SAUCES&SEASONINGS

This oriental sauce is very popular all over the world and is used to add flavour to a wide range of dishes, both in cooking and at the table. Made from soy beans, wheat and salt, and fermented for six to eight months, Japanese soy sauce has a rich aroma, a salty, yet subtle and complex flavour and comes in several varieties. Kokuchi shoyu, developed in the east of Japan, has a dark colour and slightly fruity flavour that reduces the fishy and meaty smells of certain dishes. Usukuchi shoyu, originally favoured inthe west of Japan, has a lighter colour and saltier taste than koikuchi.

Originating from Worcester sauce, Japanese ’sosu’ developed in a very unique way. As with other Western foods, Worcester sauce was adapted (using various kinds of vegetables, fruits and spices, and adding vinegar, salt and sugar) to suit Japanese tastes. It is generally used to season yoshoku (Japanese style western dishes such as croquettes and cutlets). There are seeveral types of Japanese ’sauce’, &rsquoWorcester sauce’: a thin, spicy sauce based on its English namesake and often used as a ’secret ingredient’. Tonkatsu sauce is a thick sauce with a mild, sweet taste suitable for fried dishes. Chuno sauce has both a mild and spicy flavour suitable for stewed dishes.

SAUCE
YAKISOBA SAUCE

Fried noodle sauce.

SAUCE
OKONOMIYAKI SAUCE / Savoury Pancake sauce

Tasty thick sweet soy sauce-which is halfway between soy sauce and Worcester sauce. This sauce is for Okonomiyaki (Savoury Pancakes) , Yakisoba noodles and your own fried vegetable dishes.  

The Japanese have created many new great tasting foods by adapting the foods of other nations. Japanese sald dressings are a particularly good example of this trend. Made from ingredients such as soy sauce, sesame oil and seeds, shiso, umeboshi, yuzu and dashi, these dresings perfectly complement salds containing Japanese ingredients such as tofu, seaweed, konnyaku, daikon radish and sashimi. These are also wonderful Japanese versions of classic Western dressings such as French, Thousand Islands, and Caesar.

SUSHI SOY SAUCE

Just suitable for sushi. Soy sauce with Mirin, Vinegar Sake etc are added. So a little sweeter & richer than normal soy sauce.

There are many dipping sauces used for Japanese grilled and pot dishes. Yakiniku no tare (barbecue sauce) is made from soy sauce, fruits, vegetables, sesame oil, and herbs and spices. It is used not only for dipping sauce but also to marinade meat before roasting. Sukiyaki no tare, a mildly sweet sauce, is made from soy sauce, mirin, sugar and dashi, and used to stew sukiyaki ingredients. Shabu–shabu no tare, a dipping sauce used for lightly cooked and thinly sliced meats, comes in several varieties such as ponzu sauce and goma sauce.

KIMUCHI
KIMUCHI BASE / Hot Pickle Base

This is a hot pickled vegetable base, made of garlic, salt, chilli, ginger and vinegar. Very hot and tasty. Pickle vegetables over night or you can use this as chilli dipping.

Wasabi is a root plant with a pleasant aroma and a sharp, fiery flavour. In early 17th century Japan, it became a popular accompaniment to sushi, prompting the spread of its cultivation. Wasabi is available fresh, and can be granted like horseradish, as a paste or in powder form, which is mixed with lukewarm water to make a light green paste. It is also mixed with soy sauce and served as a condiment with sashimi and sushi. When used for seasoning, wasabi can stimulate the appetite and it is also known to prevent food poisoning.

Wagarashi is made from the seeds of the karashina plant, and in ancient times was used as a medicine as well as a food. Bright yellow in colour, wagarashi is available in both paste and powder forms, and is used to add spiciness and flavour to natto, shumai (Chinese dumplings), oden (kind of Japanese hot pot), and sald dressings. It does not include vinegar and the intensity of its flavour is greater than that of Western mustard. It is similar in quality to that of wasabi, therefore, wagarashi is usually used in very small quantities.

There’s an old Japnese saying: ”a bowl of miso soup a day keeps the doctor away”, and many Japanese follow this advice. Miso is made from soy beans and usually rice or barley, which are steamed mixed with koji (a starter) and left to ferment for six months to five years. There are three types of miso: red, white and medium &ndasg; the longer the fermenation, thee darker the miso. Modern analysis shows that this salty and flavoursome paste is an extremely nourishing and well–balanced food containning protein, vitamins and essential amino acids. As well as being great for soups, it is used to add flavour to many dishes.

MISO PASTE

Dashi is the stock which forms the basis of almost Japanese cooking. Katsuobushi, konbu, and iriko are the basic ingredients of dashi. The powdered variety is very popular for use as an instant soup stock. Based on one or a combination of the basic dashi ingredients, powdered dashi is mixed with other condiments according to the dish and individual taste. Although it is easy and quick to prepare, powdered dashi can be used to create authentic tasting Japanese cuisine and is a highly versatile product. It is used for flavouring dishes such as soups, hot pots, sauces, rice dishes and salad dressings.

DASHI
KONBU.

To make katsuobushi, bonito fish fillets are salted and left to ferment and dry for four to six months before being shaved into fine flakes. For dashi, katsuobushi is usually added to konbu dashi. Konbu is heated in water on a medium heat then removed just before boiling. Katsuobushi is then added to the stock, which is brought to the boil then strained. Katsuobushi is also used as a topping for salads, tofu and cooked vegetables. There are varieties of katsuobushi shich are especially made to be used as garnishes, ito–kezuri is as thin as a piece of thread, and hana–katsuo is flat and as fine as a petal.

