Hijiki No Nimono

Hijiki No Nimono is another home-cooking Japanese dish for everyday meals.  It is seasoned strongly so that it lasts for a longer time and is ready to eat at any time.  It is often found in bento boxes, and is a great side dish in meals any time of a day. Hijiki No Nimono is also one of the healthiest foods among Japanese food.

Hijiki is a type of seaweed and is very nutritious.  It is full of nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially having a lot of iron. If you are concerned about healthy eating, Hijiki may be the super vegetable (from the ocean) you are looking for. Interestingly, it also has a considerable amount of arsenic for a food, but it is widely eaten in Japan and is typically not a problem as long as you don’t eat excessive amounts.

As mentioned, Hijiki No Nimono is strongly seasoned, so it is a very good accompaniment for steamed rice.  It is salty and sweet, and a tasty side dish for any time.

Hijiki No Nimono

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients :

1 C (50g) dried Hijiki

1/2 medium carrot

1/2 slab Konnyaku

1 rectangle or 2 squares Aburaage

1 Tbsp oil

4 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp Sake

1 Tbsp Mirin

Instructions :

Rehydrate dried Hijiki in water in a bowl about 30 minutes. Cut carrot, Konnyaku, and Aburaage into thin 2" long strips.

Strain Hijiki and drain the water as much as you can.

Heat a frying pan with oil, and stir fry Hijiki, carrot, Konnyaku, and Aburaage together about 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and cook at medium heat for 10 minutes covered, and cook further for 5-10 minutes uncovered until the liquid is almost all evaporated.