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Hijiki no nimono
Simmered hijiki seaweed
Hijiki no nimono (ひじきの煮物): simmered black seaweed with carrot, fried tofu and soybeans
This is the quiet, dark heap of seaweed that turns up next to rice in set lunches all over Japan, and it is a staple of home bento boxes because it tastes just as good cold. Tiny black hijiki strands are simmered with carrot, thin fried tofu (aburaage) and soybeans in a sweet soy broth until the liquid is nearly gone. It is savoury, faintly of the sea and rich in fibre. Mirin contains alcohol; the note gives an alcohol-free swap, and this version uses fish-free kombu–shiitake dashi. A common mistake is skipping the rinse after soaking: dried hijiki carries sand, so swish it in fresh water twice. Because hijiki can hold inorganic arsenic, soak it well, discard the soaking water and eat it as a small side rather than daily in large amounts. Chef's tip: pour boiling water over the aburaage first to remove excess frying oil, so it soaks up the broth.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ½ oz dried hijiki seaweed
- 1 aburaage (thin fried tofu)1 sheet
- ½ carrotcut into thin 3 cm matchsticks
- 2 ⅞ oz cooked soybeansdrained; or edamame
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
For the broth
- ¾ cup kombu-shiitake dashifish-free; see the shojin dashi recipe, or soak 5 g kombu and 2 dried shiitake in water overnight
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirincontains alcohol; for alcohol-free use 1 tsp sugar per tbsp, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cover ½ oz dried hijiki seaweed with plenty of cold water and soak for 20 minutes, until it has swelled to about eight times its size. Lift it out, discard the water, and rinse twice in fresh water to remove grit; drain in a sieve.
20 minStep 2: Put 1 aburaage (thin fried tofu) in a sieve and pour a kettle of boiling water over it. Squeeze gently, then cut it in half lengthways and into thin strips.
2 minStep 3: Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat and stir-fry the hijiki and ½ carrot for 2 minutes, until glossy.
2 minStep 4: Add the tofu strips, 2 ⅞ oz cooked soybeans, ¾ cup kombu-shiitake dashi, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin and 1 tbsp sugar. Bring to a simmer, then lay a small lid or a circle of baking paper directly on top.
3 minStep 5: Simmer over a low heat for 12–15 minutes, until only a couple of spoonfuls of liquid are left and the carrot is tender. Stir once halfway.
15 minStep 6: Leave to cool in the pan; the hijiki drinks up the last of the broth as it cools. Serve at room temperature. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hijiki no nimono take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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