World-Class Beef Pho
Most beef pho recipes have you toss bones, spices, and aromatics into a pot and simmer everything together for hours. That approach works, but it limits what you can get…
Benihana’s spicy teriyaki sauce is one of those menu items that sounds like it should have its own recipe. But it’s really just two recipes you might already know how to make: the hot pepper paste from the diablo sauce and Benihana’s teriyaki sauce, mixed together. If you’ve already made those two sauces, you can make Spicy Teriyaki in about five minutes.
The interesting part is the ratio. According to my sources inside Benihana, there’s no set amount of pepper paste the prep cooks add to the teriyaki. They just eyeball it. So I’ve included two versions in this recipe: a medium spice and an extra spicy. And if you go with the medium, you can use the leftover pepper paste to make diablo sauce by stirring in mayonnaise. Two sauces from one batch of paste.
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Ichimi togarashi. This is ground Japanese chili pepper with nothing else added. It’s the same pepper base used in Benihana’s diablo sauce. S&B Foods is the exact brand Benihana uses. If you can’t find ichimi, shichimi (seven-spice) or nanami togarashi will both work. The flavor is slightly different because those blends include orange peel, sesame seeds, and other spices, but the heat level is comparable.
Honey and ketchup. These two bind the togarashi into a paste with a 2:1:1 ratio (2 parts togarashi, 1 part honey, 1 part ketchup). You’re looking for the consistency of wet sand, thick enough to hold together but not dry.
Kikkoman soy sauce. Benihana uses Kikkoman specifically. If you substitute a different brand, the salt level and overall flavor of the sauce will be off.
Sake and mirin. Both are Japanese rice wines, but they serve different purposes. Sake adds depth without sweetness. Mirin adds sweetness and body. You need both for the teriyaki base.
Cornstarch slurry. One-third cup cornstarch whisked with one-third cup water. This thickens the teriyaki sauce to the right consistency. Whisk the slurry again right before you add it, cornstarch settles to the bottom of the bowl fairly quickly once you stop stirring.
1. Make the hot pepper paste. In a small bowl, combine the ichimi togarashi, honey, and ketchup. Mix until you have the consistency of wet sand. Set the paste aside.
2. Combine the teriyaki sauce ingredients. Add soy sauce, sake, ketchup, mirin, apple juice, black pepper, and sugar to a medium pot. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Simmer the teriyaki sauce. Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat and let it go for about ten minutes.
4. Make the cornstarch slurry. While the sauce simmers, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
5. Thicken the sauce. After ten minutes of simmering, whisk the cornstarch slurry one more time (it will have settled) and slowly drizzle it into the pot. The sauce should thicken within a minute or two. If it’s not thick enough, continue to simmer until you’re happy with the consistency. Then remove it from the heat.
6. Add the pepper paste. For medium spice, stir half the pepper paste into the teriyaki sauce and whisk until well combined. Taste it. If you want more heat, add the rest for the extra spicy version. If the medium level is right, save the other half of the paste to make diablo sauce, just stir in mayonnaise to taste.
Start with medium spice and work up. You can always add more pepper paste, but you can’t take it out. Try half the paste first, taste it, and add the rest only if you want real heat.
Whisk the cornstarch slurry right before adding it. Cornstarch and water separate pretty quickly once you stop stirring. If you just pour it in without re-whisking, you’ll get lumps of raw cornstarch in your sauce.
This sauce works anywhere regular teriyaki does. For spicy teriyaki chicken, follow the same process as Benihana teriyaki chicken and swap the regular teriyaki for spicy teriyaki. Same approach for Benihana teriyaki steak. Add the garlic butter first, let it melt, then add the spicy teriyaki and toss to coat.
Spicy teriyaki works on any protein you’d normally serve with regular teriyaki at Benihana. The two most popular options are Benihana teriyaki chicken and Benihana teriyaki steak. Pair either one with Benihana fried rice for the full hibachi dinner at home.
Spicy teriyaki sauce keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to one week. The sauce will thicken as it cools. When you’re ready to use it, warm it gently over low heat and stir until it loosens back up. If it’s still too thick after reheating, add a small splash of water and stir until you reach the right consistency.
Yes. Benihana uses ichimi togarashi, which is just ground chili pepper, but shichimi and nanami togarashi both work. Those blends include additional spices like orange peel, sesame seeds, and nori, so the flavor is slightly more complex. The heat level is similar.
They share the same hot pepper paste base. Diablo sauce is the pepper paste mixed with mayonnaise. Spicy teriyaki is the pepper paste mixed with Benihana’s teriyaki sauce. If you make the medium spice version, you can turn the leftover pepper paste into diablo sauce at the same time.
The medium version using half the pepper paste is warm but not overpowering. The teriyaki flavor is still dominant. The extra spicy version with the full batch of paste is significantly hotter and the chili pepper flavor comes through more than the teriyaki.
