Arame seaweed recipes

1. Use a small handful / large pinch of the seaweed per person. A 60-gram packet of arame should be enough for two or three meals for a family of four.
2. Soak arame for about 10 minutes, till soft. Set aside the soaking liquid.
3. Sautee over a medium fire with a bit of oil.
4. Add enough of the soaking liquid to cover.
5. Boil and simmer for about another 15 minutes.
6. Season to taste with shoyu soy sauce.

With this basic method, you can create endless variations of dishes. For example, you can cook arame with:

• onion
• carrot
• lotus root
• green peas
• cabbage
• broccoli
• leek
• green leafy vegetables
• mixed vegetables...
• tofu
• tempeh
• etc. etc.

This same basic method works for both arame seaweed and hijiki recipes. However, because arame has a milder taste, it goes well with a wider range of vegetables and foods like tofu. It is more versatile.

On this page, however, I'd like to share some of the more unusual arame recipes that I picked up over the years. Let's start with...

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 packet (20 grams) arame seaweed, soaked till soft
• 16 large button or brown mushrooms
• 1 tbsp sesame oil or other cooking oil
• 1/2 large oinion, diced or cut finely.
• 1/4 cup sake or other liquor such as dry sherry or white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp shoyu
• 1 tsp ginger juice (from freshly grated ginger)

METHOD:

1. Rinse mushrooms and remove stems. Place mushrooms on a baking tray, with the bottom of the mushroom caps facing upwards. Dice stems and set aside.
2. Place arame in a heavy pot with enough of the soaking liquid to cover. Boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain. Squeeze out liquid and chop finely.
3. Heat oil in a pan and saute onions until soft, about 2 minutes. Add mushroom stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add arame seaweed.
4. Combine sake, lemon juice, shoyu and ginger juice. pour half of it over the arama seaweed / onion mixture and simmer until liquid evaporates.
5. Pour the remaining marinade over the mushroom caps. Stuff mushroom caps with the arame seaweed mixture. Cover with aluminium foil and bake at 200ºC for 15 minutes. Do not over bake.

Whole cauliflower with arame sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 5 or 6 inches across)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 packet (20 grams) arame seaweed, soaked till soft and set aside soaking liquid
• 1 small, or 1/2 large, carrot, cut finely into "juliennes"
• 1 tbsp sesame oil or other cooking oil
• 2 tbsp shoyu
• 1 tsp kuzu or larger amount of other cooking starch like arrowroot or cornstarch.
• Cariander leaves or other fresh herbs for garnish.

METHOD:

1. Wash cauliflower, trim off any marks but keep it whole. Sprinkle very lightly with sea salt. Steam the entire cauliflower over high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook, otherwise it might fall apart.
2. While cauliflower is steaming... Heat oil in a heavy pot. Add arame seaweed and saute for 2 minutes. Add carrots and continue to saute a few minutes longer.
3. Add 1 cup of the arame soaking liquid, boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add shoyu.
5. Dissolve kuzu or other starch in a bit of cold water. Add to the arame / carrot and cook about a minute until the sauce thickens.
6. Place the cooked cauliflower on a serving dish. Pour the arame / carrot sauce over the cauliflower. Garnish with coriander leaves or other fresh herbs.

Arame seaweed roll

This is surely the most special of all arame seaweed recipes that I have ever come across. I have not eaten this in a long time and I really miss it.

PASTRY INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups wholemeal flour or mixture of white and wholemeal
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cups water