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, also known as or simply ''shichimi'', is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. Tōgarashi is the Japanese name for ''
Shichimi dates back at least to the 17th century, when it was produced by herb dealers in Edo, current day Tokyo, and sometimes it is referred to as . Most shichimi sold today come from one of three kinds, sold near temples: sold near Sensō-ji, sold near
Capsicum annuum
''Capsicum annuum'' is a fruiting plant from the family Solanaceae (nightshades), within the genus Capsicum which is native to the northern regions of South America and to southwestern North America. The plant produces Berry, berries of many color ...
'' peppers, and it is this ingredient that makes shichimi spicy.
Etymology
"Shichi" means seven, "mi" means flavor, and "togarashi" is the red chili pepper ''Capsicum annuum
''Capsicum annuum'' is a fruiting plant from the family Solanaceae (nightshades), within the genus Capsicum which is native to the northern regions of South America and to southwestern North America. The plant produces Berry, berries of many color ...
''. The blend is also called nanami togarashi.
In the United States, shichimi is sometimes referred to as "Nanami." Both names translate to "seven flavors," but "Nanami" is often used in branding for ease of pronunciation among English speakers. While "shichi" and "nana" are two pronunciations of the same character (七) and both mean "seven" in Japanese, "nana" has a more familiar sound in English, leading to the alternative name.
Ingredients
A typical blend may contain: * coarsely ground redchili pepper
Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...
(the main ingredient)
* ground sanshō ("Japanese pepper")
* roasted orange peel ( chenpi)
* black sesame seed
* white sesame seed
* hemp
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...
seed
* ground ginger
Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...
* ''nori
Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, usually made from species of the red algae genus ''Pyropia'', including ''P. yezoensis'' and ''Pyropia tenera, P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is generally made in ...
'' or '' aonori'' (seaweed)
* poppy seed
Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the poppy plant (''Papaver somniferum''). The tiny, kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years. It is still widely used in many countries, ...
* yuzu
Yuzu (''Citrus'' × ''junos'', from Japanese language, Japanese or ; ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of China, Chinese origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though it has also recently been grown in New Z ...
peel
Some recipes may substitute or supplement these with rapeseed
Rapeseed (''Brassica napus'' subsp. ''napus''), also known as rape and oilseed rape and canola, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturall ...
or shiso
''Perilla frutescens'' var. ''crispa'', also known by its Japanese name shiso (), is a cultigen of '' Perilla frutescens'', a herb in the mint family Lamiaceae. It is native to the mountainous regions of China and India, but is now found world ...
. Shichimi is distinguished from , which is simply ground red chili pepper.
Use
The blend is traditionally used as a finishing spice. It is ubiquitous in restaurants in Japan; a shaker is sometimes on every table along with salt and pepper shakers and bottles of soy sauce. It is often consumed with soups and on noodles and gyūdon. Some rice products, such asrice cake
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten. Common variations include ...
s, agemochi and roasted rice crackers, also use it for seasoning.
History
Shichimi dates back at least to the 17th century, when it was produced by herb dealers in Edo, current day Tokyo, and sometimes it is referred to as . Most shichimi sold today come from one of three kinds, sold near temples: sold near Sensō-ji, sold near Kiyomizu-dera
is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
The temple was established in 778, during the late Nara period, by Enchin Shonin, who ...
, and sold near Zenkō-ji.
Culture
In modern times, the product is generally sold as a formulated product, but in the past it was prepared and sold according to the customer's needs (七味唐辛子売り). Even today, performances can be seen at festival stalls.See also
*List of condiments
A condiment is a supplemental food (such as a sauce or powder) that is added to some foods to impart a particular flavor, enhance their flavor, or, in some cultures, to complement the dish, but that cannot stand alone as a dish. The term ''cond ...
*
References
{{Chili peppers Herb and spice mixtures Japanese condiments