Shichimi Togarashi is a fundamental 7-spice blend with tremendous history and importance throughout Japanese cuisine and represents the history and cultural refinement of this great cuisine. Shichimi Togarashi is a 7 spice blend developed in Edo (Modern Day Tokyo), Japan in 1625. The ingredients were first introduced to the Japanese by Portuguese missionaries around 1605. Over the past 400 years, these spice cultivators and craftsmen have been able to refine farming practices and proprietary blending ratios that would make their ancestors proud. The seven prized ingredients that makeup Shichimi Togarashi are Bansho Chili Pepper, Chimpi Japanese Mandarin Orange, Goma Toasted Black Sesame, Otane Hemp Seed, Shiso Japanese Basil, Sansho Chili Pepper, and Byakukyo Japanese Ginger. The aroma is highlighted by the warmth given off by the chilies and the floral essence of the mandarin orange. The clean spicy flavors of the dried peppers stand out but are balanced with toasted black sesame, hemp seed, and herbal characteristics of the dried shiso. The ginger is also a welcomed addition to this blend and offers a different type of spiciness, acidity, and subtle sweetness. This blend is a pillar of this revered cuisine.
