The Pantry Quiz #28
Multiple choice
In Japanese restaurants, you'll often find a bowl of shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice powder) on the table, much as you find salt and pepper shakers on the table at every American diner. It's sprinkled on noodles, stirred into soup, and used as a dip. Which of the following is not an ingredient in seven-spice powder?
1. black sesame seeds
2. white sesame seeds
3. ground ginger
4. nori (seaweed)
5. tangerine peel
6. Szechuan peppercorns
7. star anise
8. cayenne pepper
Please leave your answer in the comments, and let us know whether you have this ingredient in your pantry.
[Last week's answer: Hoisin sauce.]
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My guess is that the odd ingredient is star anise. But like "Seasoned Salt" various Japanese companies vary a few of the ingredients to differentiate their products. Choose your favorite.
I believe the answer is Nori.
Ground Ginger. I have Togarashi in my pantry and love it!
Oops, changing my answer to cayenne pepper, they use a different pepper in Japan.
Cayenne pepper
I guessed cayenne, for the same reason as Vee, but then I cheated/researched and found that the 'not' ingredient was star anise. Guess it's Chinese 5 spice that uses sweet spice in the blend. (Made you look...)
Hmmm I would have thought #8 but I see some folks have done the heavy lifting for me and it is really #7
Ground ginger. I do have some in my pantry, for baking.I don't think the blend I bought had tangerine peel either, but I'll say ginger if I have to pick just one.
Star Anise
I believe it is ginger. However, I have seen home recipes with the inclusion of ginger, but most do not.
My guess is star anise, mainly because it seems to me that the rest of the ingredients seem to flow together, and star anise seems the odd one out.