This is alist of Japanesecondiments by type.
Mirin (みりん; also 味醂) is an essential condiment used inJapanese cuisine.[1] It is a kind ofrice wine similar tosake, but with a loweralcohol content—14%[2] instead of 20%. There are three general types. The first ishon mirin (lit. true mirin),[3] which contains alcohol. The second isshio mirin, which contains alcohol as well as 1.5% salt[1] to avoid alcohol tax. The third isshin mirin (lit. new mirin),[4] ormirin-fu chomiryo (lit. mirin-like seasoning),[5] which contains less than 1% alcohol yet retains the same flavour.
Rice vinegar (よねず; also 米酢) is a very mild and mellowvinegar and ranges in colour from colourless to pale yellow. There are two distinct types of Japanese vinegar: one is made from fermented rice and the other, known asawasezu orseasoned rice vinegar, is made by addingsake, salt and sugar. Seasoned rice vinegar is used insushi and insalad dressing varieties popular in the West, such asginger orsesame dressing. Rice vinegar can be mixed with salt and sugar to make sushi vinegar, used to season the rice used in sushi.
Seasoned rice vinegar is a condiment made of sake, sugar and salt. Besides these three necessary ingredients,mirin is also sometimes used. It is used frequently in Japanese cuisine, together withJapanese round rice to makesushi kome (sushi rice). Although it can be made at home, preparedawasezu is readily available at supermarkets.
Soy sauce, orshōyu (しょうゆ; also 醤油), is afermentedsauce made fromsoybeans (soya beans), roastedgrain, water andsalt. It is traditionally divided into five main categories depending on differences in ingredients and method of production. Most Japanese soy sauces includewheat as a primary ingredient, which tends to give them a slightly sweeter taste than their Chinese counterparts. They also tend toward an alcoholicsherry-like flavor, due to the addition of alcohol in the product. Not all soy sauces are interchangeable.
Soy sauce was introduced into Japan in the 7th century. The Japanese wordtamari is derived from the verbtamaru that signifies "to accumulate", referring to the fact that tamari was traditionally from the liquid byproduct produced during the fermentation ofmiso. Japan is the leading producer of tamari.
Tsuma andoroshi are edible garnishes using daikon. Both can be dipped.Tsuma is used assashimi's accompaniment andoroshi is frequently used as a garnish. The pink spicymomiji-oroshi (もみじおろし, literally "autumn-leaf-red grated (daikon)") is daikon grated with chili pepper.Whenoroshi covers part of a dish, it is often calledmizore, which means 'soft snow' in Japanese.
Karashi is a type ofmustard used as a condiment or seasoning in Japanese cuisine. Karashi is made from the crushed seeds ofBrassica juncea, frequently mixed withwasabi orhorseradish to addzest. Karashi is not usually sweetened nor thinned with a liquid. However, it can be used as part of a dipping sauce when mixed with mayonnaise or ketchup.
Karashi is often served with fishtempura dishes, withtonkatsu,oden,nattō, andgyōza.[6] It is almost always served with karashinasu,pickledJapanese eggplant (茄子). Depending on the meal, karashi may be the only condiment served, or it may be served alongside wasabi.
Mentsuyu (めんつゆ; also 麺汁) is a condiment made fromdashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Mentsuyu is most often eaten as a dipping sauce withsōmen,soba,udon andhiyamugi.
Ponzu is acitrus-based sauce commonly used inJapanese cuisine. It is very tart in flavor, with a thin, watery consistency and a light brown color.Ponzu shōyu orponzu jōyu isponzu sauce withsoy sauce (shōyu) added, and the mixed product is widely referred to as simplyponzu. It is made by boilingmirin,rice vinegar,katsuobushi flakes, andseaweed (konbu) over medium heat. The liquid is cooled and strained to remove thekatsuobushi flakes. Finally, the juice ofyuzu,sudachi,daidai, andkabosu, orlemon is added.
Rayu ischili-infusedvegetable oil (a type ofchili oil), used inChinese cuisine as acooking ingredient or as acondiment. The oil is typicallysesame oil and the chili pepper used is typically red, imparting a reddish tint to the oil. Other ingredients used may include soy oil, corn oil, driedaloe,ginger,guava leaves,leek leaves,paprika, andturmeric.
Warishita is a Japanese sauce consisting ofsalt,sugar, andsoy sauce, used, for example, in preparingsukiyaki. See also theJapanese article.
Wasabi is a member of the familyBrassicaceae, which includescabbages,horseradish andmustard. Known as "Japanese horseradish", its root is used as aspice and has an extremely strong flavour. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hotmustard than thecapsaicin in achili pepper, producing vapors that irritate thenasal passages more than thetongue. The plant grows naturally along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan. There are also other species used, such asW. koreana, andW. tetsuigi. The two maincultivars in the marketplace areW. japonica cv. 'Daruma' and cv. 'Mazuma', but there are many others.
Wasabi is generally sold either in the form of aroot which must be very finely grated before use, or as a ready-to-use paste (either real wasabi or a mixture of horseradish, mustard and food coloring), usually in tubes approximately the size and shape of traveltoothpaste tubes. The paste form is commonly horseradish-based, since fresh wasabi is extremely perishable and more expensive than horseradish. Once the paste is prepared it should remain covered until served to protect the flavor from evaporation. For this reason,sushi chefs usually put the wasabi between the fish and therice.
Furikake is a dryJapanesecondiment[7] meant to be sprinkled on top of rice. It typically consists of a mixture of dried and ground fish,sesame seeds, choppedseaweed, sugar, salt, andmonosodium glutamate. Other flavorful ingredients such askatsuobushi (sometimes indicated on the package as bonito),salmon,shiso, egg, and vegetables are often added to the mix.
Mayonnaise is typically made withapple cider vinegar orrice vinegar and a small amount ofMSG, which gives it a different flavor profile from mayonnaise made fromdistilled vinegar. It is most often sold in soft plastic squeeze bottles. Its texture is thinner than most Western commercial mayonnaise. A variety containingkarashi (Japanese mustard) is also common.
Apart from salads, it is popular with dishes such asokonomiyaki,takoyaki andyakisoba and usually accompanieskatsu andkaraage. It is sometimes served with cooked vegetables, or mixed with soy sauce or wasabi and used as dips. In theTōkai region, it is a frequent condiment onhiyashi chūka (cold noodle salad). Many fried seafood dishes are served with a side of mayonnaise for dipping. It is also not uncommon for Japanese to use mayonnaise in place of tomato sauce on pizza.
Menma is a Japanese condiment made from driedbamboo. It is a common topping fornoodle soup andramen. Menma is also known asshinachiku (シナチク), but this term is now being phased out due to the negative connotations ofthe wordShina.
Wafu dressing is avinaigrette-typesalad dressing based onsoy sauce, popular inJapan. The name literally means "Japanese-style dressing". The standard wafu dressing consists of a mixture of Japanese soy sauce,rice vinegar andvegetable oil. There are many variations flavoured with additional ingredients such asaonori, gratedginger,umeboshi puree,wasabi or citrus fruits such asyuzu.
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