Hijiki Rice

Gluten free recipe with mineral rich sea vegetable hijiki. Hijiki is known to be a good source of iron, calcium and magnesium.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Rice

• 340g Clearspring Sushi Rice
• 360ml water
• 50ml Clearspring Sushi Rice Seasoning

Braised Hijiki Mixture

• 15g Clearspring Hijiki
• 1 medium size carrot, sliced in julienne style
• 4 Clearspring Shiitake Mushrooms
• 100ml water
• 1 tbsp Clearspring Soya Sauce
• 1 tbsp Japanese sake
• 2 tbsp Clearspring Rice Malt Syrup
• 1 tbsp Clearspring Rapeseed Oil

Garnish

• One handful of cooked* and sliced mange tout (snow peas).

*Only cooked in the boiled water for 2 minutes, then cooled in the cold water afterwards to preserve the colour.

Method

1. Wash the rice thoroughly in a sieve for no less than 2 minutes, constantly turning the rice over until the water turns clear.
   Drain the rice and transfer it to the pan with 360ml of water, and leave it for 30 minutes.
2. Soak hijiki in the water for 20 minutes.
3. Cook the rice: Bring to the boil and keep it boiling for 1 minute, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 8-9 minutes. Turn the heat off then let it stand to cool for a further 15 minutes. Add sushi rice seasoning and mix gently.
4. Drain hijiki, rinse then drain well again.
5. Sautee carrot, hijiki, shiitake mushooms with a little oil in a flying pan for few minutes.
6. Add shiitake mushroom stock, sake, malt syrup, mirin, soya sauce to 6, then simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Mix rice and 7, and serve on a flat plate. Garnish with sliced mange tout.

Making shiitake mushroom dashi stock

1. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in 100ml of cold water for 2 hours or overnight.
2. Remove shiitake mushrooms and squeeze the water out, then set aside.
3. Slice the shiitake mushrooms.

Chef

Yuki's Kitchen

Yuki Gomi was raised in a traditional Japanese family, her mother is a fanatical cook who instilled in me a love of cooking at an early age. This love of food inspired her to train as a professional cook, and worked at several restaurant including Chicago's famous Soul Kitchen under Curtis Giszczynski where they developed together Asian and fusion dishes.

She moved to London in 2005 and worked as a head of food development at the Yoshino restaurant in Piccadilly. She developed new recipes both for the restaurant and also for the Japan Centre where she created new sushi menu.

In London she was struck by the increasing popularity of Japanese food. She saw people queuing to buy take-away meals for thier lunches and for parties, but they often said to her 'I can't make this at home so I have no choice but to buy it' or 'I wish I could make this at home'.

Knowing how simple it is to make good Japanese food, inspired her to start cookery classes. She now teaches Japanese home cooking and have found that people quickly grasp the concepts and become passionate advovates of this form of cooking.