Recent Posts

What Is Togarashi Sauce? Taste, Recipe, And Where To Buy

Written by itsfoodtastic in General information,Sauces

If you are a Japanese cuisine fan, you for sure have heard of togarashi and maybe even tried it. But if you have not heard of such a sauce, this article will open for you the world of Japanese cuisine. You may be surprised that togarashi is a Japanese sauce since Japanese cuisine is not spicy, but trust me, this cuisine has a lot to impress you with.

What Is Togarashi Sauce?

Togarashi is a Japanese mix of seasoning and spices which includes red chili, hemp seed, citrus peel, poppy seeds, sansho, sesame seeds, and seaweed. Other variations may include ginger and garlic. The most common type of togarashi is called shichimi togarashi which means “7 spice blend”.

Togashi Sauce 101 – All You Need to Know

Togarashi dates to 17th (1625) century Japan, and more specifically Edo, which is now known as Tokyo. Firstly it was sold in pharmacies, but then people started using it for seasoning and it became a hit throughout Japan. However, togarashi has roots in Chinese herbal medicine.

In addition to great taste, togarashi has the medical effect of preventing the flu because its content is similar to Chinese herbal medicine for flu cure.

What Is Togarashi Sauce Made Of?

Togarashi Shichimi – the original mix – consists of a fabulous blend of seven spices. They include red chili, sansho (ground Japanese pepper), hemp, poppy and sesame seeds, citrus peel (orange), and seaweed (most often nori). And creamy togarashi sauce is made by adding mayo.

There are several types of togarashi mix:

  • Togarashi shichimi – is the classic mix of seven spices. Togarashi shichimi is translated as “seven flavors of chili pepper” since the blend has seven spices.
  • Sansho shichimi togarashi has the same ingredients list as the previous one but with a bigger amount of sansho pepper for an intense taste.
  • Yuzu shichimi togarashi has five ingredients, the main one is yuzu fruit. Yuzu is a citrus fruit common in East Asia with a sour and slightly sweet taste. Five ingredients of the sauce include chili pepper, sansho pepper, seaweeds, sesame seeds, and yuzu peel. It has more citrus and sweet taste compared to other variations. At the same time, it is milder since it has less amount of chili pepper.
  • Nanami togarashi is similar to yuzu togarashi since it is milder and more citrusy. It has six spices on the list – chili pepper, sansho pepper, ginger, orange peel, sesame seeds, and seaweed.

Is Togarashi Spice Vegan?

Togarashi spice mix is completely vegan since it has only plant-based spices. However, if we are talking about togarashi sauce then it depends. Original togarashi sauce has mayo. But nowadays a lot of brands suggest vegan sauces with vegan mayo or sour cream.

What Does Togarashi Sauce Taste Like?

Togarashi sauce, being a mix of spices, has a rich taste with spicy, slightly sweet, zesty, and umami flavor. The taste ranges from very hot to mild depending on the amount of chili pepper. Citrus peels give a zesty, acidic taste and seaweed (nori) adds some umami notes. 

Togarashi blend has a multi-layered taste. Chili pepper brings a strong spicy taste. Sansho has a spicy citrus flavor which, together with citrus peels, brings a refreshing zesty taste with a note of bitterness. Sesame, poppy, and hemp seeds add texture and nutty flavor, and seaweed introduces umami notes to the rich taste of the sauce. Don’t be overwhelmed by the play of different tastes and notes.

Creamy togarashi sauce with a combination of mayo, sour cream, honey, rice vinegar, and sriracha sauce has a well-balanced mild creamy taste with spicy and sweet notes.

Is Togarashi Sweet?

Togarashi sauce is not sweet in the general meaning of the word. It is spicy with sweet floral notes of orange. The unique taste of balanced hot and sweet notes is perfect for salads, rice dishes, noodles, and even soups.

Is Togarashi Salty?

Togarashi does not contain salt to be considered salty in the usual sense. However, the blend of ingredients especially pepper and nori seaweed create slightly salty umami flavor notes. However, you may add salt to homemade creamy togarashi sauce to add some extra flavor.

