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What is Furikake? Guide to the Japanese Seasoning

20 January 2025

Furikake is a popular Japanese dry seasoning made with fish, seaweed, sesame seeds and more. Find out all about this tasty staple.

what is furikake guide Oriental Mart

If you enjoy Japanese food, you’re going to love furikake. Filled with the deep, fresh flavours that Japan is famous for, discover the small but mighty ingredient that you’ll soon be using to bring energy to every meal!

What is Furikake?

Furikake – pronounced fu-ri-ka-kae – is a Japanese seasoning made by combining various dried ingredients, particularly seaweed and fish. It is traditionally sprinkled over rice but can also be used as an ingredient in things such as onigiri (rice balls).

Furikake isn’t a natural seasoning like salt or pepper. In Japan, the word generally refers to any combination of ingredients presented in a ‘sprinkling mix’ designed to be used as seasoning.

What Does Furikake Taste Like?

Because furikake can be made with all manner of ingredients, it can come in different flavours to suit different tastes. However, as many of its core ingredients tend to come from the sea, furikake is associated with adding a salty, slightly fishy flavour to dishes.

Common Furikake Ingredients

As mentioned, furikake can be made using almost any dried ingredients. However, there are some core components that you’ll find in most furikake seasonings:

  • sesame seeds
  • seaweed
  • dried fish

Different fishes (salmon, whitebait, bonito flakes etc.) and special seaweeds – such as nori seaweed – can be used to create different flavours. On top of these core ingredients, many furikake will add unique ingredients, including:

  • dried egg
  • salted plums
  • perilla leaves
  • roasted garlic
  • wasabi

With the various ingredients used, a whole world of furikake is created, with sweet, tangy flavours and savoury options bursting with umami.

Can You Make Vegan Furikake?

Traditionally, furikake contains at least one dried fish, making most store-bought furikake non-vegan. However, one of the joys of furikake is combining different ingredients to make unique flavours, and it’s easy to make your own furikake with only vegan ingredients.

If you want to keep the taste of traditional furikake but without the fish, try substituting it for more seaweed and adding some sea salt. Experiment with different dried ingredients until you find the perfect flavour for your tastes.

furikake seasoning over rice

How to Use Furikake

The traditional way to use furikake is over rice. Often available in a sachet or shaker, furikake is shaken over cooked rice in the same way you might use salt and pepper (although slightly more generously).

Furikake is also commonly used in popular rice-based foods, such as sushi and onigiri. Furikake may be mixed into the rice while they’re being made or be used as a tasty coating.

As furikake becomes increasingly popular, more people are finding interesting ways to use it across a variety of dishes. As a dry seasoning, it can make a flavourful alternative to traditional seasonings on a range of popular foods, including:

Basically, if there’s anything you think would benefit from a burst of Japanese umami flavours, give it a sprinkling of your favourite furikake!

Simple Furikake Recipe

Furikake can be as complex or as simple as you like to get the flavours you love. High-end furikake can include 10 or more items, but if you want to try an easy, homemade version, a simple cup of furikake seasoning can be made using the following ingredients:

  • 10g bonito flakes
  • a few sheets of nori seaweed
  • sesame seeds (ideally half black and half white)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp mirin

To make the furikake:

  1. Cut the bonito flakes and seaweed into thin, small flakes – you can do this in a blender or on a chopping board.
  2. Cook the bonito flakes and half of your nori seaweed in a frying pan with the soy sauce and mirin, stirring constantly until the ingredients are dry and flakey.
  3. Turn down the heat and add the sesame seeds until they’re lightly browned and fragrant.
  4. Remove the ingredients from the pan and allow them to cool completely – you can spread it out across baking paper to do this.
  5. Once cooled, add the remaining seaweed flakes and season to taste.

Depending on the ingredients used, and as long as it’s fully dried out, furikake can usually be stored in an airtight container for a few weeks. The more you make it, the more you’ll find yourself experimenting with ingredients to find the perfect flavour for you.

Of course, if your cooking cupboard needs stocking up, check out all the Japanese ingredients available here at Oriental Mart!

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