The Hirshon Japanese 7-Flavor Chili Powder – 七味唐辛子

My Citizens, it is a verifiable and uncontestable fact that the incandescent glory that is TFD is fired solely by powerful spices, not the least of which is this 7-spice masterpiece blend from Japan!

Shichi-mi tōgarashi (seven-flavor chili pepper), also known as nana-iro tōgarashi (七色唐辛子, seven-color chili pepper) or simply shichimi, is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients.

Shichimi dates back at least to the 17th century, when it was produced by herb dealers in Edo, current day Tokyo, and sometimes it is referred to as Yagenbori (薬研堀, from the name of the original place of production).

Most shichimi sold today come from one of three kinds, all sold near temples: Yagenbori (やげん堀) sold near Sensō-ji, Shichimiya (七味家) sold near Kiyomizu-dera, and Yawataya Isogorō (八幡屋磯五郎) sold near Zenkō-ji.

1.Yagenbori (やげん堀)

Shichimi Togarashi is also called Yagenbori in Japan because the name of a shop that developed and sold Shichimi Togarashi for the first time is Yagenbori. The shop known as the birthplace of Shichimi Togarashi was established in 1625 in present-day Higashi-Nihonbashi Chuo-ku Tokyo.

Today the shop is located in Asakusa, Tokyo. The Shichimi Togarashi of Yagenbori has superb balance between spicy flavor and aroma and is noted for its fragrant aromas of spices. As an example, the Yagenbori’s Sansho pepper that is known as one of the seven spices is used by famous eel restaurants.

According to the official website of Yagenbori, the 7 spices used as ingredients for the Shichimi Togarashi are as follows:

Red chili pepper
Roasted red chili pepper
Black sesame seeds
Dried orange peel
Sansho pepper
Hemp seeds
Poppy seeds

Yawataya Isogoro has its origin in a merchant named Kanemon (勘右衛門) who began selling Shichimi Togarashi in the precincts of Zenkoji temple in 1736. Zenkoji (善光寺) is a nationally famous temple located in the city of Nagano. The Shichimi Togarashi of Yawataya Isogoro is characterized by its flavor of dried ginger and the spice blend has strong aromas and spicy flavors, compared with other Shichimi Togarashi.

According to the official website of Yawataya Isogoro, the 7 spices used as ingredients for the Shichimi Togarashi are as follows:

Red chili pepper
Dried ginger
Sansho pepper
Shiso (Perilla)
Black sesame seeds
Dried orange peel
Hemp seeds

Shichimiya Honpo is one of the 3 most famous Shichimi Togarashi shops in Japan that is located along an approach to Kiyomizu temple (清水寺),Kyoto. Although the shop sold straw sandals and medicines under the name of Kawachiya (河内屋), it changed its name to Shichimiya in 1816 and became a Shichimi Togarashi specialty shop during the middle of the Meiji period (1868 -1912).

The Shichimi Togarashi of Shichimiya features the aromas of green Nori seaweed and Sansho pepper. The spice blend is not so spicy and it works well with lightly seasoned dishes.

According to the official website of Shichimiya Honpo, the 7 spices used as ingredients for the Shichimi Togarashi are as follows:

Red chili pepper
Black sesame seeds
White sesame seeds
Shiso (Perilla)
Hemp seeds
Green Nori (laver) seaweed
Sansho pepper (Japanese green pepper)

Citizens, my version of Shichimi combines aspects of all 3 major variants, along with a few eccentricities such as using dried yuzu peel (a Japanese citrus) instead of the classic dried Chinese orange peel and Aleppo chili flakes for a more smoky chili flavor.

You can buy top-quality hemp seeds here as well as dried yuzu peel here  and the best-quality sansho pepper buds here.

Battle on – The Generalssimo

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