EASY RECIPE: Moroheiya Bonito Side Dish

We chanced upon Moroheiya on one of our work trips to Japan and were intrigued by the texture -- much like Spinach, but less stringey and has the slimy and sticky consistency of cooked okra!

The Obasan from the store we were at explained that she used Moroheiya instead of Spinach because they use it at home too and they prefer it over Spinach for its higher nutritional value. 

We've never heard of Moroheiya, so we looked it up and read about all its wonderful properties and decided to bring it to Zairyo!

You can prepare it as you do with normal Spinach, the Moroheiya we carry is conveniently processed without the stems (which are usually removed as they are too hard to chew on) so you can cook it as is. 

They also come frozen in 10G blocks like these so it's easy for portioning!!!

This easy recipe requires a maximum of 5 minutes to prepare and cook. We'd usually make a big batch of this dish and portion them into little tubs for the week as it can be enjoyed hot or cold!

Ingredients:

170G of Moroheiya (17 blocks)

Katsuobushi Bonito Flakes, a handful? Or however much you like.

Shio Kombu (optional), approx 1/2 tbsp

Soy Sauce, approx 2 tbsp (adjust accordingly to preference) OR Tsuyu

Salt 

Steps:

1. Thaw Moroheiya in room temperature tap water for about a minute then drain water once thawed. While waiting, bring a pot of water to a boil.

2. Once the pot comes to a boil. add Moroheiya and boil for about 30~40 seconds.

3. Take it off the heat, strain and chill boiled Moroheiya in cold water or running tap water.  Do not wash too much.

4. Drain water and squeeze the excess liquid from the Moroheiya with your hands.

5. Sprinkle bonito flakes and Shio Kombu on squeezed Moroheiya and sprinkle with soy sauce. Mix well! 

Once you are done, you can serve it warm or cold. Keep in chiller for up to 3~4 days!