AONORI – a powdered, flaked seaweed that is often sprinkled on the outside of an inside-out roll to provide both flavour and texture. You can achieve a similar result by chopping a sheet of nori (see right) and then whizzing in a blender (it needs a very sharp blade though) to blitz the pieces more finely.
DASHI POWDER – used to flavour ramen broth, it’s made from kombu (dried kelp) and dried bonito (a type of tuna) to give that unique umami savoury taste.
EEL SAUCE – this is a thick and syrupy sauce but doesn’t actually contain any eel – it’s associated with the fish as it’s used to cover it. It’s made with soy sauce (of course), sugar and a thickener. Lots of Japanese use brown sauce instead of this!
IKURA – roe from salmon that is slightly bigger than tobiko (see entry, right). Ranging from reddish orange to dark orange, this provides a pop of colour on top of the Wasabi Ebi on page 24. There’s an essence of fish and salt about them with a delicate oily texture.
KIZAMI RED GINGER – a spoonful of this red/pink pickled ginger looks alluring on top of ramen and provides that all-important sweet-and-sour touch to lift a simple broth. Available in wafer-thin rounds or chopped into matchsticks.
LA-YU – this red-coloured oil is a Japanese chilli oil and is made with ground dried chillies.
MATCHA POWDER – with its bright green hue, this is reputedly packed with antioxidants and goodness. It’s made by grinding down matcha green tea leaves into a very fine powder. As well as making a refreshing tea, it can also be used in baking and ice cream.
MAYU GARLIC OIL – a dark garlic oil made from cooking garlic in a neutral oil, until it turns black. This is blitzed (sometimes with sesame oil and/or salt) and used to season recipes.
MIRIN – a sweet rice wine, slightly syrupy in texture, used in stir-fries and marinades (similar to sake but lower in alcohol). You can use rice vinegar instead but mix it with caster sugar. Aged mirin is darker and looks like a dark spirit (such as whisky or brandy). Bottles labelled ‘honteri’, which in Japanese translates to ‘like real mirin’, mean that it doesn’t contain any alcohol.
MISO – there are lots of variations to this soya bean paste, depending on how long it has been fermented for. Miso dare is a dark brown paste and contains just soya, salt and water. The putty or butter-coloured white miso is made with soya beans, grains (such as rice), water and salt and has a lighter flavour. Red miso has a higher proportion of soya beans to grains and gives a saltier taste.
NORI – made from algae (a type of seaweed) that is shredded and pressed together. It’s used to wrap sushi rice in variations of maki. Available in half sheets (‘half cut’) or full sheets which can be cut in half to make the right size. It is also used as a garnish for ramen.
NERI GOMA (sesame paste) – the Japanese equivalent of tahini, but made from black sesame seeds.
PANKO BREADCRUMBS – these dried breadcrumbs have a fine texture to give good coverage and are key to creating the crisp and crunchy outer layer in chicken katsu.
RICE WINE VINEGAR – also known as rice vinegar, it’s made by fermenting rice until the sugars turn into alcohol and then into vinegar. It has a mild flavour so is suitable for dips and dressings. Cider vinegar can be used instead.
SAKE (dry) – Japanese rice wine enjoyed with meals that, just like a dry white wine, can be used to cook with, too.
SEASONED VINEGAR FOR SUSHI RICE – a ready-made combination of sugar, salt and rice vinegar to season sushi rice. If you can’t get hold of it, pour 3 tablespoons rice vinegar into a pan and add 2 tablespoons caster sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar and salt and use in the recipe.
SESAME OIL – available in pure and toasted form (the toasted tends to be slightly darker). Pure oil can be used for stir-frying as it has a higher smoke point. The toasted oil should only be used for dressings. Use both sparingly as sesame oil has a strong taste and can overpower the flavour of other ingredients.
SHAOXING RICE WINE – this caramel-coloured Chinese cooking wine is made from water, rice and wheat. Although it contains alcohol, it’s used in stir-fries and other recipes. Flavour-wise, it’s similar to a dry sherry, so swap for that if necessary. You may also see it labelled ‘shaoshing’.
SHICHIMI POWDER – an orange seasoning made from seven spices: dried chilli, yuzu peel, Sansho (a Japanese pepper whose Latin name is zanthxylum piperitum), aonori and poppy, hemp and black sesame seeds. It’s super spicy so you only need a small amount to give flavour.
SUSHI RICE – this short-grain, pearlised rice should be rinsed well under cold running water to remove all the starch before cooking. Once it’s cooked until tender, it’s seasoned with a special vinegar (see left) before using.
TAMARI SOY SAUCE – a pure soy sauce (no added ingredients), which has been fermented and has a slightly thicker texture than regular soy. It’s lower in salt and will either contain less wheat or none at all so can be useful for those following a gluten-free diet.
TERIYAKI MARINADE – a thin sauce with the colour and consistency of soy sauce (one of the ingredients) and used to marinate meat, fish and tofu and for cooking sauces.
TERIYAKI SAUCE – ranges from a thin sauce to a thicker, syrupy texture. It differs from the marinade in that it is used for both cooking and is also eaten just as it is for extra flavour, for instance, over sushi. Pour into a squeezy bottle with a small nozzle to create a restaurant-style drizzle.
TOBIKO – these tiny little eggs are flying fish roe and the perfect garnish to some of our sushi or used inside to create texture and a little burst of fishy essence. We like to use the orange tobiko – a bright luminescent colour – but you can also find it in yellow or green, which have been dyed with flavourings and/or food colourings.
TOFU – made from soya, this vegan protein is now widely available in supermarkets. Silken or soft tofu has a creamy flavour, delicate texture and long shelf life and is found in small Tetra Pak boxes in the storecupboard aisle. Cut into pieces carefully and lower into broth, taking care that it doesn’t break up. The firm, fresh variety is preserved in water and is found in the chilled section. It is slightly more forgiving, but should be pressed first to remove all liquid (see our tip on page 70). It can be sliced or chopped into larger chunks without breaking up, then marinated and stir-fried or deep-fried with or without a batter. Also available smoked, which has a stronger flavour.
TONKATSU PASTE – you may also find this as a sauce. Its tangy, fruity flavour can pep up a simple ramen base stock.
VIETNAMESE RICE PAPER – these stiff translucent rounds are made from water, rice and salt and are a great staple storecupboard ingredient as they last for ages. They come in several sizes so make sure you check before buying. They’re very easy to use and just require a quick dip in a bowl of warm water to rehydrate before filling (see page 76).
YAKISOBA SAUCE – is a typical Japanese condiment used in noodle stir-fries. It’s a fruity flavoured, slightly spiced brown sauce which is also made with a little oyster sauce (so isn’t suitable in vegetarian or vegan recipes).
YUZU JUICE – the juice from the citrus fruit, yuzu, and it gives that all-important dash of mouth-puckering sourness to dressings.