Ingredients

2 tablespoons arame, soaked in 1 cup filtered water in a small bowl

2 ½ cups water

½ medium onion, chopped into large pieces

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 large or 2 small purple potatoes, thinly sliced crosswise

½ lb firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 carrot, halved lengthwise, grated into long strips with veggie peeler

5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced

1 (1-inch) piece kombu

1 package of enoki mushrooms, stems discarded

½ - 1 tablespoon Shiromiso (white miso) to taste

1 cup very thinly sliced bok choy

1 teaspoon tamari to taste

1 scallion, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon dulse flakes

Preparation

  1. Cook purple potatoes in 1 tablespoon of oil in 3-quart saucepan over moderate heat till tender and crispy on the outside, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer into bowl and set aside.
  2. Sauté onion in 2 teaspoons of oil in the same 3-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Stir frequently until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook just enough to emit a fragrance, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add tofu, carrot, shiitakes, kombu and 2 ½ cups water. Simmer until carrot is tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat.
  4. Put miso in a small bowl and add 1/4 cup (cooled) stew liquid, mixing until miso is more liquid. Stir into stew a little at time, to taste. Note: do not allow the miso to come to a full boil. Adding miso to preparations after they have cooled, preserves the flavor and nutritional value.
  5. Drain and rinse arame and add to stew along with bok choy, tamari, enoki mushrooms stirring to combine.
  6. Serve right away. Sprinkle with scallion, dulse flakes and a few slices of purple potato. Note: purple potatoes are naturally purple and contain the same antioxidant that give blueberries their brilliant color.