Miso Stew

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons arame
• 4 1/2 cups water (preferably filtered)
• 1/3 cup quinoa** (1 3/4 oz)
• 1 (1-inch) piece kombu(kelp)
• 1/2 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb firm tofu, cut crosswise into 6 slices and each slice quartered
• 1/2 carrot, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons white miso** (also called shiro miso ; not sweet, preferably white rice and soy miso)
• 1 cup very thinly sliced bok choy or Napa cabbage
• 1 teaspoon tamari** (wheat-free sauce from refined soy), or to taste
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dulse flakes**