Togarashi Sauce Recipe

Togarashi sauce is extremely easy to make at home, so do not get upset if you cannot find it in the shops or markets. Shop sauce cannot beat homemade one made with the secret ingredient, which is love. Finding all the necessary spices may seem a bit difficult and troublesome, so you are free to modify the recipe to create your variation. You can regulate the level of heat and the number of ingredients.

For the Togarashi seasoning blend you need: 

  • Red pepper powder or crushed flakes;
  • Japanese pepper powder;
  • Sesame seeds;
  • Hemp seeds;
  • Poppy seeds;
  • Crushed seaweed (nori);
  • Citrus peel (orange suits better).
  • Optional ingredients are ginger and garlic.

All you need to do is mix the ingredients thoroughly. A blender works well for this purpose. That’s all it takes.

If you are craving a creamy taste with spicy and sweet notes, try creamy togarashi sauce. The creamy flavor perfectly balances the heat of spices and works well with grilled vegetables, meat, and salads.

 Ingredients: 

  • 1 tablespoon of Togarashi blend of spices;
  • ½ cup of Kewpie mayonnaise;
  • ¼ cup of sour cream;
  • 1 tablespoon of Sriracha sauce;
  • 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar;
  • Salt;
  • 1 teaspoon of honey.

Directions:

  1. Add mayo, sour cream, and sriracha sauce in one bowl and mix them with a whisk or fork;
  2. Add all other ingredients to the mayo and mix it.
  3. Adjust heat, sweetness, and salt to your taste and serve.

Remember that there is no generally accepted recipe for the sauce, you can experiment and find your perfect balance. For the vegan option, change mayo and sour cream to vegan ones. And if you do not particularly enjoy spicy food, do not add sriracha sauce and chili pepper.

Where To Buy Togarashi Sauce?

Even though Togarashi sauce is Japanese, it is not that hard to find around the world. Japanese food is becoming more popular every day, and you can find Togarashi in the spices section of supermarkets, and Asian markets or order it online.

No need to look for Japanese brands of Togarashi seasoning or sauce, many popular local brands are now producing their versions of the sauce.

Pairing Togarashi Sauce – What To Eat With Togarashi Sauce?

There are several ways of using Togarashi as a sauce, condiment, spice, or dipping. Traditionally it is added to sushi, noodles, ramen, and rice dishes. But more western dishes such as fried chicken, French fries, burgers, or even popcorn also pair well with Togarashi.

The easiest way is to sprinkle seasoning on the top of rice dishes, be it plain or fried rice, noodles, or ramen soup. Meat tastes excellent with togarashi, especially grilled chicken or pork steaks. Moreover, you can add togarashi to the marinade before baking chicken or pork. The Umami flavor of nori perfectly pairs with seafood – grilled fish, shrimp, or lobsters. As you can see, sauce’s usage, as well as your imagination, is limitless.

How To Store Togarashi Sauce?

Togarashi seasoning, like any other spice, lasts for several years if stored correctly. Spices in a glass bottle are stored in a dry cool place in the cupboard. Creamy togarashi sauce is stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Togarashi seasoning is sensitive to light and humidity, therefore, it is better to keep it in a cool, dry place. Since it is a mix of spices, it does not require special conditions for storage. The only requirement if you want to keep all the flavors, is to store spices in an airtight container. However, if it is homemade togarashi, it is best to consume it within a month.

Things change for creamy togarashi sauce. Since it has mayo and sour cream, it can be stored only in the fridge in an airtight container or a jar.

How Long Does Togarashi Sauce Last?

As with other spices, togarashi lasts for several years in an airtight jar or container. It does not need to be kept in the fridge or freezer. However, as opposed to togarashi seasoning, creamy togarashi sauce is good only for three weeks if kept in the fridge in an airtight jar.

