Japanese Pantry Staples: Everything You Need to Know
When cooking food you may be unfamiliar with, it all starts with the ingredients. Here are the 10 Japanese pantry staples you need to make 90% of Japanese food.
Japanese cuisine is a world renowned cuisine, often recognized for its restrained and elegant nature. It seem out of reach to you. If that’s the case then this post is perfect for you.
10 Japanese Pantry Staples
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The first four ingredients on this list are must-haves for just about any Japanese food, and the next six open up substantially more dishes.
1. Shoyu (醤油) (soy sauce)
Soy sauce is the main way Japanese add salt to dishes, as well as providing a deep savory flavor. It’s a vital component of every meal, but is often used more sparingly than most people realize.
Soy sauce should accent the ingredients’ natural flavors, bringing out the umami within mushrooms, fish, and meat, and make the flavors pop more through the addition of salt.
In most cases, it should not dominate the dish, instead it should act as a catalyst to make the ingredients themselves shine.
Japanese soy sauce is made by the fermentation of soybeans and wheat. The higher proportion of wheat (compared to other Asian soy sauces) gives Japanese soy sauce a sweeter, more balanced flavor. But, it also means that shoyu is not traditionally gluten-free.
Shoyu comes in two main varieties: koikuchi (dark) and usukuchi (light). For most dishes koikuchi is the way to go, unless you specifically want to preserve a light color in the dish as is the case for tamagoyaki and chawanmushi.
Note that light soy sauce does not mean “low-sodium,” and usukuchi is actually saltier than koikuchi shoyu.
Also, don’t confuse Japanese dark soy sauce with Chinese dark soy sauce, as Japanese dark soy sauce is closer to Chinese light soy sauce (and these two are used interchangeably in many restaurants).
Lastly, when purchasing Japanese soy sauce (or any for that matter) look for “traditionally brewed.” This means the soy sauce was made by fermenting soybeans and often another grain (wheat) with a special mold (koji in Japan) along with salt and water to make an intensely salty and savory liquid. That’s the simple explanation anyway.
Processed soy sauce, on the other hand, is made with protein isolates, and is lower-quality than traditionally brewed sauce.
If you’re not sure, look at the ingredient list; it should be about four ingredients: water, soybeans, wheat, and salt. Steer clear of anything with hydrolyzed soy protein, corn syrup, caramel color, and any other questionable ingredients.
Where to buy Japanese Soy Sauce
Thanks to Kikkoman, Japanese soy sauce is widely available in American supermarkets. They offer affordable, all purpose soy sauce for Japanese dishes. Also, you can buy Kikkoman soy sauce online on websites like Amazon or Weee (one of the largest online Asian grocery stores in America).
Top Recipes with Shoyu
2. Sake (日本酒)
Sake is a Japanese liquor made by the fermentation of rice and koji (a Japanese spore used in many fermented ingredients).
It’s a strong drink used for both cooking and drinking, with an alcohol content of about 13-17% (per the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association)
If you enjoy knowing dumb facts that make you feel smarter (like me), what we call “sake” in English is actually called “nihonshu” in Japan.
Sake (酒) refers to alcoholic drinks in general, whereas nihonshu (日本酒) translates to “Japanese alcohol,” and is used to describe the drink we call sake.
Sake comes in varying qualities, from 2 dollars to 2-3 hundred dollars (per Sake Talk). Ryorishu (literally “cooking alcohol”) is a lower quality not suitable for drinking, but works for… cooking (duh).
Ryorishu isn’t the best option, and high-end restaurants usually use a mid-quality drinking sake for cooking, but it works for home cooking, and I use it for all of my Japanese dishes.
Sake’s main purpose is to remove the gaminess from meat and fish, and to add lightness to Japanese dishes.
Where to buy Sake
I’ve found that sake is hard to come buy where I live, so I buy sake on Weee, because it’s cheaper than Amazon, and shipping there’s usually free shipping deals. However, you can also buy sake on Amazon.
