The first order of business on this post just plain has to be pronunciation. Foo-ree-kah-kay. My boys, however, prefer to call it furry khaki. Why? Well, I assume it has something to do with being very silly boys.
Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about what it is… Furikake is like the salt and pepper of Japan. It goes on bowls of rice, gets mixed into onigiri, sprinkled over noodles, on porridge and just about anything else that holds still long enough to get hit with it. This wanton flinging of furikake happens for an excellent reason; because it tastes great and delivers an instant explosion of umami to anything it tops. I find myself looking for more foods to cover with this distinctive seasoning that is briny and earthy with just a touch of seafood essence. If you’ve had it before, you know that there’s nothing to compare to the complete flavour added to dishes where this is present.
I’ll be honest. I’m fixated on furikake. I love this so much that I almost always make more rice than we’ll need in a meal so I can form rice balls to sprinkle with furikake for late night snacks. Sometimes I just open the jar to sniff it a little bit. It’s a weakness.
So what is it exactly? In it’s basic form -the form I’m giving you today- it is toasted sesame seeds, sea salt, nori, bonito flakes** and an optional pinch of sugar*.
*Most commercially available furikakes contain added MSG and preservatives.
**Bonito flakes are dried, paper-thin shaved flakes of tuna. They add a rich seafood taste to the furikake. If you have trouble finding them, you can purchase them through this link
. (Full disclosure: This link will take you to Amazon.com. If you purchase the bonito flakes, I will receive an itty bitty commission. )
There are many, many versions of it sold, and just as many, if not more, versions of it made in homes but what I’m giving you today is a good basic leaping off point for adding that little special something to your meals or snacks. We start with raw sesame seeds here, but if all you can find is toasted sesame seeds, simply skip the toasting step and proceed from that point forward.
Do make this, though. Just do. I can’t be the only one who obsesses over these things. I refuse to think that is possible. I need some company on my wacky little furikake island, people.
Homemade Furikake |Japanese Rice Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sea salt to taste
- 3 sheets nori
- 3 heaping tablespoons bonito flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar optional
Instructions
- Heat a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over a medium high burner.
- Pour in the sesame seeds and shake to distribute evenly over the surface of the skillet.
- Toast, shaking occasionally, until the seeds are fragrant and begin making little popping sounds.
- Immediately pour the seeds into a dry, clean bowl to cool and stir in the sea salt. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
- Use kitchen shears or clean, dry scissors to cut the nori into 1-inch strips. Stack the strips and cut cross-wise into very thin strips over the bowl of sesame seeds.
- Use the kitchen shears again to roughly cut up the bonito flakes.
- Add the sugar (if using) and stir all ingredients together, then transfer to a jar with a tight fitting lid.
- This is ready to use immediately but can be stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight for up to two months.
Bev Weidner says
August 9, 2011 at 10:34 amFurikake. I might never stop saying that.
I’ll join you on the island!
pamela dayton time says
August 9, 2011 at 10:52 amoh my, my. oh hails yes. honey put on that party dress.
wait.
that’s not japanese.
hmmm.
jkru says
August 9, 2011 at 11:24 amI LOVE furikake, so you’re not alone! I usually have a jar of it in my pantry. I really like it with dried shiso. Hmm… now I think I’m going to have to make some rice.
Lonnie says
August 10, 2011 at 3:42 amAlways loved Japanese food. This one looked so fresh and healthy. Seems pretty easy to make.. Wonder if I can get some Nori and Bonito tonight…
Mrs C says
August 10, 2011 at 7:49 amWow! I’ve never heard of this!! Looks fabulous!!!
Travis Browning says
September 11, 2014 at 6:38 pmOh yes there’s nothing better then Furikake on fresh Gohan except a cold spring water bath on a hot summer day in Japan drinking cold Sake and Asahi with a Clan of Yakuza friends in the remote city of Hiratsuka !!!
Rebecca says
August 11, 2011 at 1:44 pmBev- Pull up a chair 🙂
Pamela- No. It’s not, but you can still have furikake.
jkru- I know. It’s habit forming like that, isn’t it?
Lonnie- Did you get some?
Mrs. C- Thank you! I hope you get a chance to try it.
Deb says
August 15, 2011 at 3:07 pmYou’ve made a believer out of me! I can’t wait to try this, but I’m going to use the Himalayan pink salt I got from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com. The flavor is so much better than regular salt!
The plane will be departing for The Island in just a few hours! Let’s go!
deniseinark says
September 20, 2012 at 7:32 amThank you, thank you, thank you for this post. The asian stores are far on the other side of town, and this stuff runs about $4 a bottle. Just about the right price for seasoning, but DH sprinkles it into his hand and eats it just like that. If our grown kids come for a visit and find anything that happened to have been left over, they immediately snarf the last of it. Now I can afford to have a large enough quantity that there’s a chance it will always be in the cabinet. When you factor in the “no msg or preservatives” part, it’s pretty darned perfect. In fact, smaller jars may find their way into the Christmas stockings of those who will most appreciate them.
