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Japanese basics

Furikake

Your rice seasoning: chirimen (baby anchovies), sakura shrimp, bonito flakes and sesame, each toasted separately in a dry pan, then tossed back into a quick-boiled soy sauce. The nori flakes — the bright green, Western-style kind — are not toasted: they go in at the very end, once everything is cool.

1 small jar (~80 g)~25 min (incl. cooling)
Furikake

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

  1. Fish + shrimp
    Fish + shrimpchirimen · sakura shrimpStep 2
  2. Sesame + bonito
    Sesame + bonitoStep 2
  3. Seasoning
    Seasoningsoy (+ mirin, vinegar)Step 3
  4. Nori flakes
    Nori flakesuntoastedStep 6

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

minutes
051015202530
Weigh everything out 3 min
3 min
Toast each one separately 8 min
8 min
Sauce in, boil a second 1 min
Everything back in, stir dry 2 min
Cool on a plate 10 min
10 min
Nori in, jar 2 min
BoardPan / stoveHands-offBowl / counter

Step by step

  1. Weigh out

    1Weigh out

    3 min

    For this step

    • Chirimen jako (baby anchovies)20 g
    • Dried sakura shrimp10 g
    • Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)10 g
    • Sesame seeds3 tbsp
    • Soy sauce2 tsp
    • Mirin1 tsp — optional
    • Rice vinegar½ tsp — optional
    • Green nori flakes (untoasted)2 tbsp

    Measure everything into separate piles: the pan moves quickly once it starts.

  2. Dry pan, low heat, one ingredient at a time — the anchovies first, until dry and crisp.
    Dry pan, low heat, one ingredient at a time — the anchovies first, until dry and crisp.
    Tip each one onto a plate as soon as it's done, then toast the next.
    Tip each one onto a plate as soon as it's done, then toast the next.

    2Toast each one separately

    low~8 min

    For this step

    • Chirimen jako (baby anchovies)20 g
    • Dried sakura shrimp10 g
    • Sesame seeds3 tbsp
    • Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)10 g
    • Dry pan, low heat, no oil. Toast one ingredient at a time and tip each onto a plate as soon as it’s done:
      • baby anchovies — until dry, fragrant and crisp (3–4 min)
      • sakura shrimp — until fragrant (1–2 min)
      • sesame — until it starts to colour and smells nutty (~2 min)
      • bonito flakes, crumbled — about 1 minute
    • Each one cooks at its own speed, which is why they go in separately.
    Toast each one separately
    Should look like this
  3. Pour the soy (and mirin, vinegar) into the empty hot pan and let it bubble for a second.
    Pour the soy (and mirin, vinegar) into the empty hot pan and let it bubble for a second.

    3Sauce in, boil a second

    lowseconds
    • Pour into the empty hot pan (mirin and vinegar only if using):
      • soy sauce 2 tsp
      • mirin 1 tsp — optional
      • rice vinegar ½ tsp — optional
    • Let it bubble for just a second.
    Sauce in, boil a second
    Should look like this
  4. Straight away, tip everything back in and stir to coat — it stays a little wet and glossy.
    Straight away, tip everything back in and stir to coat — it stays a little wet and glossy.

    4Everything back in

    low1–2 min
    • Straight away, tip all the toasted ingredients back into the pan and stir until everything is coated.
    • It stays a little wet and glossy at this point — that’s how it should look.
    Everything back in
    Should look like this
  5. Cool completely

    5Cool completely

    ~10 min
    • Spread it out on a plate and let it cool completely.
    • It crisps up as it cools.
  6. Only once it's completely cool, mix in the green nori flakes — untoasted.
    Only once it's completely cool, mix in the green nori flakes — untoasted.

    6Nori in at the end

    1 min

    For this step

    • Green nori flakes (untoasted)2 tbsp
    • Once cool, mix in the green nori flakes.
    • They stay untoasted — added cold, they keep their bright colour and fresh sea flavour.
    Nori in at the end
    Should look like this
  7. Jar it

    7Jar it

    Store in an airtight jar in the fridge and use within about 2 weeks.