Furikake? What is that?!

Furikake is loved by Japanese and almost eaten daily when they are young. The great aroma created when you put furikake on hot rice really increases your appetite. We can finish few bowls of the white rice just by using furikake. The traditional furikake flavours are “plum” and “Okaka” (Bonito flakes mixed with soy sauce), but recently furikake is evolving and has a variety of flavour such as “curry” and “Natto”, etc. Besides topping it on white rice, you can also mix it with rice and make it as onigiri, or make a colorful lunch box easily. Don’t you feel that furikake is wonderful?

Actually what is furikake?

Furikake is an ingredient which we use it mainly to top on white rice as a seasoning. Besides cooking, it is used as a tool to modify the dishes. Its variety is increasing in the market. About 50 years ago, there was a pharmacist who worried about the lack of Calcium consumption of Japanese, and therefore start to dry up small fish and make into powder form. After that, he mixed the fish powder with seasoning, fried sesame, seaweed and others to decrease the fishy smell and innovated furikake.

Furikake are sold in various forms

There are three main types of Furikake. The packet type is the most affordable and attractive one. However, sometimes the furikake will stick at the zip’s part, therefore some of them prefer to replace it into a bottle. There are some families who prefer to get a bottle type furikake and put it on the dining table so that easily to use whenever they want. There is also a mini type which is convenient for the Japanese since they have the culture to bring lunch box. Furikake is a very convenient item to bring along with lunch box since there are few flavours come in a bottle or packet. Recently the pen type is also released which allow you to put it in pocket always and use at anywhere. 

 Don’t you feel furikake is a nice choice as a handgift when you travel to Japan?