105 replies to this topic

[torakris]

we haven't discussed furikake in a while.....

It seems that the flavor I loved way back the yaki (grilled) miso furikake no longer exists , need to find a new favorite.

[redfox]

Oh man, yaki miso furikake sounds great! Was it vegetarian? (I don't even know why I'm asking, since if it was, that will just fuel my sadness at never having any while it existed.)

[Hiroyuki]

It seems that the flavor I loved way back the yaki (grilled) miso furikake no longer exists

Have you checked out that the product really does not exist any longer?

Do you remember the brand? Is it Riken's?

http://www.rike-vita.../indexc-09.html

[torakris]

It seems that the flavor I loved way back the yaki (grilled) miso furikake no longer exists

Have you checked out that the product really does not exist any longer?

Do you remember the brand? Is it Riken's?

http://www.rike-vita.../indexc-09.html

that's it!! 3rd one down
I wonder why all the stores in my area have stopped stocking it?

[Hiroyuki]

I used to be totally addicted to furikake, until I read the ingredient label. There's so much junk in there! Ugh.
We still keep about one pack (either tarako or ajidouraku) and use it very occasionally, but it's not something I want to eat regularly. Which is good, since I'm trying to cut down on the amount of rice I eat, and with furikake I can easily eat two or three bowls!

Since some of you guys like smallworld seem to be worried about the ingredients, I attempted to translate the label. I selected "Sukiyaki" of Marumiya as an example:

http://www.marumiya....news/index.html

The label says:

胡麻 Sesame seeds
小麦粉 Flour
砂糖 Sugar
マッシュポテト Mashed potato
食用油脂 Edible fat and oil
牛肉 Beef
食塩 Salt
醤油 Soy source
こしあん Koshi an (I know what it is, but don't know how to say it in English. Jam made from azuki beans with shells removed?)
鶏卵 Hen egg
乳糖 Lactin // lactose // milk sugar (// is just a separator, meaning "or".)
脱脂粉乳 Skimmed milk powder
澱粉 Starch
エキス（ビーフ、酵母、チキン）Extract (beef, leaven, chicken)
粉末状植物性蛋白 Powdery vegetable protein
大豆加工品 Soy bean processed goods? (literal translation)
オニオンパウダー Onion powder
牛乳 Milk
味付海苔 Seasoned laver
イースト Yeast
蛋白加水分解物 Protein hydrolysate? (literal translation)
鶏肉 Chicken
香辛料 Spice
ぶどう糖 Glucose // grape sugar
調味料（アミノ酸等）Seasoner (amino acid, etc.)
着色料（赤ビート、カラメル、紅麹、カルチノイド） Artificial colors (red beet, caramel, beni koji (red rice malt?), carcinoid)
膨張剤 Baking powder // swelling agent
くん液 Smoke flavor
甘味料（天草、ステビア） Sweeteners (daylily // licorice // liquorice, stevia)
卵殻カルシウム Egg shell calcium
酸化防止剤（ビタミンE、ビタミンC) Antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C)
香料 Fragrance
香辛料 Spice. This word appears twice.
（原材料の一部に豚肉、えび、ゼラチンを含む） (Some raw materials contain pork, shrimp, and gelatin)

I made heavy use of Eijiro on the Web (英辞郎 on the Web) just to make sure words are correct.

http://www.alc.co.jp/

Now, how about your appetite?

***
Correction: Kuneki = Smoke flavor

Edited by Hiroyuki, 30 March 2004 - 03:08 PM.

[smallworld]

Now, how about your appetite?

Pretty much gone, thanks!
I can't believe all that stuff is in a single product.

Great translation, though. Eijiro on the Web is an excellent resource and I'm surprised it couldn't tranlate koshian. I suppose you could call it 'smooth adzuki paste'?
So does koshian really contain beans with the skins removed? I thought it was just very finely sieved.

[torakris]

Great translation, though. Eijiro on the Web is an excellent resource and I'm surprised it couldn't tranlate koshian. I suppose you could call it 'smooth adzuki paste'?
So does koshian really contain beans with the skins removed? I thought it was just very finely sieved.

usually it is the sieving process that removes the skins.
koshian in furikake? who would have thought....

