also rounded out with soft notes imparted by the seven-month aging process: warming spices, vanilla, and fruit woods, as well as a subtle smoky depth.
