How to Make Furikake: 4 Ways to Use Furikake in Your Cooking

Furikake is a Japanese seasoning consisting of nori seaweed, sesame seeds, and a dried fish, like katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Additional ingredients include shiso leaf, shiitake mushroom powder, dried yuzu peel, wasabi, miso powder, or intensely flavored okaka (katsuobushi soaked in soy sauce and re-dried). To make furikake, each ingredient is finely chopped into small pieces to achieve a powdery, flaky consistency. Modern furikake comes from gohan no tomo (“a friend for rice”), which is a mixture of ground fish bones, nori, and toasted sesame seeds. You can find pre-made furikake in most Asian grocery stores in various flavors, with or without monosodium glutamate (MSG), a popular flavor enhancer.

Furikake seasoning is as flexible in its utility as it is in its components. Use furikake as a condiment or as a seasoning as you see fit:

1. 1. As a seasoning: A tablespoon of furikake can breathe new life into a bowl of ramen, miso soup, or stew. Use it to season a bowl of white rice or onigiri (rice balls).
2. 2. As a garnish: Use furikake as a garnish for savory grain porridge, steamed or fried fish, and roasted vegetables.
3. 3. As a topping: Sprinkle furikake over diced avocado or use it as a topping for fried eggs, scrambled eggs, or omelets.
4. 4. As a snack: The seasoning can add a burst of umami flavor to toasted nuts, popcorn, or granola if you’re in the mood for a savory snack.

To make homemade furikake, pulse sheets of dried nori with a tablespoon of dried fish flakes, like katsuobushi, and five dried shiso leaves in a food processor, blender, or spice grinder until they are uniform in size. Transfer to a bowl, and add a teaspoon each of black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds. Adjust with any additional ingredients.

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