Furikake is a Japanese condiment made from sesame, fish, and seaweed. It was born as a food supplement, became an essential ingredient in Japanese rice, and is now the condiment of the moment. Low in sodium and rich in protein, it takes care of our heart while adding an unexpected twist to our dishes.
Furikake is a Japanese condiment made from sesame, fish, and seaweed that is becoming increasingly popular. It has been used on all kinds of foods, from popcorn to chistorra, although originally it was just a ground-up of fish bones to supplement the Japanese population with calcium. Today, we can find hundreds of commercial varieties of furikake, although its simple preparation is an invitation to try making it at home. Below, is everything about furikake, what it is, what it is used for, its benefits, and how to use it in the kitchen.
What is furikake?
Furikake is a Japanese condiment made from sesame seeds, nori seaweed, dried katsuobushi bonito flakes, and salt. It is an Asian condiment that allows for hundreds of variations, such as shrimp instead of bonito, granulated wasabi adding color and spiciness, or miso softening the salty contrast and adding texture.
The possibilities vary with time, culinary creativity, and the availability of essential ingredients. For example, among traditional furikake recipes based on the 4 elements, sesame, seaweed, fish, and salt, we enjoy options that contain kombu seaweed instead of nori or furikake flavoured with shiso, an aromatic herb known as Japanese basil. Depending on their composition, they acquire different surnames. We speak of furikake noritama when egg is present, furikake sisho when it contains Japanese basil or furikake sake when salmon is involved.
There is a noticeable difference between the quality of industrial furikakes and homemade ones. The former mainly contain monosodium glutamate to enhance their flavour, an additive that is still under scrutiny, while the furikakes made at home are fresher and more aromatic.
What is furikake used for?
The Japanese term furikake means “to sprinkle,” which is exactly what furikake is used for, to be sprinkled over rice, tofu, fish, or onigiri.
At least, that was the case with the more traditional furikake. Its internationalisation and the appearance of new varieties has opened the doors to experimentation and it is not so unusual to find furikake on a four-cheese pizza or popcorn. For many, furikake also serves as a perfect substitute for salt, because it manages to enhance the flavour of the food, adding more nuances and maintaining low levels of sodium.
What does furikake taste like?
Furikake has an umami taste due to the presence of seaweed and fish flakes that provide that hearty, salty depth. Beyond these basic ingredients, each variant has a distinctive trait. Furikake sisho has a bitter, fresh, and spicy note thanks to the aromatic herb, while furikake noritama contains fluffy dried egg, which thickens the final texture of the bite.
Origin of furikake
Shrouded in pure exoticism, few would guess today that furikake was born as a food supplement. This is according to the International Furikake Association, which claims that this salty, crunchy concoction was actually a pharmaceutical product.
Researcher Suekichi Yoshimaru came up with Gohan No Tomo, an early version of furikake made from ground fish bones. The aim was to ensure the calcium levels of civil society in the Taisho era, at the beginning of the 20th century, a period of Japanese history characterised by peaceful expansion, although also short, and by a tight budget. Thus, with this low-cost powder preparation that is easy to add to rice, Yoshimaru sought to improve the health of the population.
To make it even easier, he added nori and sesame seeds, which are also rich in calcium and have a good taste. Thus, he began marketing the first furikake Gohan No Tomo, which would later become a highly prized commodity for the Japanese military and much later, the fashionable condiment.
Nutritional values of furikake
The nutritional values of furikake vary depending on the type we have in hand. A noritama furikake with egg will have a higher fat content than a wasabi furikake. Therefore, it is a good idea to check the nutritional label of each particular furikake. Below we summarize the average macronutrient content per 100g and per teaspoon of about 7g of homemade furikake made from nori seaweed, bonito, and salt.
Per 100 g of bonito furikake:
- Energy: 428 kcal
- Protein: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g (of which sugars 2 g)
- Fats: 14.2 g
- Cholesterol: 71 g
- Sodium: 771 mg
For 7 g of bonito furikake:
- Energy: 30 kcal
- Protein: 2 g
- Carbohydrates : 3 g (of which sugars 2 g)
- Fats: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 5 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
Properties of furikake
Furikake is a seasoning mix originally designed to supplement mineral intake. This makes it a seasoning of great nutritional interest. It is very rich in minerals such as iodine, which comes from seaweed, and very rich in calcium and iron from sesame and fish. All in all, it does not exceed the maximum daily sodium recommendations, so it can be a great idea to have as a seasoning at home.