Hung says
October 18, 2012 at 10:41 pmLove it, I made a version with dried shrimp , black sesame and black lava salt
Debbye says
May 15, 2013 at 9:24 pmMaking Poke for my folks 50th Wedding Anniversary party…and this is my missing ingredient! It’s got to be much better homemade! Thanks so much for sharing your obsession with us food minions!
Rohvannyn says
December 22, 2013 at 10:08 pmFurikake rules! I came here to find a recipe because I don’t like the sugar in the commercial stuff. I will be making some with bonito, and some with powdered shrimp. I anticipate that it will be awesome. (Packing my bags to join you on Furikake Island)
gigi says
April 30, 2014 at 5:30 pmI just made some I used dried shrimp I’m hooked!
orinoco womble says
September 19, 2014 at 7:37 amI am now hooked. Little bags of furikake at my Asian supermarket cost 5 Euros for about an ounce. You can buy enough ingredients to make two month’s supply for that amount. And I do. I heard about Furikake in a Murakami novel (Dance Dance Dance) and found your recipe. Thank you!!
Heather says
December 16, 2014 at 9:16 pmBonito is not tuna, but is a related species to tuna and mackerel.
Dwin says
December 17, 2014 at 7:23 amHi, i was just wondering since the sesame are toasted and they produce some sort of oil, how long would be the shelf life of the furikake?
Rebecca says
December 17, 2014 at 11:56 amI’d probably say the limit was a couple or three weeks for optimal quality.
orinoco womble says
January 4, 2015 at 3:03 amYou got me hooked on this stuff! Instead of buying the more expensive sheets, I buy regular nori seaweed which comes in “cakes”, and gently toast it a bit by passing it over the gas flame of my stove (far enough above that it doesn’t catch fire!) It only takes a second or two, it “shrinks” a bit and becomes fragrant. Then I break up the nori into the chopper box that came with my stick blender, add the other ingredients and pulse until the nori and bonito flakes break up a bit. It’s easier to sprinkle this way.
Dana says
July 11, 2015 at 9:09 amBetter solution than having a friend ship us some more! Thanks!
A. G. says
November 19, 2016 at 4:27 amQuick nit pick: It’s not fu-ri-ka-KEI. Not “ey” just “eh”
Oh and tap the r. Although I suppose most English speakers never care about that xD
John Thomas says
July 4, 2017 at 8:36 pmDid you say Engrish speakers. We do NOT hit our ARRRs too hard, nor hord them too rong. I can’t imagine why you would say that. 😉
Gail says
August 20, 2017 at 8:20 amThank you for changing my life! I’m on Furikake Island!
Kim says
September 18, 2017 at 10:53 amDelish!! I used Herbamare instead of plain sea salt and used the dry container of my Vitamix for the nori and bonito.
Jim Shahan says
November 13, 2017 at 7:40 pmRead the recipe while on vacation, will make some when I get back home‼️👏
Fumiko Roberts says
August 18, 2018 at 1:39 pmI want to thank you for sharing your recipe. I’m a Hapa (half Japanese) and grew up with putting furikake on everything . I never read the ingredients until recently because my granddaughter loves it so much. I found some ingredients that alarmed me. One in particular is derived from GMO corn so needless to say I tossed all but one flavor, the Umeboshi (dried plum) one. The Umeboshi furekaki only had 3 ingredients, all natural.
Rebecca says
August 20, 2018 at 12:54 pmThank you for the great rating, Fumiko! I’m so glad you’re happy with my recipe. 🙂
Connie Orias says
January 27, 2019 at 6:32 pmI live in Bolivia and cannot find dried fish or shrimp. How can I do my own?
Frank says
January 31, 2019 at 11:42 amCan you put the ingredients in a small spice blender?
Rebecca says
January 31, 2019 at 6:29 pmI think that would work, but I wouldn’t blitz it into oblivion. You still want some texture in the final product!
Agnes says
February 20, 2019 at 7:09 pmDo you toast the nori before cutting it?
Rebecca says
February 22, 2019 at 3:51 pmHi Agnes! If you buy toasted nori, there’s no need. If you buy untoasted nori, you can definitely toast it!
Sherry says
February 25, 2019 at 1:34 pmThank you for sharing this recipe. Buying it already made up is so expense ($9.99 for a small spice size jar 😳). I love the taste and add it to poke bowls. Can’t wait to make it up today.
Rebecca says
February 26, 2019 at 12:09 pmThanks, Sherry! I hope you love it!
bobbie says
February 27, 2019 at 7:48 pmThis needs to go through a mortar and pestle.
Rebecca says
February 28, 2019 at 9:17 amThankfully, that’s pretty easily solved. 🙂 I actually prefer it a little on the piecier side!
Sandy says
March 10, 2019 at 8:32 pmThank you so much for this recipe. I decided I was going to go broke buying this seasoning in the store. I could eat half a jar in one sitting. So I did a search and found your recipe. I think I’d like to figure out how to get some wasabi or something hot in it as well. Thanks again!
Ed says
May 8, 2019 at 9:42 amI used the trick the potato chip manufacturers use to make chip taste salty using less salt. I put the salt in a ceramic bowl and used a drinking glass as a pestle.