Hijiki Tamagoyaki (Baked Japanese Omelet with Hijiki)
ひじき入り卵焼き · Hijiki-iri Tamagoyaki
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Tamagoyaki is the sweet-savory Japanese omelet found in bento boxes everywhere, and this version folds in simmered hijiki seaweed, carrot and green peas so children get their vegetables and seaweed in one soft, colorful bite. Instead of rolling it in a pan, we bake the whole thing on a sheet tray in the oven, the way we do in preschool kitchens, so the texture is even and it can simply be cut into squares. The hijiki and carrot are simmered in dashi with a little sugar and mirin first, which gives the omelet a mild, gently sweet flavor that even picky eaters take to.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ghijiki seaweedA dark, thin dried seaweed that is soaked before cooking and often simmered with vegetables. Substitute: Dried arame or wakame seaweed; the flavor will be milder.
- 13.5 gcarrot
- 3 gfrozen green peas
- 75 gegg
Seasonings
- 1.5 gvegetable oil
- 15 gbonito and kombu dashiJapanese soup stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu kelp, the everyday base for soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a light vegetable or chicken stock.
- 1 gsugar
- 0.3 gsalt
- 1 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- hijiki seaweed (ひじき)
- A dark, thin dried seaweed that is soaked before cooking and often simmered with vegetables. Substitute: Dried arame or wakame seaweed; the flavor will be milder.
- bonito and kombu dashi (かつお・昆布だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock made from dried bonito flakes and kombu kelp, the everyday base for soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a light vegetable or chicken stock.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
- 1
Soak the hijiki in water to rehydrate it. Cut the carrot into short, thin matchsticks and thaw the green peas.
- 2
Heat the oil in a pot and stir-fry the hijiki and carrot. Add the dashi and seasonings and simmer.
- 3
Turn off the heat and stir in the beaten egg and green peas.
- 4
Pour the mixture onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 136.5 kcal | 273 kcal | 136.5 kcal |
| Protein | 9.6 g | 19.2 g | 9.6 g |
| Fat | 9.1 g | 18.3 g | 9.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.9 g | 7.8 g | 3.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 54 mg | 108 mg | 54 mg |
| Iron | 1.4 mg | 2.7 mg | 1.4 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 136.5 kcal | 9.6 g | 9.1 g | 3.9 g | 0.8 g | 54 mg | 1.4 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 273 kcal | 19.2 g | 18.3 g | 7.8 g | 1.5 g | 108 mg | 2.7 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
