Composition and calorie content of shichimi. What effect does it have on the body. What to watch out for when using. How to make a spice mixture and what dishes to add it to. Most of all useful components are found in freshly ground seasoning. The longer it is stored, the less benefit it brings.
Harm and contraindications to shichimi
If you reasonably approach the amount of seasoning consumed, then there is no need to talk about damage to health. But there are certain risk groups of people who need to monitor the use of the mixture.
It should be carefully added to dishes shichimi for those who suffer from such diseases:
- Urolithiasis disease … The mixture of peppers can irritate the bladder and cause stones to move.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract … This is especially true for people with high acidity. Orange peel and ginger can further raise its level, provoking the development of gastroduodenitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis.
- Citrus allergy … Here, orange peel can also worsen the condition.
- Iodine intolerance … The iodine contained in algae can do a disservice to those who suffer from oversaturation or intolerance to this element.
And there are also groups of people who are better off completely abandoning the use of the seven spice seasoning. Absolute contraindications to shichimi:
- Age up to 12 years … The digestive system of children is not yet fully formed. It is believed that up to 12 years of age, there may be insufficient enzymes to break down peppers and other spices.
- Pregnancy … During this period, immunity is often reduced and an exacerbation of all focal and chronic diseases occurs. Shichimi can enhance this process. In addition, uncontrolled use of iodine is dangerous for a pregnant woman, which is found in large quantities in algae that make up the seasoning.
- Lactation … All spices and spices can affect the taste of milk, as a result of which the baby can be lifted from the breast. In addition, some of the components of food products are transferred by mother with milk to the baby, and spicy food can cause irreparable harm to his body - cause inflammation of organs or provoke the development of an allergic reaction.
Chichimi recipes
Using a ready-made seasoning or making it yourself is the personal choice of each housewife. However, as gourmets note, freshly made shichimi is more aromatic, so it makes sense to mix it yourself. This option also has the advantage that you can make the mixture to your liking. Love it sharper - put more pepper, love spicy - focus on orange peel and ginger, like a neutral taste - take algae and hemp seeds as a basis.
The classic recipe has the following ratios: 5 teaspoons of ground red pepper, 2 teaspoons of freshly ground Sichuan pepper, 2 teaspoons of orange peel, 1 teaspoon each of white and black sesame seeds and ground nori seaweed, 1/2 teaspoon each of ground ginger and seeds hemp. The seasoning is stored at room temperature in a dry, opaque, hermetically sealed container.
Shichimi will be a great addition to such dishes:
- Noodles with vegetables … Cook 400 grams of udon noodles in salted water. Add 1 teaspoon of shichimi to it, keep warm. Take 150 g of fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut into slices, cook in 2 liters of salted water for 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside, and in the same water, alternately boil 150 g of chopped carrots, 200 g of whole young corn cobs, a medium stalk of leeks (do not use it further). Combine noodles, mushrooms, carrots and corn in a deep bowl, cover with hot broth, add a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce.
- Japanese meat … Pour 1 kg of beef with a liter of mineral water, leave in the refrigerator overnight. Drain the water, cut the meat into strips, like in beef stroganoff, and send it to a hot skillet with vegetable oil. Add 2 onions and 2 large bell peppers, cut into half rings to the meat. When the ingredients are a little fried, season the meat with vegetables with 1 teaspoon of shichimi and 100 ml of soy sauce, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add half of shredded white cabbage, fry over high heat until tender, stirring constantly, uncovered.
- Fish in spices … Take any medium-sized fish - crucian carp, carp, pollock, mackerel, pike perch. Slit the abdomen, remove the insides. Rub the fish inside and out with a teaspoon of shichimi, stuff tightly with chopped dill, wrap in foil. Heat the oven to 180 ° C, bake for 15 minutes. Open the foil, grease the top layer with any vegetable oil, leave for another 5-7 minutes until a golden crust forms.
- Lightly salted appetizer … Prepare a piece of red fish fillet - pink salmon, salmon, trout. Mix salt and seasoning at the rate of 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of shichimi per 1 kg of fish. Rub the fish with the resulting mixture, wrap it in cheesecloth, send it to the lower drawer of the refrigerator (where the temperature is lowest) for 2 days. Wipe off salted fish from the mixture, serve on sandwiches, in salads, as a side dish for main dishes.
- Mochi … Children love this traditional Japanese dessert. And adults like the variation that sets off the taste with spices. In a bowl, combine 1 cup each of rice flour, white sugar and water, add 2-3 drops of vinegar and shichimi on the tip of a knife. Mix well, place the dough in a glass container in the microwave, cover with foil, bake for 4 minutes at maximum temperature. Remove, cool, cut into slices and serve with any cream, berry sauce or fruit jam.
- Marinade for poultry … Shake two chicken eggs in a deep bowl. Squeeze a few cloves of garlic into them. Add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon of shichimi, and 1 tablespoon of honey. This marinade is ideal for chicken wings and legs. If you prefer duck, replace honey with 100 ml of soy sauce. The resulting marinade is enough for 1, 5-2 kg of poultry.
- Pepper coffee … Pour 1 tablespoon of ground grains into a Turk. Add 100 ml water, sugar to taste, a pinch of salt, a pinch of shichimi and 1/2 teaspoon of butter. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Bring to a boil again, remove, let it brew a little.
Important! Sichuan pepper, which is part of shichimi, is also called Chinese pepper. Because of this, the Japanese seasoning is often confused with the very famous Chinese mixture of five spices. It is composed of pepper, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and fennel, which makes it taste completely different from shichimi.
Interesting facts about shichimi
As we have already noted above, the seasoning has a huge amount of useful substances and serves not only to satisfy gastronomic needs, but also is a means of preventing and treating many diseases. Unsurprisingly, this is why shichimi was sold in pharmacies in the 12th century.
And today the mixture of seven flavors is so respected by the Japanese that you can buy it not only in grocery markets, supermarkets and small shops, but also at the three greatest Buddhist temples - Senso-ji in Tokyo, Kiyomizu-Dera in Kyoto and Zenko-ji in Nagano.
Watch the video about shichimi:
Shichimi is one of the healthiest seasoning blends in existence. In our country, it is not very popular, despite the fairly widespread distribution of cafes and restaurants of Japanese cuisine. Often we give preference to the more famous Caucasian, Georgian, Chinese spices, although they are significantly inferior to their Japanese counterparts. We hope we convinced you to try Shichimi. We are sure that if you are a spicy lover, it will not leave you indifferent.