Japanese Hijiki Seaweed Salad (Hijiki no Nimono)
Hijiki no nimono is a nutritious side dish packed with hijiki seaweed, soybeans and vegetables simmered in a simple dashi broth. The savory and earthy flavor of this dish makes it the perfect side for any Japanese meal or bento!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 20 g dried hijiki seaweed
- 100 g boiled soybeans ((canned))
- 75 g carrot
- 1 chikuwa fishcake ((Japanese fishcake) omit for plant-based diets)
- 1 dried red chili pepper (thinly sliced)
- 10 snow peas
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 200 ml dashi stock (use kombu/shiitake dashi for plant-based diets)
Instructions
- 1
Add 20 g dried hijiki seaweed to a bowl of cold water and leave to soak while you prepare the other ingredients. Start boiling a small pot of water.
- 2
Pour 100 g boiled soybeans through a colander to drain.
- 3
Peel and julienne 75 g carrot (thin strips), and thinly slice 1 chikuwa fishcake and 1 dried red chili pepper.
- 4
Once the water is boiling, add 10 snow peas and blanch for 1 minute.
- 5
Turn off the heat and use a mesh spoon to scoop out the snow peas. Run them under cold water to cool them down and cut them diagonally into thirds. Set aside for later.
- 6
The hijiki seaweed should be rehydrated by now, so drain the water by pouring them through a fine mesh sieve.
- 7
Heat a large frying pan on medium and add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil. Once hot, add the hijiki, soybeans, chikuwa and carrot. Stir fry until the carrot is slightly softened.
- 8
Add 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and 1 dried red chili pepper, and mix until evenly distributed.
- 9
Add 200 ml dashi stock and turn up the heat to high. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer until the liquid is almost gone and stir occasionally.
- 10
Once the liquid is almost gone, add the snow peas, mix and remove from the heat.
- 11
Serve and enjoy!