Furikake is a Japanese seasoning blend. There are many variations but the base ingredients are sesame, salt and seaweeds. It’s a delicious and nutrient dense way to season rice, eggs, avocado toast, soups & broths, salads, and meat dishes. I spent a lot of time in the ocean this year, which meant that I was able to identify and learn about an abundance of coastal edible seaweeds. For this blend I am using kelp, sea lettuce, sea arrow grass, and sea asparagus, that I harvested from Vancouver Island and nori from Japan. But many edible seaweeds blend well into this mix. In the past I have also included botanicals into this blend for added health benefits such as: nettle seed, tulsi, and mushroom powders.

FURIKAKE SEAWEED SEASONING

1 cup seaweeds & sea vegetables. Dried & flaked in a food processor.

1 cup white sesame seeds - toasted if you like

1 cup black sesame seeds - toasted if you like

2-4 tablespoons of good quality salt - depending on how salty your seaweeds are

Optional variations depending on your flavour profile:

2 - 4 tbsp of botanicals like nettle seed, tulsi, shiso leaf.

2-4 tbsp of bonito flakes, sugar, chili, miso powder or mushroom powders.

Directions

Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor until combined. Store in a seasoning shaker.

In TCM seaweeds support the kidneys and adrenals, softens hardness, masses, & nodules and breaks up phlegm. It is considered cooling but eating it with black sesame - another kidney nourishing food - helps to balance its thermal nature to more neutral. Black sesame tonifies the vital substances - jing, qi and blood. It is said to help hair from growing grey and to boost milk supply during lactation. Seaweeds, salt and black foods like black sesame are all associated with the winter season and considered supportive of the kidneys. So its a good time to start adding these foods into your diet as we transition to winter. Seaweeds are also rich in iodine which can benefit the thyroid.