How it all began.
In the 1890’s adventuresome individuals traveled from Japan to the United States seeking opportunity in the recently irrigated farmlands of the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Once settled on their farms, these stalwart men asked their wives to join them in their newly adopted country to establish families and communities in Colorado. Karami (ka-Rah-me) “Beautiful Heat” (辛美）is but one invention of this history.
Necessity is the mother of invention
Located over 1,500 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese had little access to the cultural food staples of their native land. Seaweed, in particular, was a difficult commodity to procure in the high mountain plains of Colorado. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. The farmers experimented with various vegetables and finally determined that the spicy green chile pepper, a staple crop of the Mexican population for hundreds of years, when mixed with soy sauce, was the most acceptable substitute. For generations, many Japanese –Americans raised in Colorado would have a homemade jar on the dinner room table. It was used primarily as a topping on hot rice, the same as seaweed is eaten in Japan, as well as a topping on fish, chicken and meat.
Continuous improvement with healthy benefits
Perhaps Karami would have been relegated to the history books as a Japanese-American family recipe, but for the invention of the tortilla chip. It was recently discovered that the combination of Karami and the tortilla chip opened countless pathways to culinary bliss.
The impossibly complex flavors and temperatures of Karami are indeed a taste to behold. The immediate sweetness of the green chili is teased out by the subtly powerful low glycemic agave nectar, next the soy (gluten free) sustains a short, but memorable nuance of salt, and then the Heat enters with unabashed kick, which opens the eyes.
Try Japanese salsa on hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, sandwiches, mixed with cream cheese, straight up with tortilla chips, pita chips, corn chips, crackers, but do not forget to try it on rice.
The impossibly complex flavors and temperatures of Karami are indeed a taste to behold. The immediate sweetness of the green chili is teased out by the subtly powerful low glycemic agave nectar, next the soy (gluten free) sustains a short, but memorable nuance of salt, and then the Heat enters with unabashed kick, which opens the eyes.
Try Japanese salsa on hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, sandwiches, mixed with cream cheese, straight up with tortilla chips, pita chips, corn chips, crackers, but do not forget to try it on rice.
