This Japanese Staple Is A Flavour Bomb For Your Boring Rice Dishes

I used to always douse my disappointing rice dishes with soy sauce, but sometimes even a good dash of Kikkoman does more harm than good. 

Then a kind of terrible housemate introduced me to furikake, this Japanese seasoning he added to pretty much everything for a flavour-bomb. The word literally translates as “to sprinkle on”, which means it’s basically the Japanese version of salt and pepper – in one. But better. My housemate sucked, but every unwashed dish and unpaid bill was more than worth its grain in furikake.

“But what is this seasoning made of, and why is it the best?” you might ask.

It’s mostly nori, or seaweed, with roasted sesame seeds, bonbito fish flakes, sugar and salt tossed in too. It’s a flavour bomb of MSG, which is really not as big of a deal as Becker made it seem. Nick Smith of Newtown‘s Rising Sun Workshop puts it best: “Furikake is just so tasty and delicious and full of umami”, that incredibly moreish salty-savoury flavour found in most Japanese cooking (and Vegemite). 

You can find it at most big supermarkets now. Look out for a goldfish-food looking flakes in the Asian aisle. There’s a couple variations – the dried wasabi one adds an undercurrent of heat, if that’s your thing.

“But what should I make with this magical ingredient?” you ask. So many things! Sprinkle it on pretty much whatever rice dish you want, though it’s hard to beat pan-seared salmon with furikake rice, which is dead simple too. 

You’ll need a salmon steak per person, skin off. Season it with garlic salt and black pepper, and coat both sides generously with furikake, pressing down so it sticks in. Cook with olive oil in a pan until it’s golden brown (about five minutes), then flip sides, and repeat. Plate up on top of steamed rice – tradition says you should use Japonica rice, a particularly fluffy and sticky grain you’ll find at Asian grocers, but Jasmine gets the job done. Then, sprinkle a little more furikake on top and you’re done! Trust us, it’s beaut.

 

No seafood? No worries. The dish you see above, tamago gohan, is standard snack far in Japan – it’s just steamed rice with a raw egg in the centre, mixed in for a fluffy, sticky texture that plays perfect with furikake’s salty tang.

“But what else? More!” you say.

Try furikake on popcorn or use it to season your next mac ‘n’ cheese – or even steak, like they do at Sydney restaurant Good Luck Pinbone. It even works with our national dish, avo toast. At Rising Sun Workshop, Nick sprinkles it on a charcoal toast with avocado, a poached egg and pickled radish, though it’s pretty memorable without the bells and whistles, too. Next brekky, save your salt, pepper and lemon wedges for someone who cares.

Now go forth and sprinkle.