Hijiki to konsai no itameni / hijiki seaweed and root vegetables in broth

<Ingredients>

(4 servings)

20 g hijiki seaweed
15 cm gobo burdock root
1/2 carrot (1 small carrot)
5 cm renkon lotus root
1/6 or 1/8 konnyaku
Several green beans
200-300 cc dashi
1 tbsp sake and mirin in combination
1/2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce


<Directions>
1.

Soak hijiki in water for 20 minutes (or lukewarm water for 10 minutes).

Drain when hydrated.






2.

Skin lotus root and gobo, and rangiri cut into rough pyramid pieces.
Immediately soak in cold water.

Rangiri cut carrot.
With a spoon, cut konnyaku into matching size.
Cut green beans into matching size.

Drain lotus root and gobo.






3.

Heat sesame oil in a pot, put gobo, the firmest vegetable, and saute.

Add and saute carrot, lotus root and konnyaku in that order.

4.

Add hijiki and saute.

Add dashi, sake & mirin, brown sugar and 1/2 to 2/3 of specified amount of soy sauce, and cook on medium-low heat.

When liquid is reduced to 1/3, taste and add soy sauce as necessary.

Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes or until beans become tender.


<Notes>

• For mirin and sake combination, use less mirin than sake, such as 1 part mirin and 2 parts sake. Mirin can make dishes very sweet. 
• If brighter green (beans) is desired, make green bean or pea ohitashi and add before serving.