Nutritionally speaking, seaweed has the unique ability to absorb concentrated amounts of iodine from the ocean which a human body cannot produce by itself, but requires for healthy thyroid functions.
Seaweed is also an excellent source of micronutrients including folate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and selenium. Low-calorie and nutrient-dense, edible seaweed has long been harvested and consumed in Asian cuisines, particularly those of Japan and Korea.
An essential part of many familiar Japanese dishes from miso soup to sushi rolls, the different varieties of seaweed are more commonly known around the world by their Japanese names. What kind of seaweed goes into the sheets of seasoned crispy seaweed snacks we love so much?
What kind of seaweed makes agar-agar jelly? Which algae is known as the green caviar? We check out six common varieties of seaweed and their food applications. Nori Also known as zicai in Chinese or gim in Korean, nori is perhaps the most recognisable seaweed on this list.
The red seaweed usually comes pressed into thin dried sheets that are dark green or black which we eat as a snack or use to make sushi rolls. Dried or toasted nori sheets absorb moisture easily from the air and should be stored in air-tight containers with a desiccant to prevent it from turning soft. Kombu A member of the kelp family, kombu is the integral ingredient for making dashi , a clear but flavourful stock that is the cornerstone of Japanese cuisine.
This brown seaweed is usually sold dry in in wide strips and reconstituted for dashi, shabu-shabu broth and as a seasoning for sushi rice. A powdered form of kombu is also used to make a Japanese tea called kombucha , not to be mistaken for the trendy fermented probiotic drink of the same name. Umibudo Sea grapes are one of the few seaweed varieties sold fresh rather than dried to preserve the tiny clusters of bubble-like leaves that grow on long stems.
Like caviar, the tiny pearls burst in the mouth when eaten and release the brininess of the sea. Blanching and shocking them in cold water removes the extra salt and in Okinawa they are often enjoyed raw with soya sauce. Hijiki Naturally brown while growing along the rocky coastlines of Japan, Korea and China, hijiki turns black after being boiled and dried for distribution.
In Japan, hijiki is often simmered with vegetables or fish with seasoning like soya sauce and sugar, while in Korea, the seaweed is known as tot and eaten as a seasoned side dish or cooked with rice. Although hijiki contains dietary fibre and minerals like iron, calcium and magnesium, studies have shown that it also contains a high level of inorganic arsenic that can increase risk of cancer. It is advised to consume hijiki only occasionally. Written by Rachel Tan. Dining In Dining In 5 minutes.
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Seaweed is quickly becoming a unique staple ingredient in our food. Known for its umami flavour and as an alternative to salt, Michelin-star chefs have embraced the range of edible seaweeds as an exotic addition to ocean-inspired plates.
Seaweed has long been a significant part of East Asian diets. And for centuries, wild seaweed harvesting has been part of coastal community culture across Northern Europe and the British Isles.
How did they grow and harvest seaweed? Picture a rugged coastline. Local townsfolk wade into the murky seawater among the rocks to hand pick rubbery leaves of dark green and brown. Or in the calm after a storm, they wander along a shoreline gathering washed up seaweed fronds.
Back then, people knew the seasons for picking, and how to use each type of seaweed. In many communities, women would take the lead in gathering seaweed for food to sell locally. Today, harvesting wild seaweed contributes to the majority of seaweed production in Europe, with the largest producers being in France, Norway, Ireland, Iceland and Russia.
In Ireland, 10, wet tonnes of seaweed are gathered each year from a single beach in Cork. In 19th century Ireland, seaweed was gathered and dried for use in flans, tonic and beer, and was even thought to have medicinal properties. But traditional methods of gathering wild seaweed is by its nature unreliable. The work is labour intensive and costly.
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