Search the Community

https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/furikake/ Furikake (ふりかけ) is Japanese dried rice seasonings. It’s used to sprinkle on top of rice and to make Onigiri (rice balls). It typically consists of a mixture of bonito flakes sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt, and some includes freeze-dried salmond particles, shiso, egg, and vegetables. Furikake is often brightly colored and flaky. It can have a slight fish or seafood flavoring. Some includes MSG but I usually buy furikake with No MSG or mutenka (無添加) label on it to avoid additives. Furikake can be found in most Asian groceries around or in the ethnic food aisle of some major supermarkets. f you are interested in homemade Furikake using the leftover katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and kombu from making dashi or Mentsuyu, see below. How to make homemade furikake There are many versions of furikake, but the homemade version makes use of kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) that have been used to make dashi or Mentsuyu (soup base for noodles). Instead of throwing the kombu and bonito flakes away, this recipe repurposes the ingredients into something like a magical dust, where it can transform any food you sprinkle on into something more delicious and fun. The method of homemade furikake is really easy. You just need to chop up the reserved kombu into small pieces, combined with katsuobushi and cook in a saucepan. Once the katsuobushi gets separated, add in simple seasonings of sugar, mirin and soy sauce. Cook until the the liquid is evaporated and the flavor is absorbed, then sprinkle in sesame seeds before remove from heat. Rich in calcium, iodine and iron, this homemade furikake makes a healthy choice in enriching your foods. CREATIVE WAYS TO ENJOY FURIKAKE Furikake is absolutely wonderful on just a simple bowl of rice, porridge, udon noodles or get mixed into onigiri (Japanese rice balls). They are also great on soba noodle salad, grilled salmon or rice crackers. And if you think creatively, furikake can add so much more to other savory foods. Here are just some delicious examples: Avocado – halve the avocado and sprinkle furikake directly to enjoy as an afternoon snack. For a savory breakfast, smear your toasted bread with miso mayo and avocado before you give it a good sprinkle of furikake. There you have a Japanese-twist of avocado toast. Fried egg or poached eggs – you can totally replace salt and pepper with furikake when you want something more punchy. Popcorn – Planning on a anime or Japanese movie night? You want to flavor your popcorn with furikake to keep to the theme. Pasta – Oh yes, you can top furikake on Mentaiko Pasta, cacio e pepe pasta or any simple creamy pasta. Now you know you can reuse the kombu and bonito flakes after making dashi, I hope you have fun making my furikake recipe. If you make a big batch, you can even freeze them for months. When packed in a cute little glass jar, homemade furikake makes a great holiday or gift too. Furikake (振り掛け / ふりかけ) is a dry Japanese seasoning meant to be sprinkled on top of cooked rice, vegetables, and fish. It typically consists of a mixture of dried fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate. Other flavorful ingredients such as katsuobushi(sometimes indicated on the package as bonito), or okaka (bonito flakes moistened with soy sauce and dried again), freeze-dried salmon particles,shiso, egg, powdered miso, vegetables, etc., are often added to the mix. Furikake is often brightly colored and flaky. It can have a slight fish or seafood flavoring, and is sometimes spicy. It can be used in Japanese cooking for pickling foods and for rice balls (onigiri). Since 2003, furikake has increasingly gained acceptance in the US (particularly in Hawaii and the West Coast) as a seasoning for baked or fried fish, raw fish salads and snack foods such as furikake party mix. Outside Japan, furikake can be found in most Asian groceries (near the katsuobushi) or in the ethnic food aisle of some major supermarkets. History One account of the origin of furikake is that it was developed during the Taisho period (1912–1926) by a pharmacist residing in Kumamoto prefecturenamed Suekichi Yoshimaru (吉丸末吉). To address calcium deficits in the Japanese population at the time, Yoshimaru developed a mixture of ground fish bones with roast sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and seaweed that was made into a powder. He called this product Gohan No Tomo (ご飯の友 "A Friend For Rice") and is generally considered the precursor to contemporary furikake. A food company in Kumamato later acquired the product and was able to sell it commercially. It was initially sold in a flask-like container shaped with a narrow neck to prevent moisture from seeping into the product.