Edamame and Hijiki Rice

Method8 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Cover the 1 tbsp dried hijiki with cold water in a bowl and soak for 30 minutes. It will swell as it rehydrates. Drain in a strainer, rinse under cold running water and leave to drain well. Discard the soaking water.

   Soak dried hijiki · 30 minUses 1 tbsp dried hijiki · Cold water to soak and rinse the hijiki, discarded

2. 2

   Step 2: Measure the author’s two rice-cooker cups of uncooked Japanese medium-grain rice, equal to 1½ standard cups. Wash it several times in the rice-cooker pot until the washing water is almost clear, draining the wash water each time. Keep this one washed-rice batch in the pot.

   Uses 2 rice-cooker cups uncooked Japanese medium-grain rice (1½ standard cups) · Water to wash the rice, drained before adding measured dashi

3. 3

   Step 3: Pour the 1½ cups prepared dashi and 2 tbsp soy sauce over the washed rice. Spread the one batch of soaked, rinsed and drained hijiki on top. Do not stir: leave the rice underneath and hijiki above. Cook using the rice cooker’s normal setting for this rice until its cycle finishes; the measured dashi is the cooking liquid.

   Uses Washed uncooked rice · 1½ cups prepared dashi · 2 tbsp soy sauce · Soaked rinsed drained hijiki

4. 4

   Step 4: While the rice cooks, bring separate edamame-cooking water to a boil. Add the 1 cup frozen shelled edamame and boil for 3–4 minutes, until cooked according to the product directions. Drain, rinse under cool water to stop cooking and drain again; discard that cooking and cooling water.

   Boil shelled edamame · 4 minUses 1 cup frozen shelled edamame · Water to boil and cool the edamame, discarded

5. 5

   Step 5: After the rice-cooker cycle is finished, keep the lid closed and let the cooked dashi-hijiki rice rest for 10 minutes before opening it.

   Rest cooked rice · 10 minUses Cooked dashi and hijiki rice

6. 6

   Step 6: Open the cooker after the rest. Add the one drained batch of cooked edamame to the rested rice and hijiki, then gently mix and fluff with a rice paddle.

   Uses Rested dashi and hijiki rice · Boiled drained shelled edamame

7. 7

   Step 7: Drizzle the 2 tsp sesame oil into the prepared rice-and-edamame mixture and fluff again. Divide the one completed batch into four portions and serve warm as a light meal or a rice accompaniment.

   Uses Rice with cooked hijiki and edamame · 2 tsp sesame oil

8. 8

   Step 8: Refrigerate actual leftovers promptly in a sealed container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat the selected leftover portion by steaming or microwaving; for the microwave, cover with a damp paper towel as the author suggests. Continue until hot throughout at 165°F (74°C).

   Uses Actual remaining portion, if any