Sea Spirit Star Salt 120g

Very rare domestic sun-dried salt

Sun-dried sea salt crystallized using only the power of the sun and wind. It has a distinctive granular crystal appearance and a subtle seashore flavor. (Volume: 120g)

Ingredients: Seawater

Shokunin Shoyu No. 3070

"Umi no Sei" sea salt from Izu Oshima, a tradition carried on by generations of people

"Umi no Sei" is a domestic sea salt from Izu Oshima that revives the traditional Japanese salt-making method that had once been lost. It is made using only clean seawater, the sun, the wind, and a traditional open-air pot, so it contains no chemical additives. However, it is not just salty, but also has a natural sweetness and mellowness that comes from being rich in sea minerals. It is made with the aim of creating a "truly delicious salt" that will make your everyday cooking just that little bit more special. It brings out the flavor of the ingredients, so the simpler the dish, the more noticeable the difference.

"Star salt" made only from the sun and wind

"Hoshishio" is a luxurious, domestically produced sun-dried salt made from 100% rich seawater from the Kuroshio Current off Izu Oshima. The seawater is carefully concentrated in special salt fields, and then crystallized using only the power of the sun and wind - a painstaking process. It is made slowly, over time, by hand every day. This method, which relies entirely on nature and does not involve the use of fire, is quite rare in Japan, and is precisely why the minerals and flavor of the sea are preserved. It cannot be mass-produced, but each grain is packed with the blessings of nature, resulting in a special salt.

The scent of the sea and minerals from the ocean

Hoshishio is not only salty, but also has a moderate sweetness and richness, with a subtle scent of the sea. It contains a balanced amount of minerals derived from seawater, including not only sodium but also magnesium, calcium, and potassium. The grains are large and melt easily in your mouth, so when you use it in cooking, you'll realize that it's a little different from regular salt. It can be used in a wide variety of dishes, not just Japanese cuisine, but also to bring out the flavor of the ingredients.

Q. Is it amazing that the raw material is 100% seawater from Izu Oshima?

Q. What are the benefits of mineral-rich salt?

\Recommended usage/

1. Use the size and sweetness of the grains to make decorative salt or dipping salt

The fine grains of Hoshishio look beautiful and are perfect as a decorative salt. I often use it by sprinkling it on boiled broad beans or edamame beans. Because the grains are firm, they sparkle on the vegetables, like a studded jewel! And when you bite into one grain, it's not just salty, but the subtle sweetness that spreads throughout your mouth is truly moving. When used as a dipping salt, it has a refined finish that is clearly different from regular salt, making it an indispensable addition when you want to create a special dining experience.

2. As a finishing touch to tempura and sushi

I'll never forget the surprise I felt when I dipped tempura in dried salt. While regular tempura sauce is good, this salt is more than delicious on its own. When paired with shrimp or vegetable tempura in particular, the natural sweetness of the dried salt matches perfectly with the sweetness of the ingredients, resulting in a refined flavor. When I get hold of fresh-looking squid or white fish sushi, I sometimes eat it with dried salt instead of soy sauce. It's nice to be able to recreate at home that elegant feeling of a chef quickly sprinkling salt on something at a sushi restaurant.

3. Use as a snack with sake or shochu

My evening drinking time has become so much more fulfilling since I started using hoshishio as a snack. While sipping my sake, I pick up a little with my fingertips and lick it. This moment is incredibly luxurious, and the sweetness of the sake and the mellow saltiness of the hoshishio blend in harmony in my mouth, enveloping me in an indescribable sense of happiness. When pairing it with shochu (Japanese liquor) with water, I also recommend dipping a little on the rim of the glass and drinking it. The minerality of the salt deepens the flavor of the sake, so even a smaller amount than usual can still be satisfying. When I casually serve it over to friends, they always get excited and ask, "Where's that salt from?"

4. Add it to clear soups and clear soups to bring out their elegant sweetness and umami.

When I get a little bored of making the usual miso soup, I make a clear soup using dried salt, and my husband is delighted, saying, "Today's soup is different!" Just adding a pinch of dried salt to kelp stock creates a surprisingly refined and deep flavor. It also goes surprisingly well with Western-style soups, and adding a little to consommé soup transforms your ordinary soup into something that looks like a restaurant dish. The key to adding salt is near the end; to bring out the delicate flavor of dried salt, sprinkle it in just before turning off the heat.