Arame with Sunflower Seeds, Chives and Mustard

2 handfuls of arame, rinsed, drained and soaked in water just to cover
3/4 cup apple juice and 3/4 cup water
1 cup sunflower seeds
1-2 tsp. shoyu
1 tsp wasabi mustard
1/2 cup finely chopped chives

1. Drain the arame and put in pan. Add apple juice/water mix...just to cover. Simmer with the lid off for 15 minutes.
2. While the arame is cooking, warm up a cast iron skillet. Quickly rinse the sunflower seeds in cold water, strain and toast on the warm skillet until golden. Stirring constantly.
3. When golden, remove seeds from the skillet and crush 1/2 of them in a suribachi or coffee grinder. Garnish with the other 1/2.
4. When the liquid is almost gone from the arame, season with the shoyu and cook 1 minute more. Add the crushed sunflower seeds, chives and 1 tsp. Wasabi Mustard and serve.

---

Wow. This was delicious. One of my favorite all time recipes. Cooking the arame in fruit juice removes the fishy flavor, so the result is sweet and nutty and with a more complex flavor from the mustard and chives. I spread the leftovers on rice cakes for a snack, or on toast for a breakfast to go.
(I substituted pear juice because I still feel the same way I did when I was 5 - apple juice is icky!)