At Takashimaya in Osaka, I saw more varieties of furikake than my brain could handle and I ended up buying several packs. One of those packs, we tossed with fried chicken fillets. Then, before serving the chicken, they were sprinkled with more furikake. The flavors were magnificent. And a huge plus was that crispy fried chicken with furikake was so easy to make.
Not that we’re new to furikake. We’ve been consuming it at home, in unbelievable amounts, for years. My daughters have discovered Japanese groceries that sell better furikake than the kind found in generic groceries and supermarkets. Eventually, my younger daughter, Alex, learned how to make furikake at home.
In local stores, furikake is pricey. In Osaka, not only were there more varieties, the prices were better too. Half of local prices on the average. So, you can just imagine why I picked up as many packs as I deemed we would be able to consume before they were past their prime.
Oh, but wait… Here I am rambling on about furikake with the presumption that every person who lands on this page knows exactly what it is. If you’re new to the big, beautiful world of furikake, just read on.
What is furikake?
Furikake refers to an array of dry mixed seasonings that are traditionally sprinkled over rice. The mix can contain fish, seaweeds, shisho (perilla leaves), powdered egg granules, sesame seeds, katsuobushi, salmon…
Plain rice is beautifully transformed when topped liberally with furikake. And it becomes a complete meal too because the furikake is rich in protein and calcium.
But it isn’t just on rice that furikake works wonders. You can sprinkle it on soup or even toss it with pasta and popcorn. And, yes, with fried chicken too.
Crispy Fried Chicken with Furikake
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breast fillets cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 6 tablespoons corn starch
- cooking oil
- ¼ cup furikake (you may always use more)
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with salt, pepper and chili powder.
- Add the corn starch and toss to coat each piece.
- Heat enough cooking oil to reach a depth of at least two inches.
- Fry the chicken slices, a few pieces at a time, until golden and crisp.
- Toss the fried chicken fillets with half of the furikake.
- Sprinkle the rest of the furikake over the chicken before serving.
If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.
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