Wakame Rice is a popular mixed rice dish in Japan, enjoyed by both children and adults. Its mildly salty flavor is addictive, and it is also packed with nutrients.
While wakame seaweed is a staple ingredient in Japan, I know that seaweed itself is not widely consumed in many countries. Indeed, the dark appearance of wakame may not be appetizing, but it is highly nutritious, healthy, and tastes really delicious when eaten with rice.
This time I will share a wakame recipe that might challenge your preconceptions. Trust me, you will like it!
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What is Wakame Rice?
Wakame Rice is a simple rice dish made by seasoning rice with sake, salt, and mirin, and adding wakame seaweed. The aroma of the ocean stimulates your appetite, and the mildly salty flavor is irresistible.
Wakame is highly nutritious, so it is called the "vegetable of the sea" in Japan, and it is an ingredient that should be incorporated into your daily meals as often as possible. With wakame rice, you can enjoy and easily consume wakame in a delicious way.
Nutrition benefits of wakame
Wakame seaweed is not only low in carbohydrates and fats, but is also rich in dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. In particular, it is abundant in alginic acid, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and iodine. This is why wakame is called the "vegetable of the sea," in Japan, and its main benefits include the following.
- Improves stomach health and lowers cholesterol levels.
- Boosts metabolism.
- Regulates blood pressure levels.
- Strengthens bones and teeth.
A favorite at Japanese school lunches
Since Japan is an island nation, wakame seaweed is easily accessible, and due to its high nutritional value, wakame rice has been a staple in school lunches for a long time.
If you have the opportunity to serve a meal to someone who has studied at a Japanese elementary or middle school, I highly recommend trying this recipe. They are sure to be delighted and reminisce about the old days.
Cooking tools
The tool required to make wakame rice is the same as the one needed to cook regular Japanese white rice: a pot or a rice cooker. In Japan, while most households have a rice cooker, outside of Japan, few households own one. Therefore, I will share a recipe using a pot here.
Please refer to this page for information on "How to cook Japanese Rice using a pot."
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz. (150g) or ¾ cup (180ml) Japanese short-grain rice
- 1 Tbsp (0.07oz./2g) dried wakame (If you use salted wakame, you will need about 12 times the amount of dried wakame.)
- ¾ cup (180ml) water (for rice)
- ½ Tbsp sake (A)
- ½ Tbsp mirin (A)
- ¾ tsp salt (A)
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 1 hr
Step 1
Rehydrate the dried wakame in water and then cut it into 0.2-0.4 inch (5-10 mm) cubes.
Step 2
Place a sieve over a bowl, add the rice, and rinse it with water (not included in the recipe). Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time.
Step 3
Soak the rinsed rice in water (amount indicated in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4
Add A (sake, mirin, salt) to the pot and stir.
Step 5
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or slightly longer for larger quantities (11 minutes for 4 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).
Step 6
Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
Step 7
Remove the lid, then add the wakame to the rice and mix.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. However, refrigeration will cause the rice to harden, so freezing is recommended.
Tips on how to make
Wakame seaweed should be mixed in after the rice is cooked. By not cooking the wakame and rice together, you can maintain the texture of the wakame.
Recipe Card
Wakame Rice
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz. (150g) or ¾ cup (180ml) Japanese short-grain rice
- 1 Tbsp (0.07oz./2g) dried wakame (If you use salted wakame, you will need about 12 times the amount of dried wakame.)
- ¾ cup (180ml) water (for rice)
- ½ Tbsp sake (A)
- ½ Tbsp mirin (A)
- ¾ tsp salt (A)
Instructions
- Rehydrate the dried wakame in water and then cut it into 0.2-0.4 inch (5-10 mm) cubes.
- Place a sieve over a bowl, add the rice, and rinse it with water (not included in the recipe). Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time.
- Soak the rinsed rice in water (amount indicated in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
- Add A (sake, mirin, salt) to the pot and stir.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or slightly longer for larger quantities (11 minutes for 4 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).
- Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
- Remove the lid, then add the wakame to the rice and mix.
Notes
- If you use salted wakame, you will need about 12 times the amount of dried wakame.
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. However, refrigeration will cause the rice to harden, so freezing is recommended.
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