What is Yakumi in Japanese Cuisine?
Yakumi (薬味), literally meaning medicine (薬) taste (味), is the Japanese generic term for natural condiments, including flavoring vegetables/fruits, herbs, and spices.
Yakumi (薬味)
We typically add a small amount of a Yakumi condiment to the dish to accentuate its taste, give it a contrasting touch of color, or enhance the appetite.
As its name suggests, some Yakumi acts like medicine with effects like detoxifying, recovering stamina, improving immunity, or promoting digestion.
Yakumi often comes with dishes such as udon and soba (noodle soups), Hiyayakko (tofu), or Nabemono (hot pots), and varieties used in Japanese cuisine include the following.
Varieties
| Vegetables | Green onion, Chinese chive, Onion, Daikon radish, Japanese parsley (Seri, Mitsuba), Water pepper, Bud of the Japanese pepper (Konome), Ginger, Myoga, Garlic, Wasabi, Horseradish, Watercress, Parsley, Celery, Coriander, Mint, Doku-Dami, Fennel, Caper, Basil, Arugula, Lemongrass, Chrysanthemum, White radish sprout |
|---|---|
| Seaweeds | Nori, Aonori, Aosa, Hitoegusa, Tororo kombu |
| Spices | Chili pepper (Togarashi), Pepper (Kosho), Mustard (Karashi), Sansho pepper, Sichuan pepper, Cumin, Paprika, Cardamon, Anise, Star anise, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Bay leaf, Mandarine orange peel |
| Citrus | Lemon, Lime, Yuzu, Kabosu, Sudachi, Shekwasha, Daidai |
| Seeds | Sesame, Peanut, Walnut, Pine nut, Macadamia nut |
| Fruits | Umeboshi, Raisin, Goji berry |
| Animal Foods | Dried fish shavings, Sakura shrimp, Chirimen-Jako, Fish powder |
| Others | Tenkasu, Aburaage |
(Reference Page: Wikipedia 薬味 )
