Essential Japanese condiments and how to use them

Unlock the bold, umami-rich world of Japanese condiments, from miso to mirin, and find out simple tricks to add instant flavour to your meals.

Up your condiment game. Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

You’ve got soy sauce in the pantry and maybe even dabbled in miso – but what about ponzu, mirin or sesame oil? Japanese condiments can feel overwhelming at first, but once you know what each one brings to the table, they become indispensable. From sweet to tangy, savoury to spicy, here’s a guide to the essential flavour boosters of Japanese cuisine – and how to use them with confidence, whether cooking at home or in a Japanese restaurant.

Togarashi

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

'Togarashi' is the Japanese word for red chilli peppers and is also the name given to a selection of chilli condiments from mild to hot. Shichimi-togarashi is a seven-spice mix which includes ground red chilli pepper, ground sansho, sesame seeds, dried orange peel, nori seaweed, ground ginger and hemp seeds. Sometimes you will find spice variations that also include shiso, other citrus peels or poppy seeds. Sprinkle over your noodles, yakitori skewers, or on top rice dishes.

Or, for something different, try Adam Liaw's innovative Pork belly with fresh shichimi – in Season 8 of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, he creates a paste inspired by nama (raw) shichimi togarashi, combining yuzu kosho, green chilli and aonori (dried sea lettuce).

Source: Jiwon Kim

Ponzu

Source: The Illustration Room

A citrus-infused sauce that’s made from rice vinegar, bonito fish flakes, mirin and seaweed, ponzu has a long culinary history in Japan. There are myriad ways to use ponzu –­ pair with beef, seafood and vegetables or to marinades and soy sauce. Or try these quick and easy chicken, ginger and miso patties with sticky ponzu glaze.

Vinegar (su)

Sushi rice Source: Adam Liaw

One of the most versatile of condiments in Japanese cooking, vinegar can be found in three different forms – komezu (rice vinegar) is found in every Japanese pantry, kurozu (a black vinegar also made from rice) is well regarded for its health benefits including aiding digestion, and awasezu (made from a combination of sake, salt and sugar) is commonly used to season sushi rice. Japanese vinegar is popular as a dipping sauce for sushi, as well as for use in meat marinades and pickling preserves.

Karashi

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

A Japanese yellow mustard that is great for dipping. It is used for seasoning and as a condiment and is hotter and spicier than Western mustards. Made from crushed brassica juncea seeds and horseradish, karashi comes in a paste or powder form. It is quite a versatile condiment and can be served alongside pork belly and fried chicken, spread on burgers and sandwiches or used as part of a dipping sauce.

Miso

Source: Jiwon Kim

A traditional seasoning made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (a type of fungus), this tasty, paste-like condiment is generally salty in flavour and contains other grains such as rice, barley and rye along with other ingredients. Use for sauces, spreads, marinades and the much-loved cornerstone of Japanese cooking, miso soup. Miso also works well in desserts, bringing a salty and caramel-like quality – such as in these Miso raisin brownies.

Daikon oroshi

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Made from grated radish, daikon oroshi is well regarded for its nutritional benefits, thanks to digestive enzymes lipase, protease, and amylase that help to break down fatty and greasy foods. Japanese use it regularly as a topping on rice and noodles as well as a side dish for meat dishes including chicken, pork, beef and fish.

Soy sauce (shoyu)

Source: Jiwon Kim

A standard addition to Japanese – and many Australian – households, this salty soybean sauce was first introduced by Chinese Buddhist monks in the 1600s. With a splash being added to everything from marinades to noodles and sauces, shoyu is one versatile kitchen staple.

Dashi

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Made from seaweed and dried fish shavings, this broth is a key ingredient of miso soup. When mixed with sugar and soy sauce, dashi can also work as a base for soba sauce and udon broth. Dashi has played an essential role in Japanese culinary history and is still popular as a flavour-enhancing addition to almost any dish.

With dashi, mirin, light soy and more, this soup-curry udon (suupu-kare udon) is a comforting noodle bowl.

Source: Sharyn Cairns

Kewpie mayo

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Used on everything from fries and burgers to tacos and vegies (also delicious on this chicken sub), this creamy, tangy mayo also works well on almost every Japanese dish, making it a celebrated condiment not only in Japan but also in many other countries. Rich, delicious and packed with umami, David Chang said it’s "the best mayonnaise in the world."

Mirin

Source: Adam Liaw

Also known as sweet cooking sake (though it contains more sugar and less alcohol than regular sake), mirin is an essential Japanese seasoning that comes in a clear, liquid form, and is a key ingredient to making dipping sauces. Use it when cooking pork or beef for a subtle, aromatic sweetness.

Sansho pepper

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Sansho is made from finely ground peppercorns or berries from the Japanese prickly ash tree, related to Sichuan peppercorns and share a similar numbing, tingling sensation. It is a key ingredient in a seven-spice mix (shichimi-togarashi) and with its lemon-peppery notes, it is a common seasoning on yakitori and eel, sauces and broths as well as sushi.

Yuzu kosho

Source: Jiwon Kim

Three ingredients make up this punchy condiment the zest of – most typically – yuzu citrus fruit, ground chilli peppers and sea salt, but there are variations, such as this lemon-mandarin kosho. The result is hot, salty and flavour-packed and works a treat served with eggs, oysters, and grilled meat – as well as spread on sandwiches, mixed into to salad dressings and even added to pasta sauces. You can also thin it out with some lime juice and a pinch of sugar or honey.

Teriyaki sauce

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Whether sweet or spicy, teriyaki sauce is much-loved all over the world. Most often used when cooking meat and fish dishes – teriyaki literally means ‘glazed grill’ – it’s traditionally made by heating and combining mirin or sake, soy sauce, and honey or sugar. In Japan, teriyaki sauce is popularly used on seafood including salmon, mackerel, trout, tuna and marlin. For a fusion spin, try it as a marinade on roast lamb.

Source: Adam Liaw

Furikake

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Furikake is a dry seasoning that is typically sprinkled on top of your bowls of rice. Whilst there are many, many versions available most will contain seaweed, dried fish, salt and sugar so grab that shake and flake. Furikake is also very easy to adapt and make at home to suit your tastes. One furikake, you will need the orange peel, sheets of nori, shaved kombu and bonito, black and white sesame seeds and puffed rice. Served it with meat, fish, seafood, vegetables such as eggplant or simply liven up a bowl of white rice or piece of toast for a simple meal.

Source: Danielle Abou Karam

Rayu

Source: Tanya Cooper / The Illustration Room

Rayu is Japan’s version of hot chilli oil, made infusing dried chilli peppers and sesame oil. Popular on rice, tofu, and noodle dishes, regular rayu brings a fiery hit to all it touches while in taberu rayu you’ll find onion, garlic, ginger, herbs and other seasonings for added flavour. Used also as sauce or dip for dumplings and gyoza.

Illustration and animation by Tanya Cooper from The Illustration Room.