Furikake For Sushi: What Kind Do You Use?
The furikake they use on sushi, what is that exactly? And are there different types?
Let’s look at how to use that, and we’ll even make the best furikake for sushi in a cool and fresh recipe.
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What is furikake, and what does it do for sushi?
Furikake is a dry Japanese seasoning that is usually sprinkled on top of rice dishes. It typically consists of nori (seaweed), sesame seeds, salt, sugar, and MSG.
Sometimes furikake will also include dried fish, shredded daikon radish, or other ingredients. Because of the saltiness it goes great with bland plain rice and with fish.
Sushi is also a rice dish that uses a lot of fish, so it’s a marriage made in heaven.
Best types of furikake for sushi
Shiso Fume Furikake
This is the most common type used on sushi. It has a distinct red and purple color and a strong shiso flavor.
Shiso is an aromatic Japanese herb that has a unique and pungent flavor. Some describe it as a cross between mint and basil, while others say it tastes more like cilantro. It’s often used in sushi rolls and onigiri rice balls.
This furikake also contains sesame seeds and seaweed for a nutty and savory flavor. It’s the perfect topping for nigiri sushi, since it doesn’t overpower the delicate fish flavor.
This JFC shiso fume furikake is my favorite:
Wasabi furikake
Another variant that goes well with sushi is wasabi furikake. As the name suggests, it contains wasabi powder for a spicy kick.
This type of furikake is perfect for those who like their sushi with a little bit of heat. It goes especially well with tuna and salmon nigiri, which you would sometimes put wasabi on anyway.
With the right mix, you can add the salty flavor as well as the wasabi in one sprinkle!
This Kinjirushi wasabi furikake has a nice little kick to it:
Shiso Furikake For Sushi
Ingredients
- ¼ cup shiso leaves (dried red perilla leaves)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup bonito flakes
- 3 tbsp white sesame seeds toasted
- 1 tbsp nori dried seaweed
Instructions
- Cut the stems from the shiso leaves and crumble the rest up into small pieces.
- Mix all of the ingredients (except the sugar and salt) together into a fine mix. Make sure the nori is cut up very finely, and the shiso leaves are as well. If your sesame seeds aren't toasted yet, you can toast them in a frying pan with a little oil for 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and salt a little at a time and taste if it's to your liking.
- Use the mixture immediately, or transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to a month.
Substitutes and variations
If you can’t find red shiso leaves (I’m often unable to, they only have them at the Asian market far from where I live), then dried green shiso (perilla) leaves will do as well.
I was able to find these online so I buy those whenever I need to:
You can also use yukari, which is a dried red shiso leaf topping. You probably want to skip the salt and sugar in this recipe if you add the yukari because it’s already salt and sweet. Mishima is a good brand for this:
You lose a lot of the color and brightness that comes from the red leaves with these options. It tastes great, but that’s just a bit of a shame.
Conclusion
Sushi is a popular dish that typically consists of fish and rice. While there are many variations, one topping that is commonly used is furikake.
I hope you’ve found some useful information here that can help you make a great dish.
Also read: these are the best types of furikake to buy
Check out our new cookbook
Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.
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Read for free
Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.
