Homemade Furikake Recipe?

[fzxdoc]

Our family likes furikake on rice, popcorn, etc. The last time I tried purchasing it from a semi-local Asian market, all of the available brands had the California Prop 65 warning on them about heavy metals: lead, arsenic, cadmium. I have to say it made me uneasy.

While I was busy scrutinizing the labels, I found a lot of preservative ingredients in those furikake mixes. Hmmm. Eliminating preservatives is a good thing, so I'm told, but my take is to judiciously choose which ones to eat. I mean, I've been known to snarf a chunk of Velveeta as I toss some of it into the mac and cheese pot to serve to my unknowing family. Every once in a while, you just need that comfort stuff, preservatives and all.

So I went on a hunt for recipes to make my own furikake. I found these two recipes. Of course the one made with Doritos rang my bell.

https://food52.com/blog/15366-the-japanese-seasoning-you-ll-want-to-sprinkle-on-everything

and

https://food52.com/recipes/87749-dorito-furikake-recipe

I think I'll give both a try and see which the family likes better.

I researched the Prop 65 deal and came up with this informative page, which sort of put my mind at ease, mostly because we infrequently eat furikake. It's not a daily staple.

Also, I figured that once I toss nori into any homemade furikake mix, I wouldn't be able to sell it in California anyway if I wanted to avoid the warning for the label. Oh well, yet another missed opportunity.

Are there any simple furikake recipes that you all have devised? We like the not fishy-tasting ones.

Thanks,
Kathryn

[58limited]

Looks interesting. Never heard of it before so I can't help. Prop 65 warnings are often overly cautious in my opinion. They label drinking from a garden hose as being dangerous - most people I knew grew up doing that and haven't had any problems.

[RobertC]

I've made sesame-nori furikake. I used a mixture of white and black sesame seeds, crumbled nori, salt, and sugar. That was when I was living in Paris and it was surprisingly hard to find furikake on my side of town but easy to find nori and sesame seeds.

I knew about the lead warning for nori (and probably bonito and dried shrimp) but the levels are typically pretty low.

58limited Most people who have ingested lead don't realize they have problems but the epidemiological evidence at a population level is pretty strong. That said, the lead that is in brass fittings on garden hoses is the problem. That lead leaches out more quickly in hot water than cold, and fortunately people don't usually drink hot water from a garden hose--most people turn on the spigot and wait until the water is cold, so that tends to reduce the exposure to lead. Not a problem if your garden hose doesn't have brass fittings, and typically the brass fitting is at the end of the hose so as long as you don't take the very first sip from a hose that's been sitting out in the sun for a couple of days you're probably okay.

[TheCountofQ]

I watched a PBS or Netflix show about the lead used in gasoline to prevent pinging, back in the day. Supposedly that move lowered the IQ of everyone in the world. One of the reasons they got rid of leaded gas, according to the show.

[Michael_in_TX]

I've been meaning to try this for awhile now. The problem I have is that the furikake I get locally is quite salty.....and usually any dish I'm putting it on is already swimming in soy sauce (and MSG)! I need to try making it salt-free.

[Bkhuna]

This is a fairly complete primer on making Furikake, Japanese style https://www.justonecookbook.com/home...ice-seasoning/

I stay away from the commercial furikake because they tend to have sugar in them. I prefer salmon furikake that are savory.

[MBMorgan]

fzxdoc - Count me in as a +1 vote for the JustOneCookbook version. I routinely use recipes from the author's blog/book and wouldn't hesitate to give her Furikake a try ... in fact, I think I'll do it soon.

[fzxdoc]

Thank you so much for that link, Bkhuna , and for your endorsement of it, MBMorgan. I'm off to give it a look-see.

K.

[Old Glory]

I read this quickly and thought it said Homemade Fruit Cake.

As Emily Litella says, Never mind.

[fzxdoc]

That's funny. You must see my member name as fuzzydoc too, Old Glory and Draznnl .

K.

[Old Glory]

In my head, yes I see Fuzzy Doc LOL.

[Draznnl]

Nope fzxdoc I’ve always seen your name as physics doc. It must be the nerd in me…

[WillTravelForFood]

We like the katsuo fumi furikake, such as the one featured here (with recipe). We know it has sugar -- we're willing to ride that wave.

https://drivemehungry.com/furikake-seasoning/

[fzxdoc]

Thanks a bunch. I'll check it out.

Kathryn

[ofelles]

fzxdoc I get a lot of my Japanese ingredients here at Toiro Kitchen& Supply. I have never been disappointed.

https://toirokitchen.com/collections/mrs-donabes-pantry/products/nori-senbyo-furikake

[fzxdoc]

Thanks for the link, ofelles. That mix looks delicious. Does the bonito make it taste extra fishy? I don't mind a hint of it. The blurb makes that seaweed sound delicious!

Kathryn

[ofelles]

fzxdoc I do not notice any fishiness. But that can be very individual.

[acorgihouse]

I use the one from my Asian market, the one pictured in the link above in WillTravelForFood 's post. Never seen that warning label. I have briefly considered making my own, I do like cooking DIY, as it is a bit sweet for me (I have NO sweet tooth at all.) Going to go back and look at that justonecookbook link from Bkhuna , that might be the thing when I need more.

[fzxdoc]

We're thinking along the same lines, acorgihouse. For me, a little sugar goes a long way. When I want savory foods, I want them savory, but sometimes just a bit of sugar rounds the taste outout like for the tomatoes in marinara sauce. That said, a sweet furikake would probably be a no-go.

Kathryn

[N227GB]

I think I have something like this at home in the kitchen. It was a whim purchase at an Asian market but didn't get much use because, to me, it was overly salty. Making it so I could cut back on the salt sounds like something to try.

[WillTravelForFood]

Furikake is delightful on popcorn

[fzxdoc]

Agreed!

[Red Man]

Living on the west coast, the California prop 65 warning is on almost everything out here. I’m not sure that I’ve seen it on food though. When we see it, we just laugh about how it’s a good thing we don’t live in California because everything there causes cancer.

[Bkhuna]

Everything Gives You Cancer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsQyru5ACmA

[fzxdoc]

Furikake is delightful on popcorn

I love spraying the hot popcorn with duck fat spray (or popping it with some duck fat) and sprinkling furikake on it. Delicious that way.

Why do I use the spray? Because sometimes I air pop it in this collapsible silicone gizmo. The spray works great but defeats the low fat intent.


FWIW, our local Ace Hardware carries Duck Fat Spray in the BBQ section or I order it from here.



Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

Thanks, Bkhuna , for that link. I usually buy 2 cans for $20 online but the shipping is $9. So I'll net a few bucks by getting it at Ace. Following your link, looks like it's in stock at my semi-local Ace in the next town. Yay!

Kathryn

[Bkhuna]

fzxdoc - I used some rewards points from Ace and ordered two cans for in-store pickup for $13.37. The store is just minutes from my home and we're in there at least once or twice a week. I order all my B&B products online and skip the shipping fees.

Ace is one of the few places in my town that was there in the 60's. It's my first choice before I have to give in and go to a big box store.

[fzxdoc]

Bkhuna , I never think to use my Ace Rewards, although I've been a member for years. Thanks for the reminder; I'll check my point total. It's the only place where I can order Kingsford Professional for poultry cooks, as well as B&B as you do with no shipping fees. Now Duck Fat Spray is added to that list. I go through it at a pretty good clip.
K.