What is Furikake Seaweed Seasoning?

Seaweed-sesame flavour fusion

Mara’s Furikake is a blend of fiery chilli, savoury black and white sesame seeds and delicious dulse seaweed flakes.

Furikake (pronounced "fury-kah-key") is a popular shake-on rice seasoning in Japan, but the Dulse seaweed in Mara’s version is hand-harvested in Scotland and Ireland. This means Mara’s Furikake brings an East-West flavour fusion and a nutritional boost to any meal.

Healthy seasoning

Furikake was originally created by a pharmacist called Mr. Suekichi Yoshimaru after World War I.

Yoshimaru wanted to address the lack of calcium in the Japanese diet - both chilli and seaweed are high in calcium. The original version also contained other calcium-rich ingredients, such as ground up bones of small fish and poppy seeds.

As well as calcium, Dulse seaweed is high in potassium, magnesium, protein and fibre. And like all seaweed species, dulse is one of the best natural sources of iodine, essential for the thyroid gland to maintain your metabolism, heart function, thinking and reasoning.

A friend of rice

Yoshimaru called his original seasoning "Gohan no Tomo," meaning "a friend of rice,” so people knew how to use it. His mixture continues to form the basis of furikake, which gained national popularity in Japan after World War II.

Today, there are many variations. Each features different nutrient-rich ingredients, including egg, salmon, chilli flakes and powdered miso. The catchier name “furikake” refers to how you add it to food: sprinkling. (Although we like to give ours a big, generous shake.)

Serving suggestions

Furikake is good for more than grains. Try it at breakfast, on smashed avocado, smoked salmon and omelettes. Transform side dishes with a shake of Furikake, from broccoli and green beans to sweet potato fries and hasselback potatoes. Or marinade sustainably caught salmon and tuna, or good quality steak, in Furikake, sesame oil, soy sauce and lime.

Healthy reasoning

Mara’s mission to create Furikake was much like Yoshimaru’s. We were driven by a desire to design a seasoning that combined our award-winning seaweed with other nutritious ingredients. (And it worked: Furikake won a 'Healthy Choice' award.)

The result is a twist on two classics - our seaweed and Japan’s much-loved furikake - brought together as a tasty topping. We hope you enjoy it, because it’s all good for you - just as Yoshimaru intended.  

 

Mara's Furikake is available in Morrisons stores nationwide.