Morihata Makes: Morimoto's Hijiki Seaweed
Lisa makes Masaharu Morimoto's Hijiki Seaweed recipe from his book Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking and serves it in Gato Woodworks. Find her review of his cookbook here.
Hijiki
Sweet Simmered Hijiki Seaweed
Serves 4
Ingredients
½ cup dried hijiki (preferably me hijiki; see note)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
½ cup carrot matchsticks (about 1 ½ by ⅛ inch)
1 ½ cups Dashi (dried fish and kelp stock)
3 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Directions
Soak the hijiki in plenty of cold water for 30 minutes. Drain, rinse under running water, and drain well.
Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the carrot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the hijiki and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
Add the dashi, increase the heat to medium-high, and let it come to a strong simmer. Add the mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until there’s no liquid left in the pot, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the hijiki to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Hijiki tasted best at least several hours after it’s been cooked. Covered, it keeps up to 3 days in the fridge.
Note: Hijiki is sold dried and must be soaked in water before using - it expands dramatically when reconstituted, so use a big bowl. I recommend me hijiki, the leaf of the plant, which is softer and has a milder flavor that many people prefer to that of naga hijiki, or “long hijiki”, which is the stem of the plant. Look for both varieties at Asian markets and health-food stores.