Conclusion

If you have tried all possible sauces already and are looking for something new, try togarashi sauce. You will be surprised by how perfectly balanced it is in its hot, sweet, and umami flavors. It is universal – you can adjust almost every aspect of the sauce and pair it with literally everything. If you are still not persuaded, just try it. Other sauces will fade from your life.

Togarashi Sauce FAQ

Is Togarashi Korean?

No, Togarashi is not Korean. Togarashi was invented in Japan in the distant 17th century. The inventor was inspired by Chinese herbal medicine though. Therefore, togarashi has not only excellent taste but also preventive and healing medicinal properties.

Is Togarashi the Same as 7 Spices?

Yes, togarashi is also known as the Japanese 7 spices. Everything is simple, togarashi consists of seven different spices – chili pepper, sansho pepper, sesame, hemp and poppy seeds, seaweed, and orange peels.

What Spice Is Similar to Togarashi?

The most similar spice to togarashi is furikake. Even though it has a more fishy umami taste, its taste profile resembles togarashi. The main difference is that furikake does not have chili pepper, therefore, it is not as spicy and hot as togarashi.

How Do You Eat Togarashi?

Togarashi seasoning is usually sprinkled over noodles, rice dishes, salads, or even popcorn. It also can be added to the marinade for meat and fish. As a dipping sauce, it is used with French fries and vegetable sticks. Even boring morning eggs will be more interesting with togarashi sauce.

Easy Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe 

Written by itsfoodtastic in Recipes

Why should anyone bother to make their own Chicken Nuggets, when they can buy them conveniently ready made? Even ready cooked as a fast food take-away. Well, chicken is usually a meat that most kids will eat and for some reason a coating of breadcrumbs makes it even more appealing. 

If you are concerned with what goes into processed and ready packaged food in the way of preservatives and additives though, you might like to produce your own chicken nuggets for those occasions when your children demand comfort food. These home-made chicken nuggets taste much nicer than bought ones and you know exactly what’s in them – that there are no unwanted preservatives, that it really is chicken, if you have a source of affordable organic chicken you can use that and they will also be really fresh. 

The preparation time isn’t that long, about ten minutes, but the chicken nuggets cook crispier if they have a little drying time in the fridge before frying (yes I did say frying, let’s live dangerously on one dietary front!) so the first stage can be done up to two hours before cooking, when you have ten minutes to spare. After that the cooking time is very quick. 

The quality of the breadcrumbs does make a difference. Fresh, slightly dry, crumbs are definitely better than those powdery packets of ‘golden’ crumbs that you can buy. On the occasions when I’m being a zealous and orgainised mother I whizz up stale (but not mouldy) white bread in the food processor and keep a freezer bag full in the freezer. Hopefully that will last until the next bout of housewifeliness hits me. If you don’t have a ready prepared stash of crumbs, whizz up a white roll from the freezer to make crumbs and spread them on a plate to dry slightly. 

Chicken Nuggets Recipe 

Ingredients:

  • 450g/1lb Chicken breast fillets 
  • 30g/1oz plain flour 
  • ¼ teaspoon Chicken spice mix (optional or substitute your favourite spice) 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 egg 
  • 3-4 handfuls of breadcrumbs 

These quantities are a rough guide, increase or reduce them according to how much chicken you want to cook. 

Directions:

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Get four bowls or plates. The first for the sieved flour with mixed in a pinch of chicken spice, salt and pepper. The second for the egg, beaten with a pinch of salt and half a tablespoon water or vegetable oil. The third for the breadcrumbs. The last is to put the finished nuggets on. 

Dip each piece of chicken, first in the flour mix so it is coated, shake off any excess. Next into the egg and lastly roll it in the breadcrumbs before laying it on the plate to dry. As you work through all the pieces your fingers will get a thick coating on too, resembling chicken nuggets themselves. When all the chicken pieces are coated put the plate uncovered in the fridge to dry and crisp up a bit. This can be for as little as ten minutes but an hour or two is better. 

To cook, heat up approx 3 tablespoons sunflower / vegetable oil in a wide frying pan. When hot add as many nuggets as will fit without crowding. Turn when golden on one side. When all sides are cooked remove onto kitchen paper to drain off some oil. As soon as they are all cooked serve while hot. 

