3 Fun Uses of Seaweed in Your Cooking

When you think seaweed, sushi comes to mind. Or perhaps miso soup. Find out here on other ways to have fun using seaweeds to spice up your cooking!

Do you know that seaweed is one of the most nutritionally dense plants in the world? Surviving in the sea means being able to absorb all kinds of nutrients from the ocean, which means it contains plenty of minerals.

Seaweed can help in detox as its rich chlorophyll content is a natural detoxifying agent. Its alkaline compound helps balance your body’s pH level by neutralising the acidic effect from many modern-day food. In addition, it has much higher calcium level than milk or beef! So let’s get started in treating our body with seaweed in your cooking.

#1 Seaweed Salad

seaweed salad

Healthy and refreshing, here’s one of the easiest seaweed recipe of the day.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • a handful of dehydrated wakame
  • 2 tbsp of sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp of japanese rice vinegar
  • ½ a shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp of roasted sesame
  • pinch of sugar
  • salt to taste

Steps:

  • Soak the wakame in cold water and let it expand for around 6-8 minutes.
  • For the dressing, mix the sesame oil, japanese rice vinegar, shallot, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
  • Drain the expanded wakame, and toss it with the dressing and roasted sesame.
  • Your salad is now ready to be served. You might want to refrigerate it should you prefer it chilled.

#2 Seaweed Risotto with Shiitake Mushroom

This dish is inspired from an entrée in a French restaurant near Montmarte while dining with a good old friend. Here’s my version:

Ingredients (serves 2-3):

  • 1 cup of barley/risotto rice
  • 2 shallots, chopped finely
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cups of vegetable stock
  • 2 sheets of nori, toasted and shredded
  • 3 tbsp of olive oil
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 4-5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 25g of unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp of light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar
  • emmental and parmesan cheese, grated (amount depends on how cheesy you like your risotto)

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil, then add in the shallots, garlic, onions and sea salt and stir until the onion softens.
  • Add in the barley/ risotto and stir until all ingredients are mixed well.
  • Add the vegetable stock 1 cup at a time, let the barley/risotto slowly absorb the liquid. Make sure between adding a new cup, stir to avoid the ingredients at the bottom of the pan from burning.
  • To prepare the shiitake, heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan. Melt the butter in it.
  • Add the shiitake, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce and stir for 6-8 minutes. Then remove from the heat.
  • Once the barley/risotto is tender, remove the saucepan from the flame, and stir in the emmental and parmesan cheese. When it is well-mixed, stir in the seaweed.
  • To serve, spoon the risotto into a bowl then spoon the shiitake on top before serving.

#3 Crispy Seaweed as Snacks

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Back in Malaysia, seaweed snacks are very popular. Here is a simple recipe on how to make them.

Ingredients:

  • 100g of tempura flour
  • 200ml of sparkling water
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • granola/ sunflower oil for deep-frying
  • Nori seaweed toasted sheets, cut into squares (5x5cm)

Steps:

  • In a mixing bowl, add the tempura flour and baking soda, and slowly whisk in the sparkling water to form a batter.
  • In a dry wok/deep-fat frying, start heating up the oil up to 190C.
  • Dip the seaweed squares into the batter, and one by one, lower them into the hot oil.
  • When they turn golden brown, remove them onto a frying basket laid with kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
  • Continue until you finish frying all the seaweeds.

Now you can have crispy seaweed instead of popcorns while watching your TV shows!

Once you try these recipes, you will realise how yummy food with seaweed can be! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

Cover photo: www.mummyicancook.com

About the author

Michelle WY

An adventurous foodie lost in one of the gastronomic capitals of the world and loving every moment of it! I like to cook too, making my adventures in France very fun and enjoyable as I eat, taste then try or innovate recipes to share with you! My motto: Diet starts Tomorrow!

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