S&B Shichimi Togarashi vs. House Shichimi Togarashi
S&B and House Foods are both Japanese companies that make spice and spice-related products such as curry roux, and their popular products include Shichimi Togarashi (七味唐辛子).
Shichimi Togarashi, literally Seven-Taste Chili Pepper, is a traditional Japanese spice blend consisting of ground red chili pepper and six other aromatic spices, seen on the table at Gyudon chains and Udon and Soba restaurants.
Yes, Shichimi Togarashi is an essential condiment for the Gyudon beef bowl and Udon and Soba noodles, used by sprinkling on food.
The condiment is not overly spicy and can make what it touches more flavorful, and besides Gyudon, Soba, and Udon, many Japanese people like to eat miso soups and Tsukemono pickles with the spice mix sprinkled.
S&B Shichimi Togarashi vs. House Shichimi Togarashi
In Japan, many food companies produce and sell Shichimi Togarashi. And among those manufacturers, S&B and House Foods boast a top market share.
Nowadays, their Shichimi Togarashi products are available even outside of Japan via the internet, and their spice mixes have gained a lot of high ratings from Amazon.com customers.
But how do S&B and House Foods’ Shichimi Togarashi spice blends differ? Fortunately, I have both on hand now, so for people curious, I will compare them today and share the results.
Ingredients (7 Spices)
First, let’s see the ingredients. As mentioned above, the first ingredient of every Shichimi Togarashi is ground red chili pepper. So are these.
But the chili pepper in the S&B’s regular Shichimi Togarashi consists of roasted and non-roasted, while the House Foods’ regular Shichimi only uses roasted one.
As you may know, regarding six spices other than red chili pepper, they are varied depending on the maker,
and the Shichimi Togarashi from S&B contains black sesame seeds, Chinpi (陳皮: dried Mikan mandarin orange peel), Sansho pepper, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, and Aonori (green seaweed).
On the other hand, the House Shichimi Togarashi consists of sesame seeds, Chinpi, Sansho pepper, poppy seeds, Aonori, and ginger.
Taste
Taste-wise, the S&B Shichimi Togarashi is well balanced with a fragrant aroma of sesame, but its heat is somewhat more intense than the one from House.
Accordingly, the House Shichimi Togarashi has a milder spiciness, characterized by its pleasant taste mainly from ginger.
Price & Expiration Date
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the bottled Shichimi Togarashi from S&B (15 grams) is 142 yen (excluding tax/as of October 2023), and the one from House Foods (17 grams) is also 142 yen.
As for the best-before date, the S&B Shichimi is 36 months if unopened, while the House Shichimi Togarashi is 30 months after the production date if unopened.
(Reference Pages: SB Foods, House Foods )
I started sprinkling a little Shichimi in miso some time ago and really like it. I’m glad to read some Japanese people do to because I thought I might be breaking a rule!
Hi,
There is no problem! You can use shichimi for anything as you like.
In fact, some shichimi lovers sprinkle it even on ice cream!
Hello, I bought House Foods Shichimi Togarashi through Amazon. When it arrived, I read the label to learn the ingredients. The label says that it contains “Shellfish (shrimp and crab)”. I am a vegan, so I will not use this product. The House Foods website does not list shellfish as an ingredient in its Shichimi Togarishi. Does all Shichimi Togarishi contain shellfish? Thank you for your help.
Hello,
Thank you for commenting!
Usually, Shichimi doesn’t contain shellfish. But when the makers sell the spice blend overseas, they may change some ingredients to meet the legal requirements of the exporting countries, as some, for example, ban the use of poppy and hemp seeds in food products, which are common ingredients of Shichimi Togarashi.
As per the info on the official site of House Foods, another possibility is that the Aonori seaweed used in their Shichimi is taken from the sea by a method that may contaminate it with shellfish, including shrimp and crab.