This is a riff on a familiar treat – popcorn.  It’s a crunchy, umami-laced snack that any mermaid would love.

The addition of the common Japanese seasoning furikake makes gives it a great taste.  I find that grinding the furikake using a mortar and pestle helps to evenly distribute the flavor onto the popcorn.  You can also put the unground furikake on your popped popcorn — it’s a matter of preference.

Here’s the furikake, unground:

And here it is, after a few grinds with the mortar and pestle:

Mermaid Popcorn – aka, Furikake Popcorn

1/3 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup furikake
sea salt, to taste

Grind furikake in a mortar and pestle until it breaks up and begins to get powdery.  Set aside.

Heat a large, covered heavy-bottomed stock pot on high heat.  Add the oil and then the popcorn kernels to the pan before it gets too hot.  Cover pan and listen for the sound of popping corn.  Leave the pot covered and the popcorn will pop vigorously, then slow down.  Give the covered pan a shake or two mid-pop.  When the pops have slowed down considerably, take pan off heat and immediately pour popcorn into a large bowl.  All in, the timing is pretty fast, just a minute from unpopped to almost all done.  (Be careful, as the pan will be hot.)  Season hot popcorn with ground furikake, adding extra sea salt to taste if needed.