Furikake Please.

What’s the most recent obsession in the Boots household? Ponies? Designer drugs? The Jonas brothers? No, not this month. This month is all about furikake.

One producer proudly describes it as “crunchy powder rice topping,” as delicious as that sounds. At its base, it’s usually a mix of little nori strips and sesame seeds. The two are augmented by anything from dried Japanese mustard to carrot pellets to shaved bonito to any number of various vegetables, sea creatures and flavorants. 

I’m rather partial to the crispy yolk bits and the salmon myself. The stuff is really good for spicing up stirfrys and leftovers. It’s kind of salty, kind of sweet, full of umami and bursting with different texture combinations. Sometimes I steam rice just as an excuse to eat it.

Oddly enough, we were introduced to furikake in Tuscany- a land almost completely devoid of any hint of the Orient. You could find sushi but it cost as much as a new Vespa and tasted only slightly better. Luckily for us, an adorable Japanese girl in Rachel’s language class smuggled some over from the homeland.

She must have liked us because she would bring over packets and we’d sit around our loft with the lights dimmed passing a bowl of rice and umeboshi plums, trying not to let the floorboards squeak lest we alert the pasta police.

Back in the states it’s much easier to come by. Any asian grocery around stocks at least a few varieties. Do check the ingredients though as some companies tend to get a little gung ho with the additives. At about 4 bucks a jar, I highly recommend adding it to your pantry collection. Or buying me some.

-Logan

Comments

[paul from the clue-by-four]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm umami

[Gastronomer]

I'm currently still obsessed with the Chinese sausage/cucumber salad ;-) I have never tried Furikake, but will def look out for it at the Asian grocery store. Cheap eats, for sure!

[Crystal]

Saw you guys featured on Serious eats... http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/06/in-genius-snack-ideas-frosting-on-saltines.html

:)
Crystal

[Vicki]

I've got 3 different kinds of furikake in my cupboard right now. Love the stuff.

[gaga]

Mmm, I love the stuff. Just some rice, furikake and soy makes me a happy girl!

[Tastestopping]

What a great new find! We make stir frys (fries?) and fried rice quite often, and just as often I find them a little...lacking. Hopefully this is all it will take to bring it up another level. Thanks!

I found you on TasteSpotting and am writing to say that if you have any photos that aren’t accepted there, I’d love to publish them. Visit my new site (below), it’s a lot of fun! I hope you will consider it.

Best,
Casey
Editor
www.tastestopping.wordpress.com

[Ling]

On cooked ramen, no soup/broth! and a slug of sriracha!!

[Krista]

huh. and i get excited over plain old tempura flakes! makes me hungry for some sushi right about now - with a little spicy mayo on the side.

hubby and i haven't cooked asian since our thai cooking class last fall - much too long!

[Albany Jane]

wait, tempura flakes?? whatever it is, it sounds delicious.

I like to eat a... well, a crapton of nori. The jarred stuff is nicely seasoned, but I also recommend toasting a big sushi square of nori and biting big pieces.

[Logan @ Boots in the Oven]

paul- like a flavor kick to the groin.

gastronomer- tell me about it. That salad is addictive.

crystal- yay! Glad you noticed it.

vicki- we started with one and they seem to multiply by themselves. Not that I mind.

gaga- preach on! The word needs to be spread.

tastestopping- interesting site. I'm always curious about their selection processes.

ling- you just made Rachel's day. She now has new dinner plans for my nights at work.

krista-that is too long! Sounds like a revist is in order.

albany jane-munching on big toasted sheets of nori isn't something I would have thought of but it sure does sound tasty!

[neverfull]

OMG. gorgeous photos. i currently have an obsession with japanese cuisine too, unfortunately i usually have to travel to eat anything worth writing about.