Rāyu

Rāyu (huile pimentée japonaise)

What it is

Rāyu takes its name and its idea from Chinese layou, but the Japanese version is built on sesame oil rather than a neutral one and is strained clear — the chilli is infused out, not left in. It arrived as a gyoza dip with the post-war wave of Chinese restaurant cooking; the crunchy taberu rāyu full of fried garlic is a late-2000s product and a separate thing.

In the kitchen

Add it once the heat is off — sesame oil scorches and the aroma falls flat. A teaspoon into the vinegar dip for gyoza, or straight onto chilled silken tofu; if you want crunch, that is chilli crisp, not this.

Goes with

Silken tofu (kinugoshi) Pork Soba noodles Soy sauce Rice vinegar Spring onion

Same species

Black sesame Black sesame paste Chinese sesame paste Sesame Toasted sesame oil

Also used with

Bible tripe Menma

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