You could do the same thing with strips of fish to make your own fish fingers and gain the supermom of the year award! Having said that you do need to have something ready-made as a standby in the freezer for those days when cooking supper is too much and bought fish fingers have that slot in our house. 

How To Cook A Leg Of Lamb In A Potjie

Written by itsfoodtastic in Meat,Recipes

Cooking a leg of lamb slowly over an open fire in a potjie gives the most amazing results: tender meat, infused with a hint of smoke and surrounded by vegetables that have soaked up all the rich juices. A meal fit for a king. If you haven’t yet heard of a potjie I’ll explain what it is before getting on to the recipe.

What Is Potjie?

The South African potjie (pronounced poy-ki) is a cast iron pot, usually on three legs. Used over the centuries to cook everything from stews to porridge over open fires, it now has a firm place in the hearts of South Africans, who extend their passion for the braai (like a barbecue but better!) to include potjiekos (any food cooked in a potjie).

Potjiekos competitions are often held as fun events and fundraisers, and families pass on secret recipes and ingredients. down the generations The pot is carefully seasoned for its first use and then kept rust free with a light coating of oil and brought out regularly year summer and winter to cook up a storm.

Cooking In A Potjie

Cooking in a potjie requires a few basic techniques but is not complicated once you master them. Then you get a delicious one-pot meal produced with very little effort, other than sitting around the fire chatting with friends and family while it cooks and breathing in the tantalising aromas.

The fire – you will need a steady supply of glowing coals to keep the potjie simmering gently over the course of 3-4 hours. So make sure you have space for two fires. One to cook over, the other to produce back-up coals, whenever needed.

The pot – this needs to have been seasoned before its first use and thereafter carefully kept rust-free. it should be wiped out rather than washed, and re-oiled regularly.

The cooking – traditionally potjie ingredients are added in layers. The onions first, then the meat and sauce, then the slowest cooking vegetables building up in layers to the quickest cooking ones. A potjie should not be stirred, after the initial browning of onions and meat, but left in its layers until serving.

There should not be too much liquid in the potjie, think thick stew rather than soup. With the lid on the pot most of the juices are retained so you should just need a few dashes of wine along with the tomatoes to get a thick sauce. However do check for liquid during cooking – too hot a fire can evaporate it more quickly and burn the bottom layer, so you may need to add a few more dashes of wine than you thought – this won’t hurt the flavour though, so don’t worry!.

Recipe for a Leg of Lamb Potjie

Ingredients:

  • 2 onions roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped
  • 1 leg of lamb (about 2kg)
  • 2 tins chopped tomatoes
  • 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • Seasonal vegetables – anything from green beans, mushrooms, peppers, courgettes to sweet potatoes and squash.
  • Dried fruit – such as apricots and raisins
  • 4-6 tablespoons Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Dash of wine

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in the pot over the fire, then fry the onions, garlic and celery for two minutes until lightly browned.
  2. Place the leg of lamb in the pot and brown it on all sides. If it is burning rather than browning add a dash of wine to adjust the heat and raise the pot slightly.
  3. Once browned season the lamb with salt and pepper, then add the tomatoes and another dash of wine.
  4. Cover the potjie with its lid and leave the meat to simmer for an hour without peeking. You can hear if it is simmering or not. Keep an eye on the fire. You don’t need a lot of heat to keep the pot simmering but the fire shouldn’t die out completely.
  5. After an hour, open the pot and pack the potatoes and carrots around the meat. Then layer the rest of the firmer vegetables on top. Sweet potato and pumpkin first followed by any other longer cooking veg such as green beans. Put the dried fruit on top, season again with salt and pepper, check for liquid and add wine if there is none left. Replace the lid and continue cooking for another hour or so.
  6. Half an hour before you want to eat, add the softer vegetables such as peppers, mushrooms and courgettes. Replace the lid and cook gently until tender.
  7. Remove the potjie from the fire, take the meat out onto a board and slice it. Serve the meat and vegetables with rice or bread. Enjoy!