Top Recipes with Sake
3. Mirin (みりん)
Mirin, like sake, is a Japanese rice wine. Unlike sake, mirin (although occasionally drank) is primarily used for cooking (per Sake Times), and is much sweeter.
Mirin is used to sweeten many Japanese dishes and remove gaminess in tandem with sake. American-Japanese (and most American-Asian) food is often characterized by intense sweetness, however traditional Japanese food is much less sweet.
Like soy sauce, mirin should not control Japanese food, it’s used to balance the intense saltiness of soy sauce and add a more complex flavor to savory dishes.
Traditional mirin is made by the fermentation of steamed mochi rice, koji, and sweet potato alcohol called shochu (per Food Network). It’s much sweeter than sake and Japanese people use it in savory dishes to balance intense salty and umami flavors like soy sauce and miso.
However, many mirin bottles on store shelves today contain aji-mirin, which includes other sweeteners and fillers.
This type of mirin is easier and cheaper to produce, so there are lot of brands selling it, and it’s relatively inexpensive.
Hon-mirin is prepared the natural way. It tastes better, and it’s healthier, so of course it’s also more expensive (kinda annoying how our world works). But if you can find hon-mirin, go for that.
These first three Japanese pantry staples are used in almost all Japanese dishes, often to make a light glaze, like in Japanese teriyaki, or along with dashi to make nimono (simmered dishes).
Where to buy Mirin
You can find mirin in some supermarkets and often in Asian specialty stores. However, the products on these shelves are usually aji-mirin, so I order mirin on Amazon.
I use this brand, and although it is made in China, it only contains necessary ingredients (water, rice, rice koji, alcohol, salt, and sugar) and it comes at an affordable price.
Top Recipes with Mirin
4. Dashi (出汁)
Some say dashi is the heart of Japanese cuisine; the unpretentious stock is often boldly featured in several dishes, and in the background of even more.
Dashi is a go-to Japanese stock for just about everything. It’s the main component of miso soup, is a part of some ramen broths, and is used to make nimono (simmered dishes). If you want a full guide to dashi, you can read about it here.
Dashi’s main ingredients are katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and kombu (a species of kelp). Both of these contain compounds that enhance the umami in each other to make an ultimately savory and yet still delicate stock.
Where to Buy Dashi
You can make dashi in one of three ways. First there is hondashi (instant dashi); just mix the granules in hot water and you have dashi.
This is the cheapest, most convenient, and lowest quality dashi. The main producer of hondashi is Ajinomoto and you can buy it on Amazon.
Next is dashi packets. They’re the middle of the road, just as easy as hondashi but with a quality similar to the traditional method.
I suggest dashi packets for the average joe making most Japanese dishes. This the brand I use. It’s made in Japan, uses high-quality ingredients, and has a complex flavor because it’s made with 7 ingredients (not just kombu and katsuobushi).
Finally, if you go to a fancy-schmancy Japanese restaurant, you put your money on them using the traditional method. That means soaking kombu in water, boiling it (and other additional ingredients like shiitake or niboshi), stirring in katsuobushi, and straining.
Does this produce the best dashi? Probably. Is it harder, more time consuming, and more expensive? Also, yes.
It’s up to you; if you want the best dashi, traditional method. If you want good dashi at a good price point, quality, and easy to make, dashi packets.
And if you really just need something easy, hondashi.
Top Recipes with Dashi
5. Miso (味噌)
When you hear miso, you likely think of miso soup (miso shiru in Japan). But what is miso?
Miso is Japanese fermented soy bean paste, and there’s actually hundreds of varieties in Japan.
All miso has soybeans, but other ingredients like barley or rice vary region-to region.
In America you’re likely to find shiro (white) miso on the international isle of many supermarkets. It’s a good all-purpose miso, but different dishes call for different miso.
In Japan, miso can be classified by its color, its ingredients, and/or the region it was produced in (ex: Sendai (city in Japan; region), mugi (barley; ingredient), aka (red; color).