Low in sodium
Furikake contains only 0.1% of the sodium found in an equivalent amount of salt. This means that by adding the same proportion of furikake as we would add salt to our dishes, we do not even come close to 1% of the maximum recommended daily sodium intake. Keeping our salt intake under control helps us avoid hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
Healthy fats and low cholesterol
Furikake also contains fish flakes, which increases the amount of healthy fats. The best thing is that its cholesterol levels, especially in the daily consumption amounts of about 7 g maximum, continue to remain low enough, so, remembering that the homemade version will always be healthier, it remains an ally for our heart.
Rich in minerals
It was born with that mission and has continued to this day, a century later. Furikake is rich in minerals. It contains iron, iodine, and calcium. A teaspoon of furikake a day on our plates can help us to round out these values and consequently, maintain the functions associated with them, which involve everything from maintaining good bones to the correct functioning of the thyroid.
Benefits of furikake
Furikake is used to prevent osteoporosis, strengthen metabolism, prevent anemia, increase muscle and lose weight. All these benefits are provided by the minerals and vitamins that it contains and healthy fats. The best part is that we can enjoy them with small daily doses of furikake, as long as there are no contraindications for our case.
Helps prevent osteoporosis
Calcium is an essential mineral for the synthesis of bone tissue. Lack of calcium or difficulty in absorbing it is responsible for up to 30% of the development of osteoporosis. Therefore, incorporating calcium-rich ingredients into our diet, such as furikake, can help us prevent bone fragility and possible future bone fractures.
Prevents anemia and strengthens metabolism
Furikake is known for its calcium content, but not only that, this amalgam of seeds, herbs, seaweed, and fish is also a source of iron and iodine. The iron content, although lower than that of calcium, helps prevent the development of anemia. On the other hand, iodine is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid and metabolism. Of particular value are all those furikakes that contain nori instead of kombu, since kombu seaweed is contraindicated in certain cases due to its excessive iodine content.
Contributes to having stronger muscles
Although it is true that omnivorous diets do not usually lack protein, it is still important to pay attention to the fact that the protein we eat is of good quality. This is the case of furikake, which, due to its content of fish flakes, mainly bonito, is a source of quality protein (whenever we are talking about homemade furikake) promoting the renewal and growth of muscle tissue.
An ally to control weight
Furikake is rich in vitamin D. Vitamin D, in addition to helping calcium absorption and thus contributing to the prevention of osteoporosis, also contributes to weight regulation. Vitamin D consumption is associated with better appetite regulation and weight loss, so using furikake instead of salt as a condiment could be interesting in weight loss diets.
Contraindications of furikake
Seaweed is a food rich in iodine, especially kombu seaweed. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and patients with thyroid disorders should follow their doctor’s recommendations before consuming seaweed, whatever the format. This also applies to furikake.
There are not many other contraindications in the composition of traditional and homemade furikake, but it is different when we talk about commercial furikakes. In the vast majority of retail furikake we find the presence of monosodium glutamate and other preservatives that are still under the scrutiny of health. If its iodine content is not a problem for our health, it will always be a better option to consume homemade furikake than industrial furikake.
How to use furikake in cooking
In the kitchen, the use of furikake has become completely experimental and open. As soon as you get hold of a harmonious furikake mixture, you can toss it over steamed rice, onigiri, sushi or nigiri.
Some people use it on noodles to enhance their flavour, although the vast majority of furikake lovers always try to avoid using it on very hot dishes, since heat diminishes its organoleptic qualities. It may have been to maintain all its freshness that someone managed to add furikake to popcorn, avocado toast, or even chistorra.
Despite this, and the opinion of these chefs, furikake will always be an indisputable ally for seasoning fish such as salmon and the filling of Japanese-style omelettes, tamagoyaki.
How to make homemade furikake
First, we need the following ingredients:
- Salt (15 g)
- Pepper (5 g)
- Dehydrated nori seaweed (15g)
- Toasted sesame seeds (24 g)
- Fish flakes, ideally kastuobushi (10 g)
The basic preparation of furikake is simple, just mix all the ingredients and sprinkle them wherever your creativity or tradition takes you. However, there is the option of frying the whole mixture lightly and adding a teaspoon of mirin and soy sauce to give it a deeper flavour and a crunchy touch.
Once it is ready, we can store the homemade furikake in a tightly sealed glass jar for a week in our cupboard, away from the sun and humidity, or for two or three weeks in the refrigerator.