ChefSteps is a team of chefs, writers, and food lovers who develop recipes, techniques, and guides to help people cook better at home.

ChefSteps

We believe that once you have made this Thanksgiving Togarashi mix once, you will make it again and again.When we made our turkey yakitori, we used some of the classic garnishes to go with it: lemon zest and pepper and a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and spices to glaze the skewers. However, since we are giving you a new way to make turkey on Thanksgiving, we also wanted to make a turkey Togarashi. What is essential about Togarashi? In Japan, a blend of salt, poppy and sesame seeds, chili, and seaweed is on the family table, like salt and pepper shakers in the US. Using that as our starting point, we created a salty condiment for the Thanksgiving bird. We used thyme for its savory base, influenced by the fact it shows up in so many Thanksgiving recipes. Lemon zest lends a bit more of a brighter tang than orange peel does. And since the traditional Togarashi always includes some heat, we went a non-traditional way with Korean chili flakes. Gojugaru have heat, but they are also smoky, slightly sweet, and have a fruity taste, a bit reminiscent of cranberries. It’s hard to believe you can build this much flavor with only four ingredients. But trust us. You want this on your Thanksgiving table. And then after the holidays, use it as a rub for roast chicken, short ribs, on top of sticky rice, on popcorn, or in yogurt for a spicy, smoky bright dip for vegetables.