, also known as or simply shichimi, is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. TÃ Âgarashi is the Japanese name for Capsicum annuum peppers, and it is this ingredient that makes shichimi spicy.
"Shichi" means seven, "mi" means flavor, and "togarashi" is the red chili pepper Capsicum annuum. The blend is also called nanami togarashi.
In the United States, shichimi is sometimes referred to as "Nanami." Both names translate to "seven flavors," but "Nanami" is often used in branding for ease of pronunciation among English speakers. While "shichi" and "nana" are two pronunciations of the same character (ä¸Â) and both mean "seven" in Japanese, "nana" has a more familiar sound in English, leading to the alternative name.
A typical blend may contain:
Some recipes may substitute or supplement these with rapeseed or shiso. Shichimi is distinguished from , which is simply ground red chili pepper.
The blend is traditionally used as a finishing spice. It is ubiquitous in restaurants in Japan; a shaker is sometimes on every table along with salt and pepper shakers and bottles of soy sauce. It is often consumed with soups and on noodles and gyà «don. Some rice products, such as rice cakes, agemochi and roasted rice crackers, also use it for seasoning.
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 . Most shichimi sold today come from one of three kinds, sold near temples: sold near Sensà Â-ji, sold near Kiyomizu-dera, and sold near Zenkà Â-ji.
In modern times, the product is generally sold as a formulated product, but in the past it was prepared and sold according to the customer's needs (ä¸Âå³åÂÂè¾ÂÃ¥ÂÂ売ãÂÂ). Even today, performances (custom blending demonstrations) can be seen at festival stalls.