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Seaweed has been a mainstay of Asian cooking for a very long time. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation states that seaweed makes up 98 percent of the 35 million metric tonnes sold worldwide annually. However, in Western cooking, a new movement is taking shape: chefs are experimenting more and more with seaweed, adding it to smoothies and soups.
One of the primary factors due to a sudden boom in the popularity of seaweed is its eco-friendly nature. A UN study titled "Seaweed Manifesto" suggested that growing algae might be a way to absorb and store carbon dioxide, one of the main causes of global warming. Seaweed farming is also more sustainable than conventional agriculture because it doesn't require a lot of land or watering.
Seaweed is good for health and the environment. This sea vegetable, regarded as a superfood, is abundant in protein, amino acids, vitamins, and vital minerals such as calcium and iron.
As the trend grows worldwide, these are innovative cooking methods to use seaweed.
Video Credit: YouTube/FirstFruit Kitchen
1. Seaweed Jam
Seaweed jam is a novel option to consider for breakfast. A type of seaweed called miyeok, or "wakame," is available in the chilly waters of the North Pacific Ocean. It becomes a sticky, spreadable jam when boiled with sugar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and soy sauce. Spread it on toast, use it as a dip with seafood, or blend it with butter to use in pan-frying proteins. Seaweed can give the food new flavours and textures. For a long time, it has been an integral component of Korean cooking.
Image Credit: Unsplash
2. Seaweed Soup
A traditional Korean dish, Miyeok-guk is a soup made with miyeok, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and usually beef or any other protein like tofu. While it's a year-round favourite, it's usually offered on birthdays. But these types of soups are not only widespread in Asia. Seaweed, especially alaria (winged kelp), is blended with pumpkin to make a nourishing autumnal soup on the isolated west coast of Ireland.
3. Seaweed Smoothies
Smoothies with seaweed can be surprisingly delicious for breakfast, a midday meal, or an evening treat. It offers a simple and quick method to increase your consumption of important vitamins. The most common smoothie recipe includes ginger, pineapple, spinach, bladderwrack (dark-colored seaweeds with spherical air bladders), and egg wrack.
4. Seaweed And Cheese Butter
Making seaweed cheese and butter is a clever way to highlight the seaweed's flexibility. Sea lettuce and dulse, a long, red algae from the North Atlantic, are mixed into cheese and left to mature for three months. A similar method applies to butter, which may be utilised in various recipes, such as scrambled eggs, or spread on toast. Food experts predict this creative take on seaweed will dispel the myth that it's "slimy and a bit smelly."
5. Japanese Seaweed Salad
This is a simple salad with a tart flavour that goes great with a bowl of soup or sushi. The crunchiness from the seaweed gives a nice texture to the light dishes. What makes this salad so good? It takes less than ten minutes to make! This seaweed salad is a great option for preparing a side dish that will be the talk of the party.
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6. Toasted Seaweed Chips
Want to enjoy the crunch of a chip but not the calories and fats that come with potato options? To sate these cravings, try making toasted seaweed chips. Making these chips only requires a few minutes and three ingredients- yaki nori sheets, tamari or coconut aminos, and sesame oil. Try mixing it up by using different spices. For extra spice, add red pepper flakes, or for a stronger flavour, add garlic powder. Enjoy these chips as an evening treat.
7. Roasted Seaweed Sheets
Roasted seaweed sheets are a classic item. Seaweed chips and this snack are similar, but the squares are bigger and have been roasted. These sheets can be eaten on their own or as a meal by wrapping fish and rice in one sheet. These sheets cook quickly, and the additional work is worthwhile. Try roasting seaweed sheets at home rather than purchasing a pack from the store, they will taste considerably better.
Seaweed is becoming more and more popular in Western cuisine. This is because seaweed can absorb and store carbon dioxide, making it an eco-friendly ingredient for soups, smoothies, and even jams.
