Glossary - Ingredients

Hijiki seaweed

Seaweed rich in calcium & other nutrients

Details

Hijiki seaweed is another variety of seaweed similar to wakame, and is often cooked with soybeans and "aburaage" (thin deep-fried tofu). Frequently sold in stores in its dried form, it must be rehydrated and then cooked before eating. This seaweed is often used in salads or mixed with rice before steaming. The small, soft buds are called "mehijiki", and the long, chewy stems are called "nagahijiki".

Nutrition

Rich in many minerals including calcium, hijiki also contains soluble fiber which helps remove excess fats and salt from the body. Dietary fibers can also suppress spikes in blood sugar after eating.

Storage

Dried hijiki can be stored at room temperature and low humidity in an airtight container or bag to preserve flavor.

Trivia

Hijiki contains water-soluble arsenic. By soaking hijiki in water, discarding the water, bringing it to a boil, discarding the water again and rinsing with water before cooking, you can remove approximately 90% of this element.