Hijiki Seaweed Salad
This earthy, sweet, and umami seaweed salad will surprise you with its complex textures and flavors. Making this traditional Japanese dish at home is easy and quick. It comes together with 9 ingredients and can be ready to serve in under an hour.
I always order hijiki salad when I’m at a Japanese restaurant. I love the classic Japanese combination of sweet and umami, and the tender carrots and seaweed. Making this traditional Japanese otsumami at home is very easy – it can be made with just 10 ingredients and be ready to serve in under an hour.
Grab these ingredients at your local Asian grocery or order online if you can’t get them locally.
3.5 ounces dried hijiki
8 (6 ounces) square aburaage and inariage cut into thin one inch strips to match or 5 ounces tofu, crumbled and fried till crisp
1 carrot, peeled and julienned into 2-inch matchsticks (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons, 1 ounce neutral oil, like avocado
1.5 teaspoons (.25 ounce) dashi powder (1 sleeve or packet)
7 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari if you are gluten free)
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) sugar
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) sake
2 tablespoons mirin
toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Rehydrate the hijiki by placing it in a bowl and soaking it in water for 30 minutes. Drain it and set aside.
If you are frying your tofu, add enough neutral oil (like avocado oil) to lightly cover the bottom of a deep small frying pan or wok (about 1/8 cup). Heat oil to hot but not smoking. Add crumbled tofu (be careful the oil may splash a bit) over high heat. Use a spatula to scrape the brown bits of tofu off the bottom. Continue until the tofu bits are browned. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Put the oil and julienned carrot in a small or medium pot and turn the heat to medium.
Saute the carrot slices for 1 minute. Add the rehydrated hijiki and the inariage or fried tofu. Saute for 2 minutes and stir in the dashi, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar.
Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a bubbling simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated, with about 20% remaining.
Turn the heat off and transfer the hijiki to a bowl. Serves 10. Serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.