Skin Healing Hijiki Seaweed Salad

The humble seaweed — she’s affordable, can be easily found, so delicious, AND helps moisturize the skin from the inside out?! What can’t she do 🙌🏼

When I could feel a rosacea breakout coming on, I knew it was time to start incorporating more seaweed but by then it was a bit too late. So I started batch creating seaweed salads so I could have them readily available when I wanted. This Hijiki salad is prepped in a classic Japanese style and one of my favorite ways to cook it.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dried Hijiki seaweed

• 2 cups water

• 2 pieces of aburaage

• 1/2 carrot cut into thin slices

• 1/4 cup frozen cooked edamame

• 1 handful Bonito flakes and 1 piece of dried kelp to make dashi

• For the sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce

  • 2 Tbsp mirin

  • 2 Tbsp sake (omit if non alcoholic)

  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

• Rehydrate the seaweed in two cups of water for at least 30 mins then strain

• Cut up the aburaage tofu into thin strips like the carrots

• Make the dashi by simmering the Bonito flakes and kelp in 2 cups of water for 10 mins

• To a pan, add some oil and sauté the carrot first for 5 mins

• Add in the drained seaweed, sauce components, and 1 cup dashi, letting it cover and boil for 15-20 mins

• At the end, uncover and start to reduce the sauce until there’s barely any moisture left on the bottom of the pot

• Add in the edamame, tossing a few turns to let it warm up, then it’s ready to serve