How to Use Seaweed

Seaweed has been a staple of Asian diets for centuries but reaches most Westerners through its inclusion in sushi. According to authors Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras, seaweed has some cancer fighting abilities and helps regulate hormonal cycles. The prominent types of seaweed available for purchase in the United States are nori, the sheets of seaweed typically used for sushi, and wakame, the seaweed used in traditional miso soup. Use seaweed to create a fresh Asian salad or to whip up a batch of Korean birthday soup (Miyeok Guk).

Things You'll Need

• Seaweed Salad:
• 1 oz. dried seaweed, cut into half inch strips
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 small apple, diced
• 1 tbsp. pomegranate seeds
• Seaweed Soup:
• 1/3 cup dried brown seaweed
• Skillet
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2/3 cup beef, cooked and sliced
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ginger, minced
• 4 tbsp. soy sauce

Instructions

Seaweed Salad

1. Fill a small bowl with warm water. Place 1 oz. of seaweed in the water and let soak for five minutes. Pour out the water from the bowl and squeeze out the excess water in the seaweed strips.

2. Combine 2 tbsp. each of rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl. Stir in 1 tsp. sugar and 1/4 tsp. ground ginger.

3. Combine in a serving bowl the seaweed strips, diced apple and the vinegar dressing. Toss to combine. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Seaweed Soup

1. Fill a small bowl with cold water. Place 1/3 cup of seaweed in the bowl and allow to soak for five minutes. Drain the water and squeeze excess water from the seaweed. Cut seaweed into bite-sized pieces.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. of sesame oil in a skillet. Cook scallions in the oil for three minutes. Add in the 2/3 cup of chopped beef, salt and pepper. Add in seaweed and cook for three minutes.

3. Add 4 cups of water to the pan. Increase heat until the water boils and allow the mixture to boil for 10 minutes, until the seaweed has cooked. Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp. of ginger and 4 tbsp. soy sauce. Cook for two more minutes and serve hot.

References

• Epicurious: Seaweed Salad Recipe
• My Korean Kitchen: Brown Seaweed Soup
• Discovery: Cook with Foods that Fight Cancer- Seaweed