105 replies to this topic

[Hiroyuki]

Note that they are otona no furikake (furikake for adults)!
No, no, don't get the wrong idea.
Furikake is often associated with children, and these products of Nagatanien are meant to dispel such a silly idea.
A wasabi flavored version is also available:
http://www.katagiri....pgf/i/i0201.htm
The mini versions (two types) offer more flavors:
http://www.katagiri....pgf/i/i0204.htm
Hope you can get them at your favorite supermarket.
Nagatanien's page on furikake:
http://www.nagatanie...uhin/index.html

[melonpan]

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.

i testify that this recipe is simple and tasty. it lives up to its name... thanks for sharing!

[Hiroyuki]

i testify that this recipe is simple and tasty.  it lives up to its name...  thanks for sharing!

Thank you for trying my recipe, melonpan. This furikake is one of my favorite breakfast okazu (side dishes). Why don't you modify my recipe to suit your Korean taste and post it here?
I always keep the furikake in the refrigerator:

[torakris]

Hiroyuki,
How long can you keep it for ?

[Hiroyuki]

I can assure you that it keeps for ten days or longer, but I am not sure whether it keeps for two weeks or longer, as we always finish it off by that time!

[Hiroyuki]

Are you curious to know who is the originator of furikake? Here is an answer.

It was known that there were three possible originators of furikake, each in Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kumamoto. But, at the general assembly of the Zenkoku Furikake Kyokai (National Furikake Association) held in 1994, Suekichi Yoshimaru of Futaba in Kumamoto was unanimously acknowledged as the originator of furikake.

From here:
http://www.mishima.c...unoki/root.html
(Japanese only)
Scroll down, and you can see photos of the man and Japan's first furikake, Gohan no Tomo (Rice's Friend).

Website of Futaba:
http://www.gohannoto...o.jp/index.html
(Japanese only)

Gohan no Tomo is produced by Futaba even today.

[Gastro888]

I keep a can of Furikake at my desk here at work. *grabs can*

Katsuo Fumi Furikake - Bonito Flavor.

This is a great invention! Luv the stuff.

[Gastro888]

Anyone else out there learn the "proper" way to shake the furikake onto your rice?
My husband taught this to my children, you hold the furikake packet (or jar) in one hand over the rice and gently tap the wrist  with your other hand.

I suppose my furious shaking over my bowl of rice is noooot so proper?

[torakris]

Anyone else out there learn the "proper" way to shake the furikake onto your rice?
My husband taught this to my children, you hold the furikake packet (or jar) in one hand over the rice and gently tap the wrist  with your other hand.

I suppose my furious shaking over my bowl of rice is noooot so proper?

well if no one is looking....

[torakris]

on my trip to the supermarket this morning I picked up 3 new packs of furikake, they cost 128 yen ($1.25) a piece.



L to R
wakame (seaweed)-oyako tara (oyako meaning parent and child, this is a combination of tara, cod in English, and tarako, the cod eggs)

tai (sea bream)-yuzu koshou (a mixture of yuzu and green chiles)

chirimen (baby sardines)- sanshou (Japanese prickly ash)

[Hiroyuki]

Coincidentally, I bought a pack of tarako (cod roe) soft furikake of the same manufacturer (Marumiya) about a week ago, and my children loved it. I bought another pack yesterday.
http://www.rakuten.c.../476776/525974/
The leftmost one.

[Gastro888]

Anyone else out there learn the "proper" way to shake the furikake onto your rice?
My husband taught this to my children, you hold the furikake packet (or jar) in one hand over the rice and gently tap the wrist  with your other hand.

I suppose my furious shaking over my bowl of rice is noooot so proper?

well if no one is looking....

Good to know! Lord knows I don't want to get my chopsticks tangled up.

Oh, one time I got this great furikake with Ding Dong (big blue cartoon character) on the package. Quite tasty. I'm sure I purchased something intended for kids but nevertheless, it was good.

