Japanese Seaweed Salt AKA Furikake

1-1/2 teaspoons dried orange or tangerine zest

3/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

3 2-inch squares toasted nori

1-3 teaspoon dried bonito flakes, (optional and to taste)

1-1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

To make the Furikake, begin by drying orange peels and garlic. For the oranges, use a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler to remove the skin leaving behind the white pith. Scrape off any pith that is left on the peel. Lay the strips of orange peel on parchment paper covered baking sheets and dry at 200 for 20 to 30 minutes. Once dry, blitz until coarse in a food processor. Any additional dried citrus zest not used in this furikake recipe can be added to marinades, salad dressings or cocktails.  

A note on citrus selection: Citrus is a heavily sprayed crop. When eating the peel it is best to use a naturally grown fruit and/or wash the citrus skin well before using.

For dried garlic, peel 5 cloves of garlic. These can be roasted alongside the orange peels at the same temperature and time—dry at 200 for 20 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the garlic, flipping once it begins to dry and removing from the oven once it is firm to the touch and light brown. Once cool, blitz until coarse in a food processor.

Lastly, blitz the nori sheets and bonito flakes in the food processor until coarsely chopped. 

Then add all the additional ingredients into the food processor, and blitz once more to combine in a course blend. Transfer to a bottle. Spices will store in an airtight container for approximately 3 months. 

Makes 1 cup of Furikake, or approximately 15 servings.

Pro tip: Try sprinkling this Japanese Seaweed Salt, on popcorn along with sesame oil and butter. The popcorn mix can be boosted with the addition of crushed rice crackers and sesame seeds. 

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING FURIKAKE BLEND):  

Calories 15

Protein 1 g

Total fat 0 g

Saturated fat 0 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Carbs 2 g

Fiber 0 g

Total sugars 0 g

Added sugars 0 g

Sodium 20 mg