Beef Furikake Rice Seasoning: Tsukudani Shigureni
The other day when I went shopping at a supermarket, a Furikake (rice seasoning) product from Marumiya caught my eye and intrigued me.
Because until then, I had never heard of the Furikake name, and besides, its main ingredient was beef I love.
Beef Furikake “Gyuniku Shigureni (牛肉 しぐれ煮)” from Marumiya
I am fond of trying new things that draw my interest, so I picked up the Furikake from Marumiya named “Gyuniku Shigureni (牛肉 しぐれ煮)”.
Since I heard of “Shigureni (しぐれ煮)” for the first time when I found this product, I did research about it on Japanese Wikipedia after purchasing.
What is Shigureni?
According to the site, Shigureni is a kind of “Tsukudani (佃煮)” typically made from beef or clam meat, simmered with slices of ginger.
In its name, “Shigure (しぐれ, 時雨)” literally means the temporary drizzling rain that is often seen in Japan from late autumn through early winter, while “Ni (煮)” is the Japanese word for “boil” or “simmer”.
That is why this Marumiya Furikake rice condiment is made using beef or “Gyuniku (牛肉)”.
Recipe
Specifically, based on this recipe on (Japanese) cookpad.com, first, as preparation, cut thinly sliced beef into small pieces. Then,
- Put some thin slices of ginger and a 2:2:2:1 ratio of soy sauce, sugar, sake, and mirin into a pot.
- Bring it to a simmer, then add the beef bits and cook until the liquid is absorbed and evaporates.
Taste
These beef Furikake flakes that have soaked up the flavor of the liquid are sweet, savory, and full of umami.
It really tastes good, making a warm bowl of white rice an absolute delight.
