Arame in Apple Juice

Arame is a large leaf sea vegetable, finely shredded and boiled before being dried and packaged for sale. Because it is precooked, it requires far less cooking time than other sea vegetables. One of the milder-tasting sea plants, it is a great source of protein and minerals like calcium and potassium. In the orient, it’s reputed to be healing and nourishing to the sexual organs.

Ingredients

• 1 package of arame sea vegetable, rinsed (not soaked)
• 1 to 1 ½ cups of apple juice
• 1 to 2 t soy sauce
• 1 to 2 t umeboshi vinegar
• 1 small bunch of greens, such as mizuna, spring greens, etc. (steamed or fresh)
• Lemon peel for garnish
• Sunflower seeds for garnish, toasted

Instructions

1. Put the arame into a colander and check for sea shells or rocks.
2. Rinse the arame briefly and then put into a large frying pan.
3. Add the apple juice and bring to a gentle boil.
4. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the arame starts to turn brown in color.
5. Add the soy sauce and umeboshi vinegar. The taste should remain sweet, not salty.
6. Cover and simmer for about 5 more minutes.
7. Place the greens on a platter and top with the arame. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and lemon peel.

Yields 4-5 servings

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