Rice seasonings, sushi seasonings, soba seasonings. Japanese love seasonings! Unlike most other Asian cuisines which incorporate spices during the cooking process, Japanese patiently wait until the dish is ready, and then sprinkle on their favorite spices & blends like Gomashio, Shichimi Togarashi, Ichimi Togarashi, and Furikake.
Furikake is my favorite seasoning this time of year when the weather is hot, and memories return of living through a humid August in Tokyo. To stay cool, I used to sprinkle the seaweed blend over a bowl of cold soba noodles, and wash it down with a chilled bottle of Ito En Oolong Tea.
Furikake – the popular Japanese seasoning for sprinkling on rice, soba, and other dishes – can come in many forms. More often than not, it’s a blend of seaweed and sesame seeds, sometimes salt & sugar, as well as bonito (fish) flakes for an extra savory flavor.
In our blend of furikake – Japanese Seaweed Seasoning – we wanted to create a more versatile blend that could be used to sprinkle on a wide variety of dishes, to enhance but not overpower the overall flavor. That’s why we left out fish flakes, and focused on mixing a good balance of seaweed & sesame. We begin with toasted white sesame seeds and roasted black sesame seeds to give the blend a warm, nutty crunch. Then we stir in the sea vegetables – finely chopped nori and wildcrafted dulse flakes.
Nori Flakes and Dulse Flakes both give the blend a healthy dose of vitamins, iodine, and minerals. Just sprinkling a little of the seasoning onto your food a few times a week will help contribute to a more balanced, nutritious diet.
Try our Japanese Seaweed Seasoning on onigiri (Japanese rice balls), sushi, white or brown rice, grilled salmon, salads, avocados, or on this simple dish of Soba Noodles with Furikake.
Soba Noodles with Furikake
by Season with Spice
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 servings soba noodles
1-2 tbsp Season with Spice's Japanese Seaweed Seasoning (Furikake)
Dressing:
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
Optional add-ons:
Chopped scallions, cucumber slices, shredded daikon
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions.
2. While the noodles are cooking, add the ingredients for the dressing into a small bowl and whisk well.
3. Once the noodles are cooked until al dente, transfer to a colander and drain under running cold water.
4. Separate noodles into each serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the noodles, toss well, and top with our Japanese Seaweed Seasoning (furikake).
by Season with Spice
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 servings soba noodles
1-2 tbsp Season with Spice's Japanese Seaweed Seasoning (Furikake)
Dressing:
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
Optional add-ons:
Chopped scallions, cucumber slices, shredded daikon
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions.
2. While the noodles are cooking, add the ingredients for the dressing into a small bowl and whisk well.
3. Once the noodles are cooked until al dente, transfer to a colander and drain under running cold water.
4. Separate noodles into each serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the noodles, toss well, and top with our Japanese Seaweed Seasoning (furikake).
