FIVE KEY JAPANESE INGREDIENTS

Sea urchins

‘Now they’re so expensive, you can only eat them in nice sushi restaurants. But, as a child in Fukuoka, they were everywhere. We’d make a “main” of sea urchin sashimi with hot rice, miso soup, salad or pickles. They’re delicious. I only eat them in Japan. I don’t want to import them.’

Katsuobushi

‘Boiled, smoked, dried bonito tuna flakes – it took a month to make it at my father’s factory. Classically, it’s used with kombu kelp to make dashi stock, or sprinkled on dishes.’

Shichimi togarashi

‘For me, it has to be togarashi instead of salt and pepper. This seasoning traditionally combines seven spices, including yuzu peel, ginger, powdered seaweed, sansho peppercorns and red togarashi chillies with hemp and sesame seeds. At Harajuku, we have it on each table along with soy sauce.’

Mentaiko

‘Chilli-pickled pollock roe, a Korean-influenced Fukuoka speciality. You eat it as is, or over hot rice. I think it’s going to be the next big Japanese ingredient.’

Kewpie

‘This Japanese mayonnaise has umami flavour, and it’s a little bit sweet. I love it on salads, canned tuna or boiled egg tamago sandos. I’ve experimented with making my own. Adding Dijon mustard, soy sauce and dashi to regular mayonnaise is the closest.’