Iriko, dried katakuchi–iwashi (a small type of sardine), is also known as ’niboshi’ which means ’boiled and dried’, due to the way it is produced. It is used as a dashi ingredient for miso soup and Japanese stewed dishes. Unlike other dashi ingredients, iriko needs some preparation. To make iriko dashi, first the heads and internal organs of the iriko must be removed to avoid bitter and fishy smelling stock. Then, to bring out their taste, the iriko must be split in half, lengthwise, before being soaked in water. The pre–soaked iriko can then be put into water, brought to the boil and boiled for two to three minutes before straining.

Introduced to the country by British traders in the 19th century, curry and rice is very popular in Japan. Today, it is usually made by frying and boiling the meat and vegetables then adding a premixed curry roux. There are many varieties of royx, with tastes ranging from mild to very hot and spicy – mixing two different kinds of roux is sometimes a good idea. Pre–cooked vacuum–packed curries with meat and vegetables are an even easier option. Similarly, there are pre–cooked and roux stews.

S&B GOLDEN CURRY MEDIUM HOT

 

S&B GOLDEN CURRY HOT

 

VERMONT CURRY MILD

 

VERMONT CURRY MEDIUM HOT

 

VERMONT CURRY HOT

 

Composed of wheat flour, baking powder, egg powder and other ingredients, tempura flour is made into a batter, which can be used to make wonderfully crispy Japanese fritters, called tempura. Since it is quite difficult to make perfect tempura, it is better to use a premix. Tempurako will give tempura the unique crispy texture and keep the flavour of the ingredients it coats such as prawns, aubergine and shiitake mushrooms. Although tempurako is basically made for tempura, it can be also used for okonomiyaki (savoury pancake containing vegetables and meat or fish) to add a lighter texture.

Katakuriko, taken from the dogtooth violet plant, is a shite powder without any taste or smell and is used to thicken soups and sauces. Another way of using katakuriko is to mix it with spices and lightly sprinkle it over pieces of chicken or other ingredients before deep–frying them. Katakuriko is used in many ways and helps keep the nutrients and the taste of the ingredients in the food. Nowaday, potato starch or cornstarch are often used as substitute for katakuriko, since natural dogtooth violet starch is now very expensive.

Panko are bread crumbs used with batter for deep–fried fritters. They are available both in dry and fresh forms. Fresh panko make the fritters lighter and softer than dried panko, as they contain more moisture which evaporates and forms small air holes when the panko are deep–fried. Dried panko can become similar to fresh panko when lightly moisturised by a water spray right before cooking. When cooking with dried panko, they must be applied evenly to the surface of your meat, fish, etc. To ensure freshness, dried panko should be stored in a cool and dry place.

FLOUR
KARAAGE KO

Spicy, tasty batter mix for any meat, fish and vegetables.Just put batter mix on whatever you like to fry and leave for 3 minutes to allow the powder to settle and fry them. This batter mix does not need to mix with water therefore it makes everything crunchy.

 

FLOUR
KINAKO

Nutritious soya bean powder!! Several ways to use the flour:
1.Mix them with honey and spread on your toast!!
2. Put 2 teaspoon full in hot milk to give you good night's sleep!!!  

Originating in China, dumpling skins are used to make wonton (finger–size dumplings), gyoza (fried dumplings) and shumai (steamed dumplings), and are very popular in Japan. The skins used to wrap the fillings look quite similar to each other, but differ in size and ingredients. Wonton skins are square and yellowish in colour, and made from flour, egg, water, salt and an alkaline water called ’kansui’. Gyoza skins are plain white, round in shape and made mainly from flour. Shumai skins are white, square, and the same size as wonton skins but they do not contain kansui.

Sesame oil is used in stir–fries and fried dishes as well as for seasoning. With its delicious aroma and rich, nutty flavour, it plays an important role in defining the taste of Oriental food. Compared with other cooking oils, sesame oil does not easily become oxidised, which means linoleic acid and oreinate acids remain active, reducing ’bad’ cholesterol. Sesame oil differs depending on whether it is extracted from toasted or fresh sesame seeds. It toasted seeds are used, the aroma of the oil is strong and it is dark brown in colour. If fresh seeds are used, the oil tastes richer and its colour lighter.

La-Yu - Chili with Sesame Oil

Chili Oil for HOT HOT HOT flavour. You do not need plenty of La-Yu. You need just a few drop. Chili pepper powder, sesame oil + corn oil in it.

Mirin is made from distilled spirit, koji (a starter) and rice. It is one of Japan’s principal condiments. It is sweet and syrupy, and has an alcohol content of about 13-14%, which is often burnt off during coking. Mirin has a subtle, natural swetness, and its balanced flavour makes it a very versatile condiment. Mirin is used to add sweetness to dishes such as nimono (simmered dishes), for marinating and glazing, and in teriyaki sauce. Along with soy sauce and dashi, it is known as one of the three essential tastes of old Japan.

Shichimi togarashi, which means ’seven–taste chilli pepper’, is a dried mixture of red chilli flakes, sansho, goma, nori, dried mandarin or orange peel, hemp and poppy seeds. Popular throughout Japan, the ingredients and balance of these mixes vary from region to region. It is usually sprinkled on hot udon noodle soup and many other dishes to add flavour, spiciness and aroma. Shichimi togarashi is known to be a good remedy for colds and flu, and is also considered to be beneficial for the stomach. Ichimi means one taste. Ichimi togarashi consists of just Japanese chilli pepper.

MAYONNAISE

 

Soy Bean Paste Korean

 

Chili Sauce Korean

Oriental Flavor Soup Stock