Curried Cabbage & Arame

If you’ve never cooked with arame, this dish is a fantastic introduction. The mild Japanese seaweed has a slightly sweet, ocean flavor that pairs beautifully with curry and cabbage.

A quick soak softens the arame, then it gets sauteed in sesame oil before thinly sliced cabbage, the reserved soaking water, and shoyu join the pan.

Curry powder goes in toward the end so it stays punchy and aromatic rather than cooking out.

The whole thing takes 20 minutes and packs a surprising amount of umami and mineral richness into a simple side dish.

Kitchen Tips

• Save the arame soaking water. It’s full of minerals and adds a subtle sea-brine depth to the sauce that plain water can’t match.
• Add the curry powder late in the cooking, as directed. Early addition mutes the flavor. Stirring it in at the end keeps the spice blend vibrant.
• Arame is available at most natural food stores and Asian markets. It keeps for months in the pantry, so stock up.