ByFood Japanese Pantry Staples Box

This box includes eight essential Japanese pantry items. Soy sauce, dashi, miso, and wasabi might be ingredients most associated with Japanese cooking, but in this box, we go beyond the basics. We’ve also included other classic pantry stables like shichimi, goma, and yuzu kosho to bring more authentic Japanese flavors into your cooking. We hope you enjoy using these ingredients and exploring Japanese cooking in your kitchen. Included in the box: MARUNAKA’S BREWING SOY SAUCE (醤油) Producer: Marunaka Shoyu Prefecture: Shiga Amount: 150ml Soy sauce, or shoyu, is the quintessential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Yet unlike your typical soy sauce, this shoyu has a depth of flavor that is not overly salty and has a mellow yet savory finish. Just a drop of this premium-quality soy sauce will add umami to your dishes by enhancing and balancing the natural flavors of each ingredient. PURE RICE VINEGAR (純米酢) Producer: Tajima Brewery Prefecture: Hyogo Amount: 150ml An essential ingredient in many Japanese dishes, rice vinegar has a subtle sweet acidity, and can help to balance flavors while softening textures. Rice vinegar is also a key ingredient in sushi rice and is used for making Japanese pickles known as tsukemono. This pure rice vinegar or “junmaizu” is made from rice that has been grown in harmony with its natural surroundings. It’s then fermented to produce a delicately mild and smooth flavor that is less acidic than western vinegar. NATURAL MULTI-UMAMI DASHI PACKETS (だし) Producer: Kimise Soy Sauce Prefecture: Okayama Amount: 6 x 11.5g packets These awase dashi packs allow you to conveniently create your own flavorful dashi at home. Awase means “to combine'' and is one of the most common types of dashi used in Japan. Kimise’s dashi includes a broader spectrum of essential umami enriching ingredients including katsuobushi, iriko (dried sardines), shiitake mushrooms and moromi (the fermented mixture used in creating such things as sake or soy sauce, in this case for traditionally brewed “honjozo” soy sauce), which are uniquely combined with ume (Japanese plum) vinegar. The result is one of the most aromatic and deep tasting dashi you’ll find in Japan! YUZU KOSHO (AGED 1 YEAR) (一年熟成 ゆずごしょう) Producer: Kuroiwasou Prefecture: Oita Amount: 60g In this handmade blend of citrus and spice, Kuroiwasou combines yuzu with green chili peppers, both of which are grown without pesticides and are fully ripened on the tree. They also add sea salt from Japan’s tropical islands of Okinawa and then, unique to this yuzu kosho, they age it for over a year using a secret method to enhance and preserve the natural flavor and aroma of their quality ingredients. HONTAKA SHICHIMI TOGARASHI (七味唐辛子) Producer: Yohgado Prefecture: Osaka Amount: 10g Shichimi Togarashi, or simply shichimi, translates to seven spice blend and can be found adding zest and heat to everything from a hot bowl of noodles, to seafood and meat, salads and even cocktails! Traditional shichimi can include a variety of ingredients, but it will typically include ground spicy chili peppers for heat, some type of citrus for zest and to cut through fat, seaweed for salty umami and some seeds to add a slightly nutty flavor. RAW SHREDDED HON (TRUE) WASABI (生おろしわさび) Producer: Tokyo Food Prefecture: Tokyo Amount: 40g True wasabi is a rare gem to find outside Japan. It’s not overwhelmingly spicy but instead has a quick flush of heat followed by a lingering nuanced aroma of spiciness with a herbaceous flavor and subtle natural sweetness. GOMAAE SEASONING (ごまあえの素) Producer: Yamashiroya Prefecture: Kyoto Amount: 60g Goma (sesame seeds) find their way into many Japanese dishes, adding a subtle nutty, buttery flavor. There are three main types of sesame seeds in Japan: white, black and golden, with golden being the rarest and most flavorful. Here it’s combined with umami enhancing ingredients such as soy sauce, katsuobushi (bonito) powder and konbu (powder), along with salt and a touch of sugar, to create the perfect balance of umami, saltiness and sweetness. MISO (AGED 2 YEARS) (信州古式仕込 ２年熟成味噌) Producer: Marusho Jozo Prefecture: Nagano Amount: 150g Although it may be known for its namesake soup, miso is an umami-rich fermented paste that has a place in anything from stews to salad dressings. It has a deep, savory flavor with a fermented salty-sweet tang. Delivery Time: 10-14 days on average