Ingredient guide
What these recipes use that your usual shop may not stock: what it is, where to find it, and what you can put in its place.
bamboo shoots!Young, tender shoots of the bamboo plant, mild and crisp with a fibrous bite.1 recipebean sproutsSprouted mung beans, often sold simply as bean sprouts, crisp, juicy and mild.1 recipeBlack sesame seedsUnhulled black sesame seeds, stronger and slightly more bitter than white sesame.1 recipebonito flakesDried, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna shaved into paper-thin flakes, with a smoky, deep, fishy savouriness.1 recipeBonito flakesPaper-thin shavings of dried, smoked and fermented bonito fish, smoky and deeply savoury.2 recipesBurdock rootThe long, slender root of the greater burdock plant, brown outside and pale inside, with an earthy, faintly sweet flavour and a firm, fibrous texture.2 recipesCake flourFine, low-protein wheat flour, the Japanese hakurikiko, for tender cakes and light tempura batter.1 recipechinese yam (nagaimo)!A long, pale brown tuber with white, juicy flesh that is crisp when raw and turns into a thick, slippery paste when grated.1 recipedaikon radishA large, mild white radish from East Asia, crisp and juicy raw, soft and broth-absorbing when cooked.3 recipesdashiJapan's basic stock, usually steeped from kombu seaweed and dried bonito flakes: clear, lightly smoky, deeply savoury.3 recipesdashi powderInstant stock made from dried bonito flakes, usually with kombu, salt and flavour enhancers, sold as granules or powder; dissolved in hot water it becomes Japan's basic stock.5 recipesdoubanjiang chili bean pasteA hot, salty paste of fermented broad beans and chilli from Sichuan cooking, known in Japan as tōbanjan.1 recipedried shiitake!Dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked before cooking, with a deep, smoky, savoury flavour and a firm, meaty texture.2 recipesFurikakeA Japanese seasoning sprinkled over rice, usually made of toasted sesame, nori, salt and a little sugar, often with bonito flakes.1 recipeGinkgo nuts!The seed kernel of the ginkgo tree, shelled and cooked: jade-green to yellowish, soft yet slightly chewy, mild with a faintly bitter undertone.1 recipeGround chickenMinced chicken meat, in Japanese cooking usually from the juicier thigh.1 recipeHoisin sauceA thick, dark, sweet-and-salty Chinese seasoning sauce made from fermented soybeans.1 recipeJapanese leekJapanese long onion (negi), tall and slender, somewhere between a leek and a spring onion, with a long white shaft and a mild flavour that turns sweet when cooked.1 recipeJapanese leek (naga-negi)A long, thick Welsh onion with a tall white shaft, mildly pungent and sweet once cooked.1 recipekamabokoSteamed fish paste, shaped into a loaf on a small wooden board and cut into slices, firm, slightly springy and mild.1 recipeKashiwa oak leavesLarge, scalloped leaves of the Japanese daimyo oak, used to wrap rice cakes. They lend a faint, slightly astringent fragrance and are not eaten.1 recipeKimchiKorean lacto-fermented vegetables, usually napa cabbage with chili, garlic and ginger: sour, spicy and pungent.1 recipeKing oyster mushroomA large mushroom with a thick, firm white stem and a small cap, meaty and mildly nutty when cooked.1 recipeKombu!Dried kelp, a brown seaweed sold in stiff, dark green sheets; the foundation of the Japanese stock dashi.4 recipesLight soy sauceJapanese soy sauce (usukuchi) that is lighter in colour but saltier than the usual dark kind; "light" refers to the colour, not to lower salt.1 recipelotus rootThe thickened underwater stem of the lotus plant, run through with air channels that give every slice a flower-like pattern. Crisp, mild and faintly sweet.1 recipeMaitake mushroomsA Japanese cultivated mushroom that grows in dense, ruffled clusters, with a firm, slightly fibrous bite and a deep, savoury aroma.1 recipeMatcha powderFinely ground Japanese green tea, bright green, with a grassy, slightly bitter and faintly sweet taste.1 recipeMatcha powderFinely ground Japanese green tea, bright green, bitter and grassy with a slight sweetness.1 recipemirinSweet Japanese rice wine for cooking that gives sauces and glazes a mild sweetness and shine.17 recipesmisoA fermented paste of soybeans, salt and often rice or barley: salty, savoury and deep in flavour.1 recipeMiso pasteFermented paste of soybeans, salt and koji, often with rice or barley – salty and savoury, ranging from mild and sweetish to robust depending on the type.1 recipemitsubaJapanese wild parsley with three-part leaves and long, tender stems, fresh and slightly bitter, somewhere between parsley, celery and angelica.4 recipesnoriRoasted seaweed pressed into thin, paper-like sheets, savoury and lightly briny.4 recipesokonomiyaki sauceA thick, dark brown Japanese condiment, sweet, fruity and savoury, brushed over okonomiyaki.1 recipeOnsen eggAn egg cooked slowly at just under 70 °C, leaving the yolk creamy and the white only half set.1 recipePak choiChinese cabbage with fleshy pale stalks and dark green leaves, mild and juicy; sold in larger