The Bottom Line

Don’t forget it’s National Braai Day on 24th September, so get your potjies dusted off and oiled ready for the big braai cook-fest!

Haray Bharay Spinach Rice Easy Recipe

Written by itsfoodtastic in Recipes,Side dishes

Standing in front of my fridge, I wondered what to cook today. This has almost become an everyday ritual for me. Looking through the available groceries, I picked spinach and then defrosted some meat, thinking I will make some traditional palak ghost (spinach and meat).

However, I was overcome with the craving to try something new and delicious. Sifting through random ideas I decided to make haray bharay spinach rice (green rice with spinach) along with aloo ghost (meat and potato curry). (PS: I love palak ghost to the core. I just wanted to try something new with palak this time around).

I created the haray bharay chawal by adding a twist to the regular ‘tarkay walay chawal’ by adding spinach. Sometimes thinking outside the box can help you create a new dish; and that’s exactly what happened. I always keep some green podina chatni and chicken stock ready to go in my freezer. These two have always turned out to be the best support elements on numerous occasions — and they were perfect for my spinach rice as well. The chicken stock added richness to the rice (instead of water) and the green chatni added the flavor, spice and hara bhara texture I needed to the rice.

Here’s how to make it:

Haray Bharay Spinach Rice Recipe – Fast & Easy

  • Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
  • Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
  • Number of servings (yield): 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

  • Rice – 1½-2 cups
  • Spinach – 2 bunches or 500 grams (boiled)
  • For Green Chatni:
    • Fresh Coriander Leaves – 1 bunch
    • Mint Leaves – 1 bunch
    • Green Chilies – 4
    • Cumin Seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Chicken Cubes – 2
  • Red Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala (Saabit) – 1 tablespoon (cloves, ilaichi, bari alichi, cumin, dar cheni, black pepper, tez patta)
  • Yogurt – 4 tablespoons
  • Onion – 1 medium (finely sliced)
  • Oil – 2 tablespoons

Ingredients:

  • Rice – 1½-2 cups
  • Spinach – 2 bunches or 500 grams (boiled)
  • For Green Chatni:
    • Fresh Coriander Leaves – 1 bunch
    • Mint Leaves – 1 bunch
    • Green Chilies – 4
    • Cumin Seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Chicken Cubes – 2
  • Red Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Garam Masala (Saabit) – 1 tablespoon (cloves, ilaichi, bari alichi, cumin, dar cheni, black pepper, tez patta)
  • Yogurt – 4 tablespoons
  • Onion – 1 medium (finely sliced)
  • Oil – 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

  1. Wash the rice and soak while you prepare the rest
  2. Blend fresh mint and coriander leaves with green chilies, cumin seeds and half a cup of water to make green chatni. Once it is blended into a puree, strain the water with a sieve
  3. Wash spinach thoroughly, then boil and chop it roughly
  4. In a pot, heat the oil and saute the onions until they become crisp and light brown
  5. Add chicken cubes and garam masala
  6. Saute until the chicken cubes start crackling. Add some water to avoid burning the onions
  7. Add the chopped spinach and let it saute for about a minute before adding the blended green chatni and yogurt
  8. Give it a good mix, add red chili powder and garam masala powder as the spinach simmers. Let it cook until the water dries and the oil rises to the top
  9. Add 3 cups of water to the masla and let it come to boil
  10. Once the water starts boiling, add rice and let it cook on a high flame until the water dries completely
  11. Lower the flame, cover with the lid and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes
  12. Serve hot with raita and aloo ghost (meat and potato curry)

Yogurt Pasta Recipe: The Perfect Comfort Food

Written by itsfoodtastic in Recipes,Side dishes

The advent of autumn (and eventually winter) brings with it our collective craving for comfort foods. And when it comes to comfort foods, soups and pastas are both winners for me. Pasta can be made in a gazillion ways with unlimited variations, thus making it a very versatile and chef-preferred dish.