[Hiroyuki]

usually it is the sieving process that removes the skins.

Definitely yes.

[hotstepher]

There are those weeks when cash is non-exsistent. That means lots of canned tuna and rice and bean sprouts. Furikake makes canned tuna taste like an extra-special exotic meal. I add the Furikake along with saracha (sp?) chili sauce and whatever else tickles my fancy.

[smallworld]

Great translation, though. Eijiro on the Web is an excellent resource and I'm surprised it couldn't tranlate koshian. I suppose you could call it 'smooth adzuki paste'?
So does koshian really contain beans with the skins removed? I thought it was just very finely sieved.

usually it is the sieving process that removes the skins.

Oh!

I wonder what happens to all those little left-over skins...

[Hiroyuki]

I wonder what happens to all those little left-over skins...

Here it is. Take a look at step 5.

http://www.aichi-c.e...beru/kosian.htm

Got it?

[Hiroyuki]

The list of ingrediants that I posted previously is not meant to frighten you, though.
Maybe you could learn more about food additives yourself and decide whether to eat furikake at peace or stay away from them.
I am an occasional user of various types of furikake myself. Among my favoriates are

ゆかり　Yukari (aka jiso)
かおり　Kaori (ao jiso)
菜めし　Nameshi (gree leaves called Hiroshima Na)

partly because they contain less additives. Note, however, that these three brands are under the category of

混ぜごはんの素　Mazegohan no moto, not
ふりかけ　Furikake

according to the manufacturer's site

http://www.mishima.co.jp/
(sorry, in Japanese only)

The furikake I like the best is the one that I make at home myself (and my wife), using mackerel cans, soy source, mirin, goma, and a little bit of pepper. It's really yummy. We call it maho no furikake, or magic furikake.

[torakris]

The furikake I like the best is the one that I make at home myself (and my wife), using mackerel cans, soy source, mirin, goma, and a little bit of pepper. It's really yummy. We call it maho no furikake, or magic furikake.

Hiroyuki,
could you give a little more information about that homemade version?

I too am much more partial to homemade versions, a favorite here is a simple one with chirimen-jyako, sesame seeds soy and mirin. I also make one with daikon leaves and miso, it is a slightly "wetter" furikake.

[Pan]

I didn't know daikon leaves were edible! How do they taste?

[Hiroyuki]

Hiroyuki,
could you give a little more information about that homemade version?

Sure, with pleasure! I don't know how to write a recipe in a proper way, though.

My version is also a wet version. But it lasts for ten days or longer. (Put it in the refrigerator, of course.)

***Maho no furikake (magic furikake) ***
(Sounds silly?)

Ingredients:
1. Mackerel can, boiled plain (mizuni): 3 (not shown in the photo)
2. Soy source: 6 tablespoons. (I don't have a measuring spoon. Just the large spoon in the picture.)
3. Mirin-fu seasoner: 6 tablespoons (same volume as soy source) (I don't use hon mirin. Mirin-fu is enough for me.)
4. Pepper
5. Sesame seeds

How to make:
0. Measure and mix soy source and mirin in a container.
1. Open the 3 cans, drain, and put the mackerel into the nonstick frying pan.
2. Add pepper and sesame seeds. (I can't say how much; just as much as you like).
3. Put the pan on the stove, turn on the gas, and smash the mackerel. (I use a bamboo spatula. See photo) Continue to smash until the mackerel nearly dries out (but still wet). This will take about 5 minutes or so.
4. Put the mix of soy source and mirin, and mix well until nearly dry (but still wet). This will take about 2 minutes or so.

And the result is this:

Whenever I have little appetite, a munch or two of rice with this furikake makes me work up my appetite in no time. It's true. That's why I call it maho no furikake, or magic furikake. It has the same effect on my wife and children, too.

(Sorry, I don't know how to insert photos. Maybe next time...)

[Hiroyuki]

Just for your reference:

I just happened to come across the website (in Japanese) while searching:

http://www.kyoto-wel...a10/117/117.htm

The title says: Golden ratio for taste.

According to the site, the golden ratio for taste is:

Soy source : Mirin = 1 : 1

Accidentally, my maho no furikake has the same ratio.

