Homemade Red Shiso Furikake (Yukari-Style)
A gentle, homemade red shiso furikake with a softer touch of salt. Bright and fragrant, it adds a splash of summer color to rice, onigiri, mixed rice, or even pasta and fresh vegetables. The saltiness can be adjusted to your taste — you can enjoy it lighter than many store-bought versions if you prefer. Just shiso, salt, and plum vinegar, this simple vegan seasoning carries the spirit of Japanese summer handcrafts into your kitchen.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl – for massaging shiso with salt & wash shiso
- Fine-mesh strainer or colander – to rinse shiso leaves
- Kitchen scale
- Clean kitchen towels – to pat shiso dry
- Plate or tray – for drying shiso
- parchment paper – to prevent sticking while drying
- Airtight jars – for storing finished yukari furikake
- Mortar and pestle or food processor (optional) – to grind dried shiso leaves
Ingredients
- 100 g red shiso leaves washed and dried
- 10 g salt 10% of the weight of dried leaves
- 4 tablespoon ume vinegar 1tbsp for 25 g shiso; adjust proportionally
Instructions
- Wash Shiso: Submerge the red shiso leaves with stems in a bowl of water. Gently shake the leaves to remove dirt. Drain well.
- Remove Leaves and Dry: Strip the leaves from stems and spread them on a plate or sieve. Dry in a well-ventilated area. Leaves should be slightly soft, not completely crisp.
- Measure Salt: Weigh the dried leaves, then measure 10% of that weight in salt.100 g red shiso leaves
- First Salt Massage: Sprinkle half of the salt over the leaves and mix. Let sit for 30 minutes until the leaves soften.10 g salt
- Massage Thoroughly: Massage the leaves until dark juice appears. Squeeze out excess liquid and discard it.
- Second Salt Massage: Add the remaining salt and massage again until a reddish-purple juice appears. Squeeze and discard excess liquid.
- Add Ume Vinegar: Add ume vinegar (about 1 tablespoon per 25 g of shiso). Gently massage until the leaves turn a vibrant pink.4 tablespoon ume vinegar
- Let Sit: Transfer to a container and let sit overnight to let color set.
- Final Drying: Spread the leaves on a plate or sieve so they do not overlap. Dry completely until crisp. *Sun-drying gives a traditional flavor; shaded drying preserves gentle color and aroma. *If weather is poor, use an oven or toaster at about 80°C for a few minutes, then let residual heat dry them further.
- Store: Transfer dried shiso to a jar, crush lightly with a pestle or chopsticks. Keep sealed at room temperature or refrigerate for longer storage.
Notes
- Can be made with green shiso, though the color is less vivid.
- For stronger flavor, slightly increase salt or adjust after the furikake is ready.
- Best results are with 75–100 g leaves for easy handling and color release.
- If you want it less salty: Gently squeeze out some of the ume vinegar before drying, or use just one tablespoon for a softer taste.
- Sprinkle over steamed rice or rice balls (onigiri)
- Mix into hot rice for simple shiso mixed rice
- Toss with pasta and olive oil for Japanese-style peperoncino
- Combine with cucumber slices for a refreshing salad
- Sprinkle over grated or steamed vegetables like yam or potato
- Add to lightly boiled cabbage or chilled tofu (hiyayakko)