Yogurt pasta is innately satisfying and enriching. This is a ‘one pot’ pasta dish. (Well, sometimes two pot. Hmm). But I do think this is as easy as a pasta dish can get. Yogurt pasta has the perfect blend of soup and pasta, and is my personal comfort food of choice! The final pasta can be left with a little gravy, and can be enjoyed as soupy pasta.

  • Preparation time: 10 – 15 Minutes
  • Cooking time: 20 – 30 Minutes
  • Number of servings (yield): 4-5 Individuals

Yogurt Pasta Ingredients:

  • Chicken — 350 grams (three medium breast fillet cut into cubes)
  • Pasta — 400 grams (your choice, preferably shell)
  • Salt — 2 teaspoons (add more as per taste)
  • Black Pepper — 1½ teaspoons
  • Chicken Stock — 1 cup
  • Yogurt — ¾ cup
  • Ginger Garlic Paste — 1 tsp
  • Oil — 6 tablespoons
  • Coriander — 1 bunch (finely chopped for garnish)

Yogurt Pasta Recipe Instructions:

  1. Take a big pot and fill half of it with water. Add one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of oil and let it boil
  2. Add the pasta when the water boils and take it out when it’s ‘al dente’ (pasta should be tender but firm to bite)
  3. Drain pasta in a colander and pour cold water on it so it doesn’t stick together
  4. Take a pan and add ginger garlic paste. Add chicken and fry till it’s cooked thoroughly
  5. Add salt and pepper to the chicken and add chicken stock as well
  6. When the chicken stock has partially dried, beat yogurt in a cup with a fork and on a low-medium flame add it to the chicken. Add in the pasta as well at this point.
  7. Let the yogurt dry, then add finely chopped coriander leaves
  8. Finally garnish with coriander leaves
  9. Bask in the comforting glory of this pasta!

Are Cheetos Halal Or Haram? Find Out The Answer

Written by itsfoodtastic in General information,Snacks

The world of different snacks impresses us. Today you can choose from a wide diversity of snacks of different kinds – sweet, salty, spicy, or sour. Some of them are healthy, and some – are not that much. Among this diversity, Cheetos are very popular. Crunchy, puffs flamin’ hot – you can find everything you like. Even though they are tasty, another question arises – are Cheetos halal or haram? This is a very specific question and this article will help you find the answer.

Are Cheetos Halal or Haram?

Cheetos are not halal, therefore, they should be considered haram according to Islamic laws. The main reason why they are not halal lies in the ingredients and the way they are made. Cheetos have many ingredients that are considered haram, in other words, unlawful. 

What Is Halal and Haram Food?

In Islam, halal refers to everything permitted under the Islam religion. Although in most cases it applied to food, any actions which are permissible under Islam laws are halal. On the other hand, haram or non-halal refers to everything prohibited and unlawful according to Islamic teachings.

The notion of halal food in Islam is similar to kosher food in Judaism. Overall, all food that is not explicitly prohibited in the Quran, is halal. For example, most vegan food is halal only if it does not contain alcohol. It is a bit more complicated with meat. Thus, for the meat to be halal, the animal has to be slaughtered in a certain manner. Thus, it has to die by cutting the carotid artery, jugular vein, or windpipe to drain all blood because consumption of blood is haram. However, regardless of how the animal was slaughtered, some meat is still haram. Some haram products include:

  • Blood;

  • Pork and its by-products;

  • Alcohol;

  • Meat that was slaughtered for idols;

  • Dead animals that were not slaughtered;

  • Birds of prey.

If some food contains by-products of non-halal products, the food is considered haram as well. This can also apply to Cheetos. Everything depends on the ingredients and their origin.

What Are Cheetos Made Of?

The main ingredients of Cheetos are cornmeal and vegetable oil (can be corn oil, sunflower oil, or canola). Other ingredients are natural and artificial flavors, cheese seasoning, and maltodextrin. Cheese seasoning consists of whey, milk, cheddar cheese, assorted cheese cultures, and salt. 

