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Ministop and Koikeya bring six new eats to a conbini near you, but can you handle the heat?

Meg Murphy Jul 9, 2015
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The Japanese are known for not being able to handle spicy food. While it is true that traditional Japanese cuisine tends to have rather mild flavors and limit the use of spices, and there are still many who don’t have the tongue to tough out a bit of heat, times are a-changin’. Now, many Japanese people are more than happy to sit down to a hot plate of Indian curry, a fiery bowl of Korean tteokbokki, or enjoy a kick from a spicy snack like Karamucho (カラムーチョ).

These popular hot chili-flavored chips have been around for years, but they’re now being revamped into six new, unique meal items, from bento to fiery chicken, to be sold at the Ministop convenience store chain throughout Japan. So fire up your taste buds, foodies, and come take a look at the hot, new lineup!

▼From top-left to right we have: Karamucho bento, Karamucho chicken onigiri, Karamucho hot chicken. Bottom-left to right: Karamucho flatbread, Karamucho danish, Pon-de-Karamucho.

All of the original Karamucho items are flavored with spicy chili powder, giving them a similar flavor to their potato-snack brethren. These limited-edition items are being sold at Ministop convenience store locations across the country now, and at only 130 yen for the onigiri rice ball to 498 yen for the bento, they make a super affordable snack or meal.

RocketNews24’s very own Mr. Sato has already taken a look at the bento, hot chicken, and chicken onigiri. While he initially had images of actual Karamucho snacks sprinkled atop various food items, he quickly learned that was not the case.

© RocketNews24

Both the hot chicken and Karamucho bento feature the same grilled chicken atop a bed of noodles, and slathered in a hot chili sauce, giving it the same, nostalgic zingy heat as the original Karamucho snack. If you’re looking for a carb-overload, the bento provides a generous helping of white rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds, for that extra-full belly feel.

© RocketNews24

The same chicken and chili sauce make up the filling for the chicken onigiri, though unfortunately, as Mr. Sato found out, the filling doesn’t quite carry the same kick and flavor as the previous dishes, leaving it a bit lackluster.

© RocketNews24

The Pon de Karamucho spicy bread sticks are only available to our friends in the Kanto, Tokai, Kansai, and Shikoku regions, while the Karamucho potato danish, featuring a spicy potato filling with mayonnaise, is only being sold in Tohoku and Kanto. Let us know what you think of these new snacks if you have a chance to try them!

Source: Ministop via Netolabo
Images: Ministop unless otherwise specified
[ Read in Japanese ]