Fish Flakes

Bonito, a kind of tuna, is dried and smoked. It is then shaven into thin flakes called katsuo bushi. It is usually packaged in small bags. It is sprinkled on some prepared dishes or just on top of rice. It flutters when it is sprinkled onto a hot food. We eat it mixed in rice and then shaped into triangular rice balls, onigiri. We also eat it on takoyaki, octopus puffs. Bigger shavings are also boiled to make a base for soups. It is really tasty.