If you’ve ever eaten miso by itself, you know that it is very strong. Miso is extremely salty, and has a strong fermented aroma and umami taste, which is why it’s commonly diluted with dashi or other ingredients.
Miso has more uses than you ever realized, so just open your mind to the possibilities. Miso glazed salmon; the sweet glaze contrasted by miso’s assertive saltiness. Miso katsu (a Nagoya specialty); rich fried pork paired with a full-bodied red miso sauce.
Even non-Japanese food benefits from miso (miso pastas? the perfect dipping sauce for a good steak?). So yeah, buy yourself some.
Where to buy Miso
Many supermarkets stock white miso on the international aisle, usually in a small plastic tub. And as (almost) always, you can buy miso on Amazon.
Miso can keep for almost forever in the fridge, so don’t be afraid to buy it in bulk.
Top Recipes with Miso
6. Rice (米)
Japan’s, like many Asian countries’, staple carb is rice (big surprise).
Japanese people eat rice daily, and it is one of the most important parts of a washoku (traditional Japanese) meal, always present on the table.
Fun fact: the Japanese word for cooked rice, gohan, also means meal. And now you know.
The most common way Japanese people eat rice is steamed (usually in a rice cooker), sometimes with other ingredients, but often by itself.
It’s served in it’s own dish (except in donburi), and is sometimes sprinkled with a seasoning (like furikake).
As you eat a Japanese meal, you take a bite of something rich, sweet, punchy, or salty like salt-grilled fish, followed by a bite of fluffy rice, so that the rice absorbs the fish’s flavor, and mellows the intense saltiness.
Then you can change it up with a sharp pickled vegetable, again followed by rice, so that you have a meal that stays interesting and is nutritionally balanced. That’s the beauty of Japanese food,
But what rice shall you choose? That is the real question indeed. Japanese people eat Japanese rice (again, big surprise), but within that there are several varieties of rice.
Almost all Japanese rice is short-grain, and contains a high starch content, so it’s stickier than other varieties. Koshihikari is often considered one of the best varieties, but it’s not the only option.
However if you don’t want to order your rice online (or want a more affordable option), there is also American-Japanese rice. California rose (Calrose) rice is a medium-grain variety of Japonica rice that is grown en masse in California.
It’s not exactly the same as Japanese rice, but it’s the choice of many Japanese restaurants in America.
Where to Buy Japanese Rice
If you’re looking for true Japanese rice, online is your best bet. If you have a Japanese or Asian grocery store (or a well stocked supermarket), you might be able to find it their, but if not there’s always Amazon, Weee, and online Japanese groceries.
If you’re looking for Calrose rice, it’s available in many American grocery stores. Botan, Nishiki, and Kokuho are popular brands. I use Kokuho for almost all Japanese (as well as Korean) dishes. Can’t argue with the price.
7. Rice Vinegar (米酢)
Rice vinegar is made from unrefined rice wine that’s been fermented to convert the sugars into acid, creating a sour flavor.
Rice vinegar has a much mellower and sweeter flavor than regular distilled or apple cider vinegar, making it the perfect option for salad dressings and dipping sauces.
Rice vinegar isn’t as prominent as the previous ingredients, but it’s still a must have, and its easier to find than some of the other ingredients on this list.
In my tofu gyoza recipe, I make the dipping sauce with Chinese black vinegar, because I like it’s intense flavor and color, but rice vinegar is used more for gyoza, and it’s easier to find, so you can definitely sub it for the black vinegar.
If you want a really simple and refreshing side/condiment, just throw together thinly sliced cabbage with rice vinegar, a pinch of salt and sugar, a few drops of toasted sesame oil, some freshly cracked black pepper, and Bob’s your uncle (I’ve literally never used that expression in my entire life).
Where to buy Rice Vinegar
You can find the Marukan, Mizkan, or Nakano brand of rice vinegar in most American supermarkets. Look for the bottles that say “original” “natural,” which usually means they only contain rice vinegar.
These brands also have seasoned rice vinegar, which is good for a no-fuss sushi vinegar, but regular is best for most applications.
