Seven Spice Powder Blend

As I was reading an Asian style cookbook, I came across an interesting blend that I have never heard of and it is call Shichimi, which translates to "seven flavor chili".  It peaked my interest and read more about this blend.  There are different regions of Japan that use this in their cooking and I wanted to share this recipe with you.  Some of the ingredients are readily available at your grocery, but some of them you will need to visit a specialty shop or go online to find them.  Here is the recipe below:

Grind 2 tsp. white sesame seeds and 1 tsp. crushed dried tangerine peel so it is a little coarse.  Then add 2 tsp. nori flakes and 2 tsp. dried hot chili flakes, then grind again.  Then stir in 1 Tbsp. sansho, 1 tsp. black sesame seeds and 1 tsp. poppy seeds.  Store in an airtight container.  This will keep several months.

This blend is used as a condiment for udon, which are wheat noodles, and soups, one pot Japanese style dishes and chicken.  I haven't tried this yet, but plan to in the very near future. 

If you have never picked up an Asian style cookbook, please do so at your favorite bookstore or library.  They have a world of interesting dishes and flavors!