You may never have heard of furikake- but there’s a good chance that one taste will convert you!
Furikake, aka perilla spice blend, is a Japanese dry spice blend that is best known as a topping for rice. It comes in a variety of flavours, and often includes ingredients like dried fish, nori (seaweed), salt, sugar, herbs & dried egg. And while it’s a spice blend, it’s not necessarily spicy; it’s more a flavouring, rather than an ingredient that adds heat to a meal.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-21.jpg.webp)
Here I’ve made a vegan version, mostly because I wanted to feature the shiso (the Japanese name for perilla) I grew in my own garden. Shiso is a truly unique herb; its taste and smell are near-impossible to describe, while being quite different from each other. Naturally, fresh ingredients makes it organic, additive-free, and a little more potent- all of which I love. Depending on where you live, furikake may not be readily available in stores (nor may it be cheap), so it makes even more sense to make your own.
A jar of vegan furikake will last just as long as any other dried spice or spice blend- pop it into a clean glass jar, label it, & store it in your pantry.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-19.jpg.webp)
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How to Use Furikake
In addition to rice and onigiri, furikake is a great all-around seasoning, and can be added to a variety of dishes. Sprinkled on or mixed in, furikake is more versatile than you might first think.
Add texture and nutrition to a meatloaf, rissoles or hamburgers, or mix through a salad for crunch and visual interest. Grilled meats and fish suit a furikake crust or topping, as do vegetables, tofu and eggs. Stir into a mayonnaise or creamy sauce (e.g. for pasta), or even 2 minute noodles.
Here’s How to Make It
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-13.jpg.webp)
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Go out to the garden and harvest your shiso. I clearly have plenty, so I carefully picked a large bowl of leaves, avoiding the stems as much as possible.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-9.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-9.jpg)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-11.jpg.webp)
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Arrange the leaves on dehydrator trays and stack them up. Spread them as evenly as possible so that they all become fully dried at the same time.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-7.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-7.jpg)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-8.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-8.jpg)
Use as many trays as you need then place the lid on. I set my temperature to 55 degrees and left the dehydrator on for approximately 4 hours. If you don’t have a dehydrator, your oven will work just as well. All you need to do is lay the leaves out on a baking tray (or two), put them in the oven, then put it on the lowest possible temperature setting. If the temperature gets too hot, you can open the door a tiny bit to lessen the heat.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-5.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-5.jpg)
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Once dried, your shiso will look like the above. It should feel crispy, like a potato chip, and crumble easily.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-4.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-4.jpg)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-2.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-2.jpg)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/01/furikake-1.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/furikake-1.jpg)
Break up the leaves by crushing them then rubbing them between your hands. Do this until you achieve the consistency you want. Remember this is a spice blend, so you’ll want it quite small. If you have a spice grinder, even better- use that instead.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-18.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/furikake-18.jpg)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-17.jpg.webp)
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![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-16.jpg.webp)
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Dry-fry the sesame seeds in a small non-stick saucepan until lightly golden. Meanwhile, cut the nori into small pieces.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-23.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/furikake-23.jpg)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-22.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/furikake-22.jpg)
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then your furikake is ready. Store it in a clean/sterilised glass jar in the pantry.
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/02/furikake-20.jpg.webp)
![](https://selfsufficientme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/furikake-20.jpg)
Shiso Furikake
Equipment
- 1 dehydrator or oven
- 1 small non-stick frying pan
- 1 mixing bowl
- sterilised jar/s, for storage
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried perilla leaves
- 1/2 cup dried nori
- 1/3 cup white sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup black sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt optional
- dried chilli optional, to taste
Instructions
- Harvest then dry perilla leaves thoroughly, using an oven or dehydrator. Set to around 50-60C for 3-4 hours.
- Dry-fry the sesame seeds. Set aside.
- Cut the nori into very small pieces with kitchen scissors. Alternatively, you can pulse the nori in a spice grinder, if you have one.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Decant the furikake into sterilised glass jars, label and store.