S&B, Shichimi Togarashi, 300g
Japan's seven-flavour chilli blend, in a 300g catering bag.
S&B Shichimi Togarashi is the table seasoning that sits next to the soy sauce in Japanese noodle bars: coarse chilli blended with other spices and aromatics, for heat with fragrance rather than plain burn. This is the 300g catering bag, sized for kitchens that refill their own table shakers. The pack names it Nanami Togarashi, another reading of the same characters.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Heat with aroma: warm chilli backed by citrus and pepper notes that lift a dish rather than flatten it.
- Coarse texture: visible flakes and seeds that read on the plate as a finish.
- Catering size: one 300g bag refills table shakers many times over.
- A spice house: made by S&B, founded in Tokyo in 1923.
How to Use
- Noodles: over udon, soba and ramen just before serving.
- Grilled food: on yakitori, grilled fish and gyudon beef bowls.
- Hot pots: a pinch over each bowl of nabe or miso soup at the table.
- Beyond Japanese food: on chips, fried chicken, eggs or avocado toast, or stirred into mayonnaise for a quick dip.
Shichimi togarashi (七味唐辛子) translates as seven-flavour chilli. Togarashi is the Japanese word for chilli pepper, and shichimi tells you this is a blend of seven seasonings rather than chilli alone. Its single-spice cousin is ichimi togarashi (一味唐辛子), one flavour, pure chilli. Blends like this have been sold in Japan since the Edo period, and shichimi is still the standard table condiment for noodles, hot pots and grilled skewers. Recipes vary by maker, but the idea holds: heat balanced with aroma, so a pinch seasons a dish as well as warming it. S&B (エスビー食品) was founded in Tokyo in 1923 and is one of Japan's major spice makers.
Learn more: Japanese Spices & Seasonings
Pairs with: S&B Ichimi Togarashi 300g, S&B Shichimi Togarashi 15g and S&B Japanese Curry Powder
What does shichimi togarashi taste like?
Warm first, then fragrant. The chilli gives a steady, moderate heat that builds rather than spikes, and behind it come citrus brightness, a light tingle of Japanese pepper and the nutty crunch of seeds. It smells as much as it burns, which is why it goes on at the table, at the last moment, over hot noodles and broths where the steam carries the aroma. Compared with plain chilli flakes it is rounder and more complex; compared with ichimi it is milder and more aromatic. A pinch is enough to change a bowl of udon.
Product Details
| Type | Shichimi togarashi 七味唐辛子 (seven-flavour chilli blend) |
| Brand | S&B (founded in Tokyo, 1923) |
| Origin | Japan |
| Net Weight and Format | 300g bag |
| Best Used As | A finishing seasoning for noodles, broths, hot pots and grilled food |
What is the difference between shichimi and ichimi togarashi?
Ichimi togarashi is a single spice, ground red chilli, so it is pure heat. Shichimi togarashi is a blend of seven seasonings built around chilli, so it adds fragrance and texture as well as warmth. In practice ichimi is the choice when you want to raise the heat of a dish without changing its flavour, and shichimi is the one for finishing, where aroma matters: over udon, soba, ramen, yakitori and hot pots. Plenty of Japanese kitchens keep both on the pass and use them for different jobs.
Is shichimi togarashi very spicy?
It is warm rather than fierce. Chilli leads, but the other seasonings in the blend round it out, so most people find it a moderate heat. How hot a dish ends up depends on how much you use: a light pinch over a bowl of noodles adds fragrance and a gentle glow, a heavier shake gives real warmth. If you want more heat without more aroma, add ichimi togarashi alongside it. Start small and taste, because the heat builds a little as it sits in hot broth.
How should I store a 300g bag of shichimi?
Fold the bag down tightly or decant it into an airtight container, and keep it in a cool, dry cupboard away from sunlight and the heat of the stove. Spice blends lose their aroma long before they lose their heat, so fill your table shakers little and often from the main bag rather than leaving a large amount exposed to air. Use a dry spoon for refilling, since moisture makes the blend clump. Use within the date on the pack, and sooner after opening for the best fragrance.
SKU : K0005