supermarkets and in any Asian grocery.2 recipesPancake mixA ready-made dry mix of flour, raising agent and sugar for pancakes; the Japanese kind (hotcake mix) is sweeter and lightly vanilla-flavoured.1 recipePanko breadcrumbsJapanese breadcrumbs made from crustless white bread, coarse and flaky, that turn especially light and crisp when fried.3 recipespickled gingerWafer-thin young ginger pickled in sweet rice vinegar, mildly hot and crisp.1 recipeponzuA thin Japanese seasoning sauce of citrus juice, soy sauce, vinegar and dashi, tart and salty with a fresh citrus aroma.1 recipepotato starchFine, pure white starch extracted from potatoes, known in Japan as katakuriko and the usual choice for coating and thickening.1 recipepotato starchFine white starch powder from potatoes, used in Japan as katakuriko for thickening and coating.3 recipesRamen noodlesWheat noodles made with alkaline water (kansui), which makes them yellowish, firm to the bite and springy.1 recipeRamen noodlesWheat noodles made with alkaline water (kansui), which makes them yellowish, firm and springy.1 recipeRoast pork (char siu)Pork belly, tied into a roll and slowly braised in soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar, then thinly sliced: tender, salty-sweet, with a soft rim of fat.1 recipesakeJapanese rice wine, used in cooking mainly to round out flavours, tame fishy notes and add umami.18 recipesSansho pepperGround seed husks of a Japanese shrub in the citrus family, not a true pepper. Fresh and lemony in aroma, with a light tingling, numbing heat on the tongue.1 recipesesame oilOil pressed from toasted sesame seeds, dark and strongly nutty, used by the drop as a seasoning.9 recipesShichimi togarashiA Japanese seven-spice blend, usually chili, sansho pepper, dried orange peel, sesame and nori, sprinkled over food at the table.1 recipeShiitake mushrooms!Fresh shiitake are sold in many supermarkets, and dried ones, often even better for broths and braises, are in any Asian grocery.2 recipesShimeji mushroomsSmall beech mushrooms with firm stems and round caps that grow in clusters, brown or white, with a mild, nutty flavour and a slight crunch.1 recipeShirataki noodlesThin, translucent noodles made from konjac root – almost neutral in flavour, with a firm, slippery, springy bite.1 recipeshiso leavesAromatic leaves of a Japanese herb in the mint family, fresh and spicy, somewhere between mint, basil and anise.4 recipesShort-grain riceJapanese short-grain rice, often sold as sushi rice, which cooks up soft and slightly sticky.1 recipeSrirachaA hot, slightly sweet chili sauce with garlic and a little vinegar, smooth and thick.1 recipesweet red bean paste (anko)A sweet paste of cooked azuki beans and sugar, either chunky or smoothly sieved, and the classic filling for Japanese sweets.1 recipeSweet simmered black soybeansBlack soybeans slowly cooked in sugar syrup with a little soy sauce, glossy, soft and sweet. A classic part of the Japanese New Year meal.1 recipeTakuan (pickled daikon)Japanese pickled daikon radish, usually bright yellow, crunchy, sweet and salty with a pungent aroma.1 recipeTempehFermented soybeans bound by a mould culture into a firm block, nutty and faintly mushroomy.1 recipeteriyaki sauceA glossy, sweet-salty sauce based on soy sauce and mirin, used to glaze meat, fish and tofu.1 recipetofuSoy milk curdled and pressed into blocks, mild in flavour and, depending on the type, silky soft to firm enough to slice.4 recipesTunaA large sea fish with firm, deep red to pink flesh, eaten raw, briefly seared or from the tin.1 recipeUdon noodlesThick, soft Japanese wheat noodles with an elastic bite, usually served in broth or briefly stir-fried.1 recipeumeboshiJapanese ume fruit cured in salt and dried, often coloured with red shiso: intensely sour, very salty, soft.1 recipeVanilla extractVanilla beans steeped in alcohol, a liquid with a strong vanilla flavour.1 recipeVinegarA mild, faintly sweet vinegar made from rice, much gentler than wine vinegar.2 recipesWakameDried or salted seaweed that swells into soft, dark green leaves when soaked — tender, slightly slippery, mildly of the sea.1 recipewasabiA pungent green condiment made from the rhizome of the Japanese wasabi plant, usually served as a paste with sushi and sashimi.1 recipewheat noodles (yakisoba/chuka soba)Yellowish wheat noodles made with alkaline water, the same kind used for ramen: springy and firm to the bite.1 recipeWhite misoMild, pale yellow miso made from soybeans with a high share of rice koji, briefly fermented, sweetish and low in salt.1 recipeYam!Japanese mountain yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), a long, pale-skinned tuber that turns into a thick, slippery paste when grated raw.1 recipeYellowtail!Japanese sea fish of the jack family, known as hamachi or buri, with firm, rich, pale flesh and a mild, buttery flavour.1 recipeyuzuA Japanese citrus fruit about the size of a mandarin, with thick, bumpy rind. Its juice and zest are sour and intensely fragrant, somewhere between lemon, grapefruit and mandarin.1 recipe