Recipes with Rice Vinegar
8. Katsuobushi (かつおぶし)
Katsuobushi is dried fish flakes. It may sound a little weird at first, and you’ve probably never cooked with anything like that. Today is the day to change that (well maybe in a few days, shipping can be kinda slow).
Katsuo is the Japanese name for bonito, also called skipjack tuna. It’s the smallest member of the tuna family and has a strong flavor, due to a high fat content.
To make katsuobushi, bonito filets are fermented for months, before being shaved with a special box grater. The long fermentation builds up intense umami in the fish.
Through the magic of science a plain piece of fish turns into one of the hardest foods in the world, and also one of the smokiest and with the deepest, richest, umami flavor.
As I mentioned, katsuobushi is a key ingredient in dashi, but that isn’t its only use.
You can simmer katsuobushi directly into soy-based sauces to give them more umami and a smoky flavor profile.
Also, katsuobushi is commonly used to top other foods like okonomiyaki, takoyaki, or plain steamed rice.
Where to Buy Katsuobushi
Katsuobushi is a pretty hard ingredient to find, and most grocery stores don’t stock it. But of course you can buy katsuobushi on Amazon or on Weee.
9. Kombu (昆布) (dried kelp)
Like katsuobushi, kombu is a building block of the most common awase dashi.
To make kombu, farmers harvest long strips of kelp from cold waters and sun dry them. Then the kombu strips are cut and distributed as needed.
The use of kombu in stock is ingenious thanks to the high quantities of glutamic acid found in the kombu.
Glutamic acid breaks down into glutamate, one of the two ingredients in MSG (Monosodium Glutamate; see, it all makes sense now).
The man who invented MSG was a Japanese chemist who attempted to isolate the delicious meaty flavor in his wife’s dashi. He was successful, and went on to be a co-founder of Ajinomoto, one of the leading distributors of MSG to this day.
The human brain perceives glutamate as umami, the fifth taste.
So kombu being rich in glutamate, means it’s rich in umami; which is Japanese for: out of this world delicious.
Not really, but it does mean “delicious flavor,” and describes the rich, meaty flavor found in mushrooms, steak, parmesan, and kombu (all thanks to naturally occurring glutamic acids).
But, just like all the other ingredients on this list, kombu is not a one trick monkey. Kombu is eaten whole (after rehydrating) in salads and simmered dishes, and used to enhance the flavor of rice, soybeans, and sauces.
Where to buy Kombu
You can usually find kombu in Asian grocery stores or online. I buy this brand from Weee.
10. Toasted Sesame Oil (胡麻油)
Japanese cuisine isn’t very heavy on oils, and usually focuses on preserving the ingredients natural flavor and achieving a good texture.
However, toasted sesame does make its way into certain dishes, like when pan-frying gyoza, or making aromatic oils for ramen.
It’s made by sesame seeds that have been toasted and pressed. The roasting process brings out a completely new flavor in the oil, so you cannot substitute it with regular (untoasted) sesame seed oil. The latter is almost tasteless, and can be used like vegetable oil.
Toasted sesame oil is usually reserved for cold applications (salads, pickles, etc.), or added at the very end. The oil has flavor compounds that break down when exposed to high heat, so the nutty aroma you desire from it will be muted if you cook it too long.
If you use toasted sesame oil in stir-fried dishes (and I recommend that you do) like fried rice or yakisoba, add a few drops at the very end so the oil provides a nuanced aroma that will complement the other flavors.
If you’re using it in dressings, don’t be afraid to let the sesame seed flavor stand out, but also know that a little can go a long way.
Where to Buy Toasted Sesame Oil
Brands like Kroger have their own toasted sesame seed oil, and most supermarkets carry it; either on the international aisle or with the oils and vinegar. I’ve seen the Kadoya brand a lot, and its usually my go-to. Always look for “toasted sesame oil” or “toasted sesame seed oil,” it should have a dark brown hue, and noticeable aroma.
