The Japanese Powerhouse Ingredient That Makes Rice Anything But Boring

Dinner always seems incomplete without rice on the side. It's a perfect pairing to nearly any main dish. Then there are places where a bowl of white rice constitutes a quick, comforting meal. Perhaps that's why furikake — the Japanese powerhouse ingredient that translates to "sprinkle over" — makes that simple bowl of rice so exciting to the taste. At its core, furikake consists of sesame seeds, nori (seaweed), salt, and fish flakes. Together, these ingredients combine to give white rice an umami flavor you can't get from salt alone and take rice from what you might think is a side dish to a delectable and satisfying meal.

Breaking down the core ingredients of furikake, you start to understand the profound effect it has on the food it touches. Sesame seeds add a light nuttiness to the meal while the nori makes it salty and adds a crunchy texture to a bowl of soft, fluffy rice. Nori has, of course, been used in Asian cuisine for centuries as a wrap or as a paste. The latter is another way to flavor rice without soy sauce. Remember that while taste is integral to enjoying food, the most memorable meals entice other senses first. Rice alone can be a plain sight, but with a bit of furikake, it catches your eyes and delights your nose before you even taste it. But the real beauty of furikake lies in its versatility, because you can use it to liven up more than just a bowl of rice.

If rice is the plain staple of lunch and dinner, eggs are the plain staple of breakfast. You can switch up how you make them, but whether scrambled, sunny-side up, or in an omelet, eggs can get boring simply because you know they're predictable. Of course, you can chop up some chorizo or peppers, but if you're past due for a grocery run, furikake is a quick way to give eggs a new dimension of flavor. Or you can put together a quick tuna bowl with leftover rice, canned tuna, diced cucumbers, and a furikake topper. You can also try furikake over a bowl of rice and ground beef for an uber-simple Asian-inspired taco bowl.

As a parent, one of the hardest daily responsibilities is figuring out meals your kids actually want to eat. Simple mistakes can keep you from perfect rice, and even if done right, it can become boring because it's served every day. The same is true for eggs, and sometimes you just have to switch up the flavors of things you make often. There are plenty of great ways to season rice. A dash of furikake can give rice and other lackluster foods the depth you've been looking for without putting in more time and work in the kitchen. Because let's face it, nobody wants that.