Miso'ed Vegetables with Brown Rice |
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The wakame stock and miso lend incredible depth to the vegetables in this recipe. It’s truly a magical transformation. The secret is the umami from the miso and seaweed laden stock, and also from the mushroom and sesame seeds. The recipe is almost ripped off from Ottolenghi’s Plenty More, but I’ve include by own modifications plus extra tips here for cooking perfect brown rice - not mention preparing your own dashi using your harvested Atlantic wakame.
Ingredients:
(Serves four) Small bunch Atlantic Wakame, dried (5 g) (or store bought dried Japanese wakame, kombu, or dashi stock powder) 2 tbsp red miso paste 1 1/2 tbsp mirin 1 1/2 tbsp tamari soy sauce 1 tsp demerara sugar, finely ground Small bunch broccolini, heads broken into small florets, soft part of stalks thinly sliced (optional) 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks 1 cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks Small bunch cilantro, leaves picked 1 handful snow peas (about 50g), cut into thin matchsticks 2 handfuls choice mushrooms (about 170g), chopped roughly 1 1/2 cups (225g) brown rice 1 tbsp canola oil Optional: Ottolenghi's black sesame dressing: 4 1/2 tbsp (40g) peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped 1 1/2 tbsp (15g) black sesame seeds (white work fine, too!) 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp peanut oil 1/2 tsp chile flakes |
Start with the rice. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and leave aside to drain. Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a medium saucepan and when hot, add the drained rice. Stir to coat all the rice in the oil, and then add 2 3/4 cups water. It'll sizzle nicely. Boil rapidly for about 1 minute and add 1/2 tsp of salt. Give it a stir, turn down the heat to low, then cover with the lid and leave the rice to cook while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
If you're making the dressing, toast the peanuts on a dry skillet and set aside to cool.
Prepare 1 1/2 cups dashi stock according to package instructions. Or, if making from scratch from your harvested wakame, boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a small saucepan add the dried wakame. Take off the heat, cover, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the mirin, miso, and soy sauce. If making the dressing, in a separate bowl mix rice vinegar, maple syrup, and peanut oil. Stir in the toasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and chile and set aside. Now return to the wakame stock. Strain it so that you preserve the liquids (you can discard the wakame). Return the stock to the saucepan and place on low heat. Add the miso mixture and the sugar a stir gently just to combine.
Bring the stock to a gentle simmer and add the broccolini and broccolini stems, if using. Cover and let it boil for 1 minute. Add the carrot, cover, and simmer for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, cover, and boil for another minute. Add the snow peas and boil for another minute. Finally, add the cucumber and boil for just 15 seconds.
Divide the rice into four bowls and top with the vegetables. Spoon the cooking liquid over the top, followed by the black sesame dressing. Top with cilantro and serve.
If you're making the dressing, toast the peanuts on a dry skillet and set aside to cool.
Prepare 1 1/2 cups dashi stock according to package instructions. Or, if making from scratch from your harvested wakame, boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a small saucepan add the dried wakame. Take off the heat, cover, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the mirin, miso, and soy sauce. If making the dressing, in a separate bowl mix rice vinegar, maple syrup, and peanut oil. Stir in the toasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and chile and set aside. Now return to the wakame stock. Strain it so that you preserve the liquids (you can discard the wakame). Return the stock to the saucepan and place on low heat. Add the miso mixture and the sugar a stir gently just to combine.
Bring the stock to a gentle simmer and add the broccolini and broccolini stems, if using. Cover and let it boil for 1 minute. Add the carrot, cover, and simmer for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, cover, and boil for another minute. Add the snow peas and boil for another minute. Finally, add the cucumber and boil for just 15 seconds.
Divide the rice into four bowls and top with the vegetables. Spoon the cooking liquid over the top, followed by the black sesame dressing. Top with cilantro and serve.