JAPANESE FLAVOURING 101

Discover why Japanese food tastes so uniquely refreshing

1. Layu – an aromatic, red chilli oil that contains sesame oil, chilli pepper extract ad paprika. It is usually partnered with ramen & gyoza (pan-friend dumplings)

2. Wasabi paste – a pungent and spicy Japanese mustard made form horseradish and is mainly served with sashimi, sushi, udon and cold soba dished

3. Unagi Sauce – a dark soya sauce seasoned with sugar, corn syrup and sweet rice wine and drizzled over unagi (grilled eel)

4. Wakame – a mild-flavored black seaweed turns green when cooked in miso soup and salads. It need to be soaked before use

5. Bonito flakes – thin shavings of bonito fish (tuna family) which has been smoked, dried and fermenter. The salty flakes are used to flavor Japanese sauces, boodles and soups

6. Nanami Togarashi – a coarsely-ground pepper, sansho, orange peel, black & white sesame seed, ginger and seaweed is a popular flouring for noodle such as ramen and udon

7. Sanso – a tongue-numbing ground pepper derived from the berries of a Japanese prickly ash tree. Also known as Sze-chuan pepper.

8. Yamasa Tempura Senka – a mildly sweet dipping sauce contains soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sake and bonito extract and is served alongside tempura (prawn fritters)

9. Futaba Furikake Goma Wakame – a mix seasoning of seaweed, sesame seed, bonito flakes, sugar and salt and is usually sprinkled over rice, adding a crunchy texture and salty flavor
10. Gari – a pink pickled ginger marinated in sugar and vinegar. This sweet and tangy ginger is usually eaten with sushi