Chirimen sansho, a famous Kyoto specialty and a popular souvenir!
"Chirimen Sansho," a dish made by simmering sansho peppercorns and dried sardines, is a perfect accompaniment to rice. The unique and refreshing aroma and slightly tingling spiciness of the sansho peppercorns are addictive, and the combination with the concentrated umami of the dried sardines is excellent.
Sansho peppercorns can be harvested in abundance in June before the rainy season begins, and this year, just like last year, I was given a large quantity of sansho peppercorns, so I'd like to make homemade chirimen sansho (dried sardines with sansho peppercorns)!
Let's try to recreate the refined taste of Kyoto's "Chirimen Sansho" (dried sardines with sansho pepper)!
[Ingredients for Chirimen Sansho (small dried sardines with sansho pepper)]
- Japanese pepper berries (total weight 210g, 170g after stem removal, 15g leaves)
・210g of parboiled Japanese pepper
・Premium dried sardines (for raw consumption) or high-grade dried sardines or high-grade dried sardines 800g
・Pure rice cooking sake 400ml
120ml Mirin
90ml light soy sauce
30ml of dark soy sauce
60ml of white dashi stock
20g of brown sugar
・Water 600ml
1 teaspoon of salt for blanching the sansho peppercorns
[How to make Chirimen Sansho (small dried sardines with sansho pepper)]
① As part of the preparation for the sansho peppercorns, separate the leaves from the berries, and carefully remove each berry from the twig without damaging it.
*This time, it took my husband and I about two hours to remove the branches from a total weight of 210g of sansho peppercorns. This is the most time-consuming part of the process.
② Place the sansho peppercorns in a colander and wash them thoroughly under running water.
③ Add about 1 teaspoon of salt to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Add the sansho peppercorns and blanch for about 10 minutes.
④ Pour into a colander and rinse with cold water.
⑤ Fill a bowl with water and leave the sansho peppercorns submerged in the water for about an hour (changing the water 2-3 times during this time).
⑥ Rinse the dried baby sardines in a colander to remove some of the salt, then drain them in the colander.
⑦ Add sake and mirin to a pot and bring to a boil to evaporate the alcohol.
⑧ Add dried sardines and water to the pot.
⑨ Once it comes to a boil, carefully remove the scum.
⑩ Add white dashi stock, sugar, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce, and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes until the liquid is reduced.
*At this point, try not to touch the crepe fabric as much as possible to prevent it from falling apart.
⑪ When the broth has reduced, add the prepared sansho peppercorns and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
*You can adjust the spiciness of the sansho pepper by changing the cooking time.
⑫ Once the broth has evaporated from the bottom of the pot, spread the contents onto a colander lined with kitchen paper to remove any remaining broth.
⑬ Spread kitchen paper in a basket with a mesh top, and sun-dry it on a sunny day, occasionally turning it over gently with a rubber spatula.
⑭ Pack the mixture into sterilized glass jars and your "Chirimen Sansho" is complete!
(*Shelf life is approximately 1 month when stored in the refrigerator)
This year, I was able to get my hands on sansho peppers from different regions, so I'm making "chirimen sansho" in several batches. Depending on the availability of dried sardines at the time, I might use "jokan chirimen" for a crispier texture.
You can enjoy different textures and flavors by changing the type of dried sardines you use, such as the extra-small "premium dried sardines" that are soft and perfect for eating raw, or the semi-dried, slightly smaller "superior dried sardines" like we've used here!
With its crispy, firm texture and spicy flavor, "Chirimen Sansho" (dried dried sardines with sansho pepper) is a delicious snack to enjoy with drinks on its own, but it also makes a fantastic addition to a bento box or late-night snack when made into "Chirimen Sansho Onigiri" (rice balls with dried sardines and sansho pepper)!
"Premium dried sardines with sansho pepper" are semi-dried, not as hard as premium dried sardines, and slightly larger than top-grade dried sardines. They have a pleasant balance of spiciness and tenderness, resulting in a finish similar to the "sansho pepper dried sardines" commonly sold in stores!
By shortening the cooking time, our "Premium Chirimen with Sansho Pepper" is made to retain its pale skin while being fluffy, soft, and elegant in flavor. It's the perfect treat to serve on top of freshly cooked rice!
Taste and texture preferences vary from person to person, but although it costs a little more, my family's favorite is "chirimen sansho" made with premium dried sardines!
When I shared a jar with my family, friends, and neighbors, they were all delighted, saying things like, "We can't believe we get to enjoy that amazing dried sardine and sansho pepper dish again this year!" It made all my hard work worthwhile, and I'm so happy!
For lunch that day, I made rice balls mixed with "dried dried sardines with sansho pepper" and enjoyed lunch in the Japanese-style room with my beloved dog, Chocolat!
"Chirimen Sansho Onigiri Set Meal"
Add plenty of "chirimen sansho" (small dried sardines with sansho pepper) to rice cooked in dashi broth, add shaved dried bonito flakes and a dash of soy sauce, mix well, and then form into rice balls!
I added some rolled omelet and lightly pickled cucumber to make it a "Chirimen Sansho Onigiri Set Meal"!
The refreshing aroma of sansho pepper that fills your nose and the tingling spiciness are simply irresistible!
Made during the rainy season, just before the start of the rainy season, this delicious Kyoto-style home cooking is a delight to enjoy!
Although it takes time and effort, making my own homemade chirimen sansho (small dried sardines with sansho pepper), which allows me to bring out the flavor I like best, has become a summer tradition for me!
