Authentic Ingredients
Authentic Japanese ingredients you can buy in the U.K.
Curated Items You Won’t Find Elsewhere
Waso Tokyo bring the taste of Japan to the UK by offering home-cooked Japanese dishes and groceries.
Soy Sauce
I tried some Japanese ingredients like soy sauce bought at the supermarket in the U.K. However, the taste was completely different from the authentic soy sauce.
Koji Miso
I recommend non-pasterurized one, because enzimes are alive under 60 degrees. How can you find it? Choose the container with a breathing hole and keep refridgerated sign. Miso is fermented food made from rice or barley, salt, soybeans and koji. If there are more ingredients in there, I wouldn’t recommend. Miso already contains Dashi normally is pasteurized.
Hon Mirin
I don’t recommend you choose the one with gulcose syrup which is added sugar. Real mirin has got natural sweetness from koji. And normally contains about 14% alcohol.
Cooking Sake
Sake/Japanese rice wine works well for fish, meat and vegetables to get rid of it’s smell and soften it. If you have a bottle of drinking sake in your cupboard for a while, you can use it for cooking as well.
Bonito Flakes
If you make Dashi broth from scratch, you need good quality bonito flakes like this. I have tried the one made in France, but it was not good at all. I recommend Japanese makers. If you are a vegan, you can use dried shiitake instead of this. After taking dashi, dogs or cats love eating leftover flakes. It’s too good to throw away!
Dashi Kombu/Kelp
Dried dashi kombu is essential to make good dashi for ramen, udon or soba noodles. I normally use this kombu and bonito flakes to make good Dashi broth.
After taking dashi, dogs or cats love eating it. It’s too nutritious to throw away.
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
If you are a vegan, you can use this instead of boito flakes to make dashi broth.
Reduced Salt Soy Sauce
If you concern intake salt a lot, I recommend using this reduce salt product.
Shiro Dashi
This is concentrated Dashi stock you can use it for making good noodle soup. However, nutrition wise, you can take only 20% of real dashi made from kelp and bonito flakes.
Sushi Nori Sheets
Authentic nori is crisp, easy to chew and full of flavours. I recommend this product for the quality and the price.
Yuzu Gosho
Decent yuzu gosho is made from yuzu, chilli and salt. I use this product to make Yuzu mayo, dressing and noodles.
Ramen Noodle
This product is affordable about £0.75 per portion, but the taste and texture are pretty close to the noodle I used to have in Japan.
Soft Silken Tofu
It’s not easy to find good tofu in the U.K. Good one is silky and has got flavours.Soft one is suitable for miso soup and salad.
Medium Tofu
Medium one is suitable for Mabo tofu and tofu steak. Overall, J-basket has got good Japanese products.
Frozen Udon Noodles
This is the first products which reminds me of real good udon noodles in Japan.
Ground Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are high in Vitamin B1, B2 and B3. I normally use it with spinach or dressing, miso ramen soup stock.
Matcha Powder
Matcha is a super food well known in the world now, high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. I recommend proper Japanese products because there are so many fake type of Matcha in the market.