Pot Rice with Hijiki and Sea foods

….My first son-in law’s parents recently returned from Korea and sent us a package of dried hijiki from Jeju Island, encouraging us to try it. I’m always grateful for their thoughtfulness. However, this hijiki looked a bit different from what I was familiar with. It had more stems and a slightly different appearance, but once soaked in water for a while, it became soft, just like regular hijiki.

Following their suggestion to make pot rice, I prepared it today using seafood, hijiki, and katsuobushi broth. Thanks to Chef @comble2, from whom I learned how to make pot rice, I can now confidently whip it up with ease. Every time I make it, I feel grateful for those lessons. Yesterday, my second daughter and her husband came over, so I served them this pot rice. They enjoyed it so much and said it was delicious, which made me happy again.

Hijiki is rich in various minerals, fiber, and nutrients, making it beneficial for osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and constipation. It’s also known that hijiki extracts have antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-cholesterol effects. Traditionally called “longevity greens” or “the sea’s elixir of life,” it’s said to prevent aging.

There are even records stating that hijiki helps remove blood clots, making it excellent for vascular health. Stir-fried hijiki can also be a delightful dish, and I recommend it as a unique ingredient to impress guests.

Servings: 3

Time: 40 minutes plus 30 minutes to soak rice in a strainer after cleaning with cold water

Ingredients:

1. 350 g white rice, cleaned and shift with a strainer for 30 minutes
2. 370 ml first soup(katsuobushi broth)..reduce it slightly because there is a certain amount of moisture that comes from the seafood
3. 1 tbsp mirin
4. 1 tbsp gukganjang
5. 2 tbsp sesame oil
6. 100 g of parboiled octopus, sliced
7. 10 g dried hijiki, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes and cut into 1-inch pieces
8. 160 g scallops, cut in half
9. 170 g shrimp, cut into small pieces
10. 90 g whelk meat, sliced
11. 4–5 green onions, minced

For soy sauce:

1. 1 tbsp soy sauce
2. 1 tbsp sugar
3. 1 tbsp chili powder
4. 2 tbsp water
5. 1 tbsp sesame seeds
6. 1 tbsp sesame oil

….mix everything together

Cooking Instruction:

1. Heat a pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, along with the soaked white rice, hijiki, and whelk meat. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

2. Add the katsuobushi broth, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, the gukganjang, and mirin to the pot, then boil until the broth reduces.

3. Reduce the heat to very low (induction level #3) and continue cooking covered for 20 minutes.

4. After 10 minutes, add the shrimp, scallops, and octopus on top of the rice. Cover with a lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and add the green onion on top of the seafood. Let it sit for 7 minutes.

6. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, chili powder, water, sesame seeds, and sesame oil thoroughly in a bowl.

7. Serve it with soy sauce.