Cheetos are one of the most popular snacks in the US and around the world. They were invented in 1948 in Dallas. The very first product – Crunchy Cheetos – is still a trending option. But since then Cheetos’ shelf has been added by other Cheetos products such as Cheetos Puffs, Flamin’ Hot, and others.

Are Cheetos Halal?

Cheetos are not halal, they are haram because they contain ingredients that are haram under Islamic laws. Such ingredients include monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial colors which are derived from insects, and whey. 

Cheetos themselves do not have any haram products, such as pork or alcohol. However, many of their ingredients are considered non-halal. For instance, whey – one of the cheese seasoning ingredients is haram. Whey is a by-product of milk that is made after milk is curdled. Not all whey is haram. Thus, if the production of cheese and whey rennet that was used was halal, whey is good to consume under Islamic laws.

Renner is extracted from an animal’s stomach. And here if an animal was slaughtered in a halal way, rennet and, as a consequence, whey will be halal. PepsiCo itself, as a company producing Cheetos, said that it is better to avoid its products containing whey if consumers are concerned with halal food.

Some artificial colors used for Cheetos are derived from insects, which are considered unclean, therefore, non-halal. Red cheese powder is made from corn starch and cow fat which also can be considered haram.

Monosodium glutamate as an ingredient is derived from pork or beef residue, therefore, also falls among non-halal foods. MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer to intensify the meaty and savory taste.

As one can see, the question if Cheetos are halal is complex and depends on the ingredients and how they were derived. Therefore, before buying your favorite snacks, read the ingredients list and make sure it is safe to eat for Muslims. Also, different countries may have different ingredients lists for Cheetos production to take into consideration laws and people’s preferences.

Are Cheetos Puffs Halal?

Cheetos Puffs contain milk cheese enzymes which can be considered haram Therefore, Cheetos Puffs in general are non-halal. 

Cheetos Puffs are among the most popular Cheetos snacks and they are sold all over the world. Their production requires such ingredients: cornmeal, whey, artificial coloring, natural and artificial flavoring, monosodium glutamate, citric acid, lactic acid, maltodextrin, milk cheese enzymes, and canola oil. In addition to cheese enzymes, monosodium glutamate and whey can also be haram.

Are Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Halal?

Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are not halal since they contain porcine cheese enzymes and seasoning that are derived from pork. Since pork and its derivatives are non-halal products, Hot Cheetos are haram and cannot be consumed by Muslims who make their diets under the laws.

You cannot even suspect that the package of your favorite Flamin’ Hot Cheetos has pork products inside. How is that even possible? But it is true. Among other ingredients that all Cheetos have, Hot Cheetos have enzymes and seasoning that are made of pork derivatives. Therefore, devoted Muslims should avoid such snacks.

Are Cheetos Crunchy Halal?

A close look into the Crunchy Cheetos ingredients allows seeing that Crunchy Cheetos are halal and are safe for people who profess Islam. Unlike other Cheetos, Crunchy has halal enzymes which are not derived from pork or other intoxicants and does not have MSG or whey. Jalapeno Cheetos also are halal and Muslims can safely enjoy cheesy spicy snacks.

Conclusion

At the first glance, we may think that it is a halal product, but a closer look changes our opinion. Such ingredients as monosodium glutamate, whey, or animal enzymes are derived from non-halal products and are considered haram. Therefore cheetos are not halal!

FAQ

Are Cheetos Vegan Friendly?

Cheetos are not vegan-friendly and are not the food choice for vegans. In addition to having dairy products (cheese flavor), they have animal-derived enzymes, for example, from pork.

Do Cheetos Have Pork?

In the traditional meaning of the word, Cheetos do not have pork. However, enzymes used for Cheetos production are sometimes derived from pork, Therefore, Cheetos have pork products.

Are Cheetos Cheese Flavors Halal?

Unfortunately, Cheetos Cheese flavors are not halal. The reason is because flavors contain pork and bee by-products which are not halal. Cheese flavor is haram to consume for Muslims.