***
Talking of daikon leaves, my mother was (maybe still is) good at tsukemono.
The misozuke she made with daikon leaves was very delicious. It's a shame that so many people (including Japanese) just throw them away.

[rlivings]

But just as good as a snack is microwave very buttery popcorn with furikake on it... you can also mix in some rice crackers.


Akiko

furikake and popcorn, yum.

www.hawaiian-hurricane.com

[torakris]

I didn't know daikon leaves were edible! How do they taste?

Daikon leaves are really wonderful!
I buy the daikon with the leaves attached whenever possible, though sometimes they can be hard to find. I have even seen bags of frozen, chopped daikon leaves in the supermarkets.
I would compare the taste to maybe turnip greens, they have a pleasant green leaf flavor not bitter at all.
They are good just boiled and mixed with white rice as a type of maze-gohan (mixed rice) and are also good in stirfry type dish. I really like it with some seame oil and sakura ebi, a type of small dried pink shrimp.

[Hiroyuki]

torakris (or someone else who has the authority),

Could you delete my preceding post in this thread?

Photo 1:


Photo 2:

[morda]

I just bought some furikake the other day, funny enough. It also has a rather short ingredient list, but there is no corresponding japanese label. The brand is Ajishima and I just noticed it's a product of Taiwan. Anyway, the ingredient list is:

sesame seed
horse radish
shaved bonito
japanese mustard plant (wasabi?)
sugar
seaweed
soy sauce (water, soy bean, wheat, salt)
salt
cooking rice wine
sugar

Looks pretty innocuous to me...am I missing something?

morda

Edited to add that the flavor I have is wasabi fumi furikake.

Edited by morda, 19 May 2004 - 08:02 PM.

[Hiroyuki]

I have checked the link, but no clue.

EDIT:
Is there anybody who reads Chinese? How do you say food additive in Chinese??

Edited by Hiroyuki, 19 May 2004 - 09:27 PM.

[torakris]

I find it hard to believe there are no additives or preservatives of any kind, does it have a really short shelf life?
I wonder if Taiwan has different laws regarding labeling....

[Mistinguett]

Talking of shelf life, how long does it last if unopened? I bought several jars a few years back and a couple of them are still untouched.

A friend introduced me to furikake ramen noodles. Not bad at all.

[Hiroyuki]

Different furikake products have different shelf lives: Some six months and others one year. I would recommend that you put them in the freezer.

[Sleepy_Dragon]

There are those weeks when cash is non-exsistent. That means lots of canned tuna and rice and bean sprouts. Furikake makes canned tuna taste like an extra-special exotic meal. I add the Furikake along with saracha (sp?) chili sauce and whatever else tickles my fancy.

Yes, agreed about furikake's powers of turning slim pickings into a banquet.

One of my favorite breakfasts or light dinner is miso soup, onigiri with furikake, cubes of tofu with ponzu and furikake, tsukemono and green tea.

Sometimes I'll just make maki rolls with rice and a furikake filling if I'm especially craving the taste and want a snack. Have to make sure to stay hydrated afterwards though, the salt and dehydration headache can be unpleasant!

My favorite flavors are wasabi and bonito.

Pat

[hillvalley]

I brought nori and egg yolk furikake for lunch on Friday. My new students just about freaked out. It was the perfect lunch that took no thought because I had the rice, nori and furikake in my classroom.

Between the furikake and the nori they now think I am compeltely nuts. Wait until I bring in some natto

Edited by hillvalley, 12 September 2004 - 03:02 PM.

[torakris]

did you share it?

[dougery]

Dipping roasted mochi in furikake. mmmmmm...

[spaghetttti]

My favorite supermarket has just become a more fun place to shop now that they have recently opened a special Japanese section. It just boggles the mind, so many wonderful looking things, but I don't read Japanese.

We saw these packets and can't wait to sprinkle over rice tonight.

Is this salmon furikake?




Confetti on rice!?!

[torakris]

Is this salmon furikake? 


Confetti on rice!?!

The red one on the left is salmon, the blue one on the right is hon-katsuo (bonito)

Enjoy! and let us know what you think!