Hijiki Rice

• 2 cups Japanese rice
• 2 cups water
• 15g dried hijiki
• 1 medium carrot
• 4 dried shitake mushrooms
• 100ml shitake mushroom dashi (stock)
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs mirin
• 1tbs sake
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tbs vegetable oil

Garnish

• ½ cup cooked and sliced mangetout

• To prepare the rice, wash thoroughly in a sieve for 2-4 minutes.
• Constantly turn the rice over until the water turns clear.
• Drain the rice and transfer it into a pan with 2 cups of water.
• Leave it stand for 30 minutes in cold water.
• Bring to the boil for 1 minute, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 8-9 minutes.
• Turn the heat off and let it stand to cool for 15-20 minutes.
• For shitake mushroom stock, soak the dried shitake mushrooms in cold water for a few hours.
• Squeeze the mushrooms to drain and reserve the liquid. This makes the mushroom ‘dashi’ (stock).
• Keep the mushrooms.
• Bring water with 1tbs of salt to the boil.
• Add mangetout and blanch for 2-3 minutes.
• Drain and place in a cold bowl of water.
• Drain well and slice the mangetout thinly into diagonal cuts. Use for garnish.
• Soak the dried hijiki into cold water for 15-20 minutes.
• Rinse and drain.
• Slice the peeled carrots very thinly.
• Sauté the hijiki, shitake mushrooms and carrots in oil.
• Add the mushroom dashi (stock), sake, brown sugar, mirin, and soy sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Combine the rice together with the braised hijiki mix.

Plating and Serving

• Serve on a plate and garnish with the mangetout.