The Griller's Pantry
The Japanese grill chef has no use for complicated sauces and marinades, but a few ingredients are key:
Charcoal: Unlike American barbecue, Japanese grilled foods are not expected to have a smoky taste. To avoid smokiness, Japanese grill chefs in high-end establishments use a costly oak charcoal called bincho. It comes in short lengths, with a hole in the middle, and it does not produce smoke or ashes. It has a high kindling point so it takes longer to ignite, but it burns extremely hot—about 50 percent hotter than American charcoal.
Dashi: Japanese stock is much more quickly made than French stock, and much lighter on the tongue. It contains only three ingredients: konbu, dried bonito flakes and water. Elizabeth Andoh, author of Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen (Ten Speed Press), recommends the following method: Heat konbu and cold water slowly to just below a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the bonito flakes. Steep for three to four minutes, then strain. Bonito flakes can contribute a bitter flavor if boiled.
Konbu (kombu): dried kelp leaves, used to flavor dashi (Japanese stock). Konbu is naturally high in monosodium glutamate, so it contributes umami, or a heightened savor flavor, to stock. Much of konbu's flavor resides in its powdery white coating, so it should not be washed before using.
Mirin: sweet rice wine, it is an essential ingredient in ponzu and teriyaki sauces
Sansho: a spice ground from the berry of the prickly ash tree. Although often referred to as Japanese pepper, it is not a true pepper. Sansho is aromatic and tongue-numbing, like Szechuan pepper, but it is not particularly hot. It is thought to cut the richness of fatty foods, such as grilled eel or chicken thigh.
Shichimi: The full name, shichimi togarashi, translates literally as seven-flavor chili. The recipe is not standardized but may vary from maker to maker. It always includes chili, of course, and typically includes white and black sesame seeds, sansho, poppy seeds and hemp seeds. Shakers of shichimi are on the table in robata restaurants, for sprinkling on yakitori.