Hijiki no Nimono

Tender dark seaweed strands contrasting with bright orange carrots. Everything is glazed in a shiny umami sauce with hints of sesame and soy.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 170
• Protein: 9 g
• Carbs: 16 g
• Fat: 8 g

Ingredients

• 1 piece Carrot ( finely julienned )
• 100 g firm tofu ( in small matchsticks )
• 50 g edamame ( shelled )
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 200 ml dashi stock
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp White sugar
• 25 g Dried Hijiki seaweed ( dried )
• 1 piece Aburaage (fried tofu) ( blanched and sliced into strips )

Instructions

1. Rehydration

   Soak the hijiki seaweed in a large bowl of cold water for 20 minutes. They will swell and double in volume. Then rinse them thoroughly and drain.

2. Preparation of garnishes

   Cut the carrot into fine julienne. Cut the firm tofu into small sticks. Pour boiling water over the aburaage to remove excess oil, then cut it into thin strips the same size as the carrots.

3. Sautéing

   Heat the sesame oil in a skillet. When it just starts to smoke, add the hijiki seaweed, carrots, tofu, and aburaage. Sauté for 2 minutes so the flavors meld.

4. Simmering

   Pour in the dashi broth, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Add the edamame. Bring to a boil then lower the heat. Let it simmer gently.

5. Final reduction

   Continue cooking until almost no liquid remains at the bottom of the skillet. The ingredients should be shiny and well coated by the reduced juice.

Chef's tips

• Don't throw away the hijiki soaking water immediately; it can be used to adjust the liquid level if the reduction goes too fast.
• The dish is even better the next day when the flavors have had time to penetrate the seaweed.
• The sauce should coat the spoon: if it's too thin, increase the heat at the end of cooking.

Storage

Keeps for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.