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
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
Furikake. I might never stop saying that.
I’ll join you on the island!
pamela dayton time says
oh my, my. oh hails yes. honey put on that party dress.
wait.
that’s not japanese.
hmmm.
jkru says
I 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
Always 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
Wow! I’ve never heard of this!! Looks fabulous!!!
Travis Browning says
Oh 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
Bev- 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
You’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
Thank 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
Love it, I made a version with dried shrimp , black sesame and black lava salt
Debbye says
Making 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
Furikake 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
I just made some I used dried shrimp I’m hooked!
orinoco womble says
I 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
Bonito is not tuna, but is a related species to tuna and mackerel.
Dwin says
Hi, 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
I’d probably say the limit was a couple or three weeks for optimal quality.
orinoco womble says
You 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
Better solution than having a friend ship us some more! Thanks!
A. G. says
Quick 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
Did 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
Thank you for changing my life! I’m on Furikake Island!
Kim says
Delish!! I used Herbamare instead of plain sea salt and used the dry container of my Vitamix for the nori and bonito.
Jim Shahan says
Read the recipe while on vacation, will make some when I get back home‼️👏
Fumiko Roberts says
I 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
Thank you for the great rating, Fumiko! I’m so glad you’re happy with my recipe. 🙂