Can you mix furikake and ikura on rice? Is that a typical Japanese rice topping?

[torakris]

Can you mix furikake and ikura on rice?  Is that a typical Japanese rice topping?

If you live in Hawaii you can....
when I lived in Hawaii, people put furikake on everything!

I have never seen that particular combination in Japan, or anywhere for that matter, but it doesn't mean you can't do it.

If it tastes good.....

[mizducky]

I had known about gomashio ever since a brief flirtation with macrobiotics back in my 20s, and about furikake in general from readings here and there (including here on eGullet), but it wasn't until the other day that I picked up a jar for myself. Major yum! I can see myself eating a ton of this stuff without batting an eye. I've put it on brown rice and on garbanzo beans as well as on plain white rice, all to great effect.

The variety I got is Katsuo Mirin, made by Mishima/Shirakiku (for what it's worth, while the ingredient list is not all that short, the most artificial-ish ingredient of the lot is caramel coloring--the diet pop I'm currently drinking is much worse ).

My local 99 Ranch Asian market had a couple different brands in a variety of flavors, some looking relatively staid, some containing multi-colored candy-looking bits which I assumed were aimed more at kids. I get the impression that manufacturers just keep on inventing new and different flavors of furikaki, of varying degrees of inventiveness, like American breakfast cereals--would that be a fair comparison? (Given that there are also some cereals loaded with wacky-colored bits to entertain the kiddies, and other more sobersided varieties aimed more at adults). Are there some furikake combinations that are considered "classic" and/or traditional?

Also, what's considered a typical traditional serving amount of this stuff? I've read through the thread and seen that some people happily go ga-ga with it; but noting the Japanese preference for smaller food portions than we tend to consume in America, I'm assuming that the Japanese way with this stuff is similarly (relatively) restrained. Correct assumption or not?

[sanrensho]

I'm assuming that the Japanese way with this stuff is similarly (relatively) restrained. Correct assumption or not?

It depends on how strongly flavoured (salty/sour) the furikake is. However, the portions in the photos posted by Torakris a few posts up are way overboard, for obvious commercial reasons.

I think the general idea is for the furikake to enhance and supplement the flavour of the rice, but not overpower it.

Around our house, Yukari (shiso-flavoured) furikake gets a lot of mileage.

Edited by sanrensho, 26 October 2005 - 03:20 PM.

[lperry]

Might someone have a recipe for a shiso furikake? I can get shiso leaves easily here.

Thanks-

Linda

[Hiroyuki]

Might someone have a recipe for a shiso furikake?  I can get shiso leaves easily here. 

Thanks-

Linda

Shiso (red shiso) furikake, often called Yukari (product name), is usually a byproduct of umeboshi making.

You just dry the shiso leaves used to color ume and then crush them fine with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor
http://www.yamaguchi.../yukari/01.html
(Sorry, Japanese only)

I found a webpage that describes how to make Yukari from fresh shiso leaves, but it requires ume zu (plum vinegar).
http://www.kanazawa-...siso_ryouri.htm
(Sorry, Japanese only again)
You wash shiso leaves, soak them in salt water, rub them with salt, and soak them in umezu. Then, dry them in the sun and crush them fine.

I wonder if you can get ume zu...

[lperry]

I have a dehydrator, and, I don't have one of those lovely grinding bowls, but I've got a mortar and pestle. Are there any additions that might be traditional?Sesame? Salt? Nori?

Thanks-

Linda

[torakris]

I have a dehydrator, and, I don't have one of those lovely grinding bowls, but I've got a mortar and pestle.  Are there any additions that might be traditional?Sesame?  Salt?  Nori?

Thanks-

Linda

I think sesame seeds and a bit of salt would be a nice addition...

[Hiroyuki]

The commercial product, Yukari, contains red shiso, salt, sugar, seasonings (amino acids, etc.), and malic acid according to its label.

