Have you heard of the Japanese seasoning called furikake? It consists of a combination of dry, ground ingredients used in Japanese cuisine or simply sprinkled on rice to add flavor.
Furikake [振り掛け] is the combination of the verbs furi [振り] which means to mix, shake, or sway with the verb kake [掛け] which means to pour, drop, or suspend. The name has everything to do with this seasoning combination.
It is usually colorful and bright, with a slight fish or seafood flavor, and sometimes it is spicy. There is a huge variety of furikake, and the Japanese can even make their own at home.
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How to use furikake
Furikake is a seasoning to be used instead of salt on Japanese rice, which is usually cooked without salt. Just open the package, shake it, and sprinkle it over the rice and eat. It is really very delicious.
It can also be used in Japanese cuisine for garnishing foods and rice balls (onigiri). In other words, it can be used as a condiment to color and flavor other recipes.
Since 2003, it has been gaining more acceptance in the USA (mainly in Hawaii and the West Coast) as a seasoning for baked or fried fish, raw fish salads, and snacks.
Some American seasonings resemble furikake, but have a completely different use. There is a fish seasoning whose name I can’t remember, chimichurri, and even edu guedes. Both have dry and ground ingredients.
History of Furikake
It is believed that furikake originated during the Taisho Period (1912-1926) by a pharmacist from Kumamoto named Suekichi Yoshimaru. Initially, he just wanted to address the calcium deficiency in the Japanese population.
To do this, he made a mixture of ground fish bones with roasted sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and seaweed that were turned into powder. He named it Gohan no Tomo, which means friend of rice.
The product was literally created to be mixed into rice and increase calcium in Japanese cuisine. The product was so tasty that it was marketed by a food company.
Later, a variation emerged in Fukushima made from white croaker, kombu, and other soy sauce-based ingredients. It was launched with the name Kore Wa Umai, which means this is good!
Initially a luxury item, the availability of furikake drastically increased in September 1948 when Nissin began mass-producing it to address Japanese malnutrition. The product was rich in protein and calcium.
Being a great source of energy for the Japanese army, furikake only got that name in 1959 with the emergence of the National Furikake Association. In the past, each product had a different name according to its ingredients.
The MAIN ingredients of furikake
As mentioned, there are countless types of furikake. Anyone can take any dehydrated, dry, and ground ingredient and create their own seasoning. See below the most popular ingredients:
Nori – One of the main ingredients that make up furikake, a type of sheet made from seaweed.
Monosodium glutamate – A sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant non-essential amino acids found in nature. This ingredient is used to introduce the flavor umami.
Katsuobushi – It is a dry preserve of bonito fish, fermented and cut into blocks, providing an umami flavor.
Yuzu – The dried peel of this beautiful sour fruit is used.
Shiso – An Asian plant that was used as a garnish until it was discovered to be edible and colored food.
Salmon – Dried salmon flakes are one of the popular ingredients in the seasoning. Fresh salmon flakes are also used as a topping on rice.
Sesame seeds – Whole or crushed sesame seeds are usually used.
Wasabi – A green root, usually served as a paste, used to spice up dishes.
Okaka – Flakes of bonito fish soaked in soy sauce and dried again.
In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, dried eggs, miso powder, vegetables, and various other ingredients are used. Imagination is the limit!
Gomásio – An alternative to Salt
Besides furikake, there is a similar seasoning called Gomásio [ごま塩], an important alternative to salt, because it does not produce its harmful effects. Gomashio is usually an ingredient in furikake.
It has the advantage of neutralizing blood acidity, promoting the secretion of digestive juices, stimulating metabolism, and being very rich in calcium.
It is also called sesame salt, highly appreciated in Japanese cuisine. The Japanese name gomashio [胡麻塩] literally means salt [塩] of sesame [ごま or 胡麻].
Besides these, there are other seasonings like shichimi made from pepper and popular in noodle soups, not to mention ochazuke made from green tea.
Where to buy Furikake?
In Japan, you can easily find it in convenience stores or markets. Outside Japan, furikake can be found in most Asian markets and in the Asian food section of some large supermarkets.
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