Moroheiya Ohitashi (Jute Leaves with Bonito Flakes)
モロヘイヤのおひたし · Moroheiya no Ohitashi
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Ohitashi is one of the most basic Japanese side dishes: greens are briefly boiled, squeezed, and lightly seasoned with soy sauce. Here the star is moroheiya, the nutrient-rich summer green also known as jute leaves or mulukhiyah, which turns pleasantly silky once cooked and chopped. Pairing it with familiar spinach softens the flavor and texture, and a scattering of savory bonito flakes is what wins children over. It is a light, fresh way to get plenty of leafy greens onto a small plate.
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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
- 37.5 gspinach
- 30 gmoroheiya (jute leaves)A nutrient-rich leafy green, also called molokhia, that turns slightly slippery when cooked. Substitute: Spinach or other tender leafy greens.
- 0.9 gkatsuobushi (bonito flakes)Paper-thin flakes of dried, smoked bonito used for dashi and as a savory topping. Substitute: Omit, or a pinch of instant dashi powder.
Seasonings
- 1.8 gsoy sauce
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- moroheiya (jute leaves) (モロヘイヤ)
- A nutrient-rich leafy green, also called molokhia, that turns slightly slippery when cooked. Substitute: Spinach or other tender leafy greens.
- katsuobushi (bonito flakes) (かつお節)
- Paper-thin flakes of dried, smoked bonito used for dashi and as a savory topping. Substitute: Omit, or a pinch of instant dashi powder.
Directions
- 1
Cut the spinach into 2 to 3 cm lengths. For the moroheiya, separate the leaves from the thick central stems; cut the leaves into 2 to 3 cm widths, discard the lower 1/2 to 1/3 of the thick stems, and cut the remaining stems into 2 cm pieces.
- 2
Boil the spinach and the moroheiya separately, then rinse under cold running water and leave to cool.
- 3
Squeeze the greens well to remove the water, then toss with the soy sauce and katsuobushi (bonito flakes).
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 21 kcal | 42 kcal | 21 kcal |
| Protein | 3.2 g | 6.3 g | 3.2 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.8 g | 3.6 g | 1.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Calcium | 96 mg | 192 mg | 96 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 21 kcal | 3.2 g | 0.3 g | 1.8 g | 0.3 g | 96 mg | 1.2 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 42 kcal | 6.3 g | 0.6 g | 3.6 g | 0.6 g | 192 mg | 2.4 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.