I remember I made shiso furikake only one from the shiso leaves used to make umeboshi that my mother had sent me. They were already dried, so I just put them in an I-wrap bag and crush them by hand and added some salt. The resulting furikake was not as flavorful as the commercial one, but my son, who was three or four years old at that time, liked it.

[helenjp]

Shoyu flavored sesame seeds. These amounts might not work for the hulled type of sesame seed - I used unhulled seeds.
1 cup seeds, toasted or plain. 2 tab soy sauce (If you use an American cup, you might want about another tsp of soy sauce, but the amount you use will depend on how much you like anyway.

First, if the sesame seed is raw, toast over fairly low heat in a dry, heavy pan, shaking the pan as you go. If you have a mesh splatter-cover, it helps prevent seeds from flying everywhere. Once they start popping, they're done, so sprinkle over about a teaspoon of soy sauce, keeping the heat down low, and continue to agitate until dry (you may get flakes or clumps of sauce, but they will disappear). Continue adding soy a little at a time and stirring till dry and brown. Pour out of the pan to cool, pack when completely cold.

To use as furikake, make sure the soy sauce taste is quite pronounced - use the full amount of soy. For a snack to eat out of hand, you might like to reduce the soy sauce by about 15-30%.

[Kent Wang]

I have one kid who like to eat it plain, and would "drink" the stuff if I let him.

Me too. It's a lot less salty than salt so definitely drinkable.

[torakris]

Shoyu flavored sesame seeds. These amounts might not work for the hulled type of sesame seed - I used unhulled seeds.
1 cup seeds, toasted or plain. 2 tab soy sauce (If you use an American cup, you might want about another tsp of soy sauce, but the amount you use will depend on how much you like anyway.

First, if the sesame seed is raw, toast over fairly low heat in a dry, heavy pan, shaking the pan as you go. If you have a mesh splatter-cover, it helps prevent seeds from flying everywhere. Once they start popping, they're done, so sprinkle over about a teaspoon of soy sauce, keeping the heat down low, and continue to agitate until dry (you may get flakes or clumps of sauce, but they will disappear). Continue adding soy a little at a time and stirring till dry and brown. Pour out of the pan to cool, pack when completely cold.

To use as furikake, make sure the soy sauce taste is quite pronounced - use the full amount of soy. For a snack to eat out of hand, you might like to reduce the soy sauce by about 15-30%.

Helen, how long do you think these would keep?
My MIL often buys the flavored sesame seeds in the plastic jar and I have always found them to be pretty flavorless. I guess I could make my own...

[helenjp]

I think they would keep as long as any toasted sesame seeds, though they might just absorb moisture more rapidly??

[purpleplasticdoll]

I returned from Japan recently & bought this furikake pack(I love furikake, I must havebought about 15 packs from the y100 store!) but I have no idea what this is..

any idea?

http://img391.images...furikakeue2.jpg

[rarerollingobject]

I returned from Japan recently & bought this furikake pack(I love furikake, I must havebought about 15 packs from the y100 store!) but I have no idea what this is..

any idea?

http://img391.images...furikakeue2.jpg

That says shiso (otherwise known as perilla, beefsteak plant, or Japanese basil... )

[Hiroyuki]

Aka jiso (red perilla leaf) furikake

1. Sprinkle it on rice.
2. Mix it into rice to make onigiri (rice balls).

[torakris]

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...)

While organizing my kitchen I came across a couple cans of water packed mackerel I had bought quite a while back to make this.
I finally made it yesterday! It was wonderful, my kid's really loved it. They had it for dinner last night and breakfast this morning.

[Hiroyuki]

Thanks for trying my recipe, Kris. I've had a terrible flu recently and lost 3 kg in 3 days. I'm still recuperating. I know I'm going to need that furikake, and made it this morning.

[torakris]

Thanks for trying my recipe, Kris.  I've had a terrible flu recently and lost 3 kg in 3 days.  I'm still recuperating.  I know I'm going to need that furikake, and made it this morning.

I am sorry to hear that you caught the flu! It was really going around late here this year as well.