[8] Years after Yoshimari's Gohan No Tomo, a grocery retailer in Fukushima City named Seiichirō Kai developed a different mixture consisting of white croaker and powdered kombu and other ingredients simmered with a soy sauce-based broth. Kai called this product Kore Wa Umai (これは旨い "This Is Good"), and was popular on its release. Although Kore Wa Umai was initially considered a luxury item only available to the affluent who were able to consume white rice on a regular basis, it later was made accessible to the Japanese working class. Availability of furikake in Japan increased starting shortly after September 1948 when Nissin Foods began to manufacture it on a large scale to address pervasive malnourishment. The product was commercialized on the basis that it provided a good source of both protein and calcium. Furikake was also made widely available as it was dispensed to those serving in the Japanese military starting in World War I. The term furikake was used generically to describe the product starting in 1959 with the formation of the National Furikake Association. Since 1959, different furikake products are usually differentiated by their particular ingredients, such as in salmon furikake and sesame-and-salt furikake. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furikake

http://www.ladyironchef.com/2014/06/singapore-best-chirashi-don/ Happiness in a bowl – this is how we define chirashi-don, which is essentially slices of sashimi scattered atop a good bowl of Japanese pearl rice. It is fuss-free, offers a myriad of flavours and textures, and more than comforting any time of the day. What constitutes to a good chirashi-don? We all have different definitions, and one man’s meat may be another’s poison. But it is unanimous that freshness is key. And then, there is the variety of seafood, quality of rice, and temperature when the don is served. Other subjective factors include the presentation and the cut of the fish. Since forever, we have been on a quest to suss out the best options in town. We spent so many lunches at Japanese eateries and restaurants; some were terribly disappointing that we do not even want to think about them, some are truly impressive and consistently good that we lost count of how much we contribute to the restaurants’ revenue. So here it is. Our picks on Singapore’s top 8 chirashi-don. Did you spot any of your favourites too? AOKI RESTAURANT AOKI at Shaw Centre is somewhere you can go to enjoy good quality Japanese food. The restaurant itself is small, and prices are definitely higher than average, but it is worth paying for. Choose between the Chirashi Sushi Jyo-sen (S$55), or the Bara Chirashi (S$45). For a more affordable option, Aoki serves a Mazechirashi ($35) set that comes complete with miso soup, pickles, and dessert. 1 Scotts Road Shaw Centre #02-17 Singapore 228208 Tel: +65 6333 8015 Mon to Sat: 12noon – 3pm, 6.30pm – 11pm Sun: 6.30pm – 11pm Nearest Station: Orchard CHIKUWA TEI We LOVE Chikuwa Tei at Mohamed Sultan Road for their chirashi-don. So good that we have to use Chikuwa Tei’s chirashi sushi (S$25) as the benchmark for a good sushi rice bowl – freshness is top notch, slices are thick enough to bring out the sweetness of the fish, serving is generous and filling, and the cherry on top? Its super reasonable price tag. We always find ourselves at Chikuwa Tei when the craving for chirashi-don kicks in. Chikuwa Tei 9 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01 Tel: +65 6738 9395 Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm Nearest Station: Clarke Quay HIDE YAMAMOTO At Hide Yamamoto, diners can enjoy four different menus – namely: sushi, robatayaki, ramen and teppanyaki. The Ramen & Dining Bar is the least intimidating of all, with prices as low as S$20 for a maki platter. But if you are willing to splurge, treat yourself to the Kaisen Chirashi Don (S$58). What you’d get is a large bowl of premium Japanese rice that is cooked to the perfect plumpness with every grain bursting with sweetness, together with a hint of dashi and vinegar. The fish comes in a rainbow of colours – from richly-hued salmon and maguro (tuna), to tako (octopus) and mekajiki (swordfish). 