A Recipe: Hijiki & Barley Salad

In search of recipes that use hijiki, a seaweed or sea vegetable used in Japanese cooking, I found a barley, edamame, & hijiki salad recipe by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen. I adapted the recipe with hulled barely, more miso, and punch of lemon zest as I prefer a stronger citrus taste, must be all those years in Florida. It's more fusion than Japanese, but it's very tasty and it has a nice crunch not to mention plenty of health benefits.

This recipe evolved because I wanted to teach students recipes that use hijiki. I was glad for the students and glad for the push to search out and find a new recipe. Cooking class is not about recipes, it's more about slowing down and making time to cook together. Try cooking class, not because you like the recipes, but because playing with food is fun and it fuels the creative spirit, for both of us. You will learn something to takeaway beyond the recipes.

The world gives and the world gets. Here, take, and pass it along, my version of Hijiki & Barley Salad:

Hijiki with Barley Salad and Miso-Ponzu Dressing

Adapted from Deb Kahakai Kitchen

Serves 4 to 5

Salad Ingredients

Cooked Hulled Barley, 1 cup

Cooked Edamame, 1 cup

Dried Hijiki, 5 gm/~2 Tbsp (rehydrate by soaking in water)

Carrot, 1 medium, julienned

Seedless Cucumber, ½ or 1 small, julienned (if it has seeds, remove them)

Sesame seeds, 2 Tbsp, toasted

Miso Dressing (see recipe below)

arugula or spinach to serve salad on (optional)

Miso Dressing

White miso, 3 Tbsp

Olive Oil, 1/3 cup

Rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp

Ponzu, 2 Tbsp

Lemon juice & zest, 2 Tbsp of juice & zest

Fresh Ginger, 1 Tbsp minced or ground

Sesame oil, 1 Tbsp

Black Pepper, several cranks or ¼ tsp

What to Do

1. Soak (overnight) hulled barley. Rinse, cover in 2-inches of water, and cook in until tender at a lower simmer, about 35 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool down.
2. Cook edamame according to package instructions (I used frozen), drain, set aside.
3. Rehydrate hijiki in a bowl of water until tender, about 15 minutes. 
4. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over low flame, about 3 minutes, stirring the seeds or shaking the pan to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Prep vegetables. 
6. Whisk together dressing ingredients, adjust to taste; set aside.
7. Combine barley, edamame, hijiki, carrot, cucumber and sesame seeds in a bowl. Add about half of the dressing and mix gently but thoroughly. Adjust to taste, adding more dressing as needed.
8. Place arugula or spinach on a serving plate and top with hijiki mix. Serve cold or at room temperature with extra dressing.

Happy cooking!

Hijiki Barley Salad

In search of recipes that use hijiki, a seaweed or sea vegetable used in Japanese cooking, I found a barley, edamame, & hijiki salad recipe by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen. I adapted the recipe with hulled barely, more miso, and punch of lemon zest as I prefer a stronger citrus taste, must be all those years in Florida. It's more fusion than Japanese, but it's very tasty and it has a nice crunch not to mention plenty of health benefits.

This recipe evolved because I wanted to teach students recipes that use hijiki. I was glad for the students and glad for the push to search out and find a new recipe. Cooking class is not about recipes, it's more about slowing down and making time to cook together. Try cooking class, not because you like the recipes, but because playing with food is fun and it fuels the creative spirit, for both of us. You will learn something to takeaway beyond the recipes.

The world gives and the world gets. Here, take, and pass it along, my version of Hijiki & Barley Salad:

Hijiki with Barley Salad and Miso-Ponzu Dressing

Adapted from Deb Kahakai Kitchen

Serves 4 to 5

Salad Ingredients

Cooked Hulled Barley, 1 cup

Cooked Edamame, 1 cup

Dried Hijiki, 5 gm/~2 Tbsp (rehydrate by soaking in water)

Carrot, 1 medium, julienned

Seedless Cucumber, ½ or 1 small, julienned (if it has seeds, remove them)

Sesame seeds, 2 Tbsp, toasted

Miso Dressing (see recipe below)

arugula or spinach to serve salad on (optional)

Miso Dressing

White miso, 3 Tbsp

Olive Oil, 1/3 cup

Rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp

Ponzu, 2 Tbsp

Lemon juice & zest, 2 Tbsp of juice & zest

Fresh Ginger, 1 Tbsp minced or ground

Sesame oil, 1 Tbsp

Black Pepper, several cranks or ¼ tsp

What to Do

1. Soak (overnight) hulled barley. Rinse, cover in 2-inches of water, and cook in until tender at a lower simmer, about 35 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool down.
2. Cook edamame according to package instructions (I used frozen), drain, set aside.
3. Rehydrate hijiki in a bowl of water until tender, about 15 minutes. 
4. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over low flame, about 3 minutes, stirring the seeds or shaking the pan to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Prep vegetables. 
6. Whisk together dressing ingredients, adjust to taste; set aside.
7. Combine barley, edamame, hijiki, carrot, cucumber and sesame seeds in a bowl. Add about half of the dressing and mix gently but thoroughly. Adjust to taste, adding more dressing as needed.
8. Place arugula or spinach on a serving plate and top with hijiki mix. Serve cold or at room temperature with extra dressing.

Happy cooking!

Hijiki Barley Salad