8 Bayfront Avenue 02-05 Casino Side Level 2, Marina Bay Sands Tel: +65 6688 7098 Daily: 12.00 – 15.00 Mon to Wed: 18.00 – 23.00 Thu to Sun: 18.00 – 03.00 Nearest Station: Bayfront MEZZA9 This may come as a surprise to some, but mezza9 at Grand Hyatt serves a fantastic Sakura Denbu Chirashi during lunch. Expect nothing short of a bowl of heavenly goodness that is so visually arresting and beautifully presented. The seafood are sliced equally to perfection, and we really love how there is a generous serving of ikura (salmon roe) to complete. It is part of their weekday set lunch menu, and you have two options – a two-course lunch (S$32++) and a three-course lunch (S$42++). One of the most value-for-money options, we’d say! Grand Hyatt Singapore 10 Scotts Road Mezzanine Level Tel: +65 6730 7188 Nearest Station: Orchard RYOSHI SUSHI IKEIKEMARU Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru may be a kaiten (conveyer belt) sushi restaurant, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that they are but a mediocre joint. They have surprisingly fresh sushi at pocket-friendly prices. But Ryoshi’s Chirashi-don (only available at the Westgate outlet) is one worthy mention. For S$29, you get a bowl of maguro slices, negitoro (fatty tuna with minced onion), hotate (scallop), tako, anago (conger eel), amaebi (sweet prawn), ikura, gizzard shad, ika (squid) and tamago (sweet egg omelette). Yes, we were pretty mind-blown by the sheer variety. Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s affordable sushi restaurants. #03-05, Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive Daily: 10am – 10pm Nearest Station: Jurong East TATSUYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT A stalwart of the local dining scene, Tatsuya is where in-the-know locals go for top quality Japanese food. The set lunches are extremely value-for-money, and it explains their evergreen popularity. Go for the Bara Chirashi (S$35.90), and you will not be disappointed. We are usually not fans of diced sashimi, but this is one version that we dare say is among the bests in town, one that has earned our frequent patronage and loyalty. On a minute note, the different fish seem to always be scattered in an organized pattern, and the reds and oranges and yellows are so appealing that it is probably the most Instagram-worthy Bara Chirashi. Goodwood Park Hotel 22 Scotts Road Tel: +65 6887 4598 Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6.30pm – 11pm Nearest Station: Orchard TEPPEI JAPANESE RESTAURANT Teppei Japanese Restaurant at the ground floor of Orchid Hotel has been gaining a steady following because of its extremely affordable omakase (prices start from S$50/pax). Another highly-raved about dish that has earned its regulars’ loyalty is its barachirashi (S$17.60). The barachirashi is pretty decent and inexpensive – probably one of the cheapest chirashi you can get in Singapore – but it is not worth the queue. It suffices as an introductory bowl for first-timers, decent enough, but there are many more chirashi-don out there that shout freshness and variety way better. #01-18, Orchid Hotel, 1 Tras Link Tel: +65 6222 7363 Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar THE SUSHI BAR We like the idea of a small Japanese sushi bar ala hole-in-the-wall concept that caters to its regular patrons and the random walk-ins, and The Sushi Bar at Far East Plaza is one such place that has won the hearts of many Singaporeans. The Sushi bar’s Chirashi-don (S$24.90) is one of our favourites, with thickly-sliced and super fresh sashimi. It comes with three slices of salmon, tuna, hamachi, mekajiki, scallop and ikura. For those who are willing to splurge, there is also a premium chirashi-don. #04-28 Far East Plaza 14 Scotts Road Mon to Fri: 12.30pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 9pm Sat: 12.30pm – 9pm Nearest Station: Orchard

Chuka Idako, or Marinated baby octopus is always my favorite food at wedding dinners. Where can I buy large packs of 500g or 1kg to slowly makan at home?