SEAWEED SALAD IN CHINESE
This light and refreshing Chinese Seaweed Salad is perfect for the summer months.
Keeping it in the fridge for a few days will keep it fresher and tastier for longer. That’s why this recipe yields such a significant amount of food!
Dressing for Cold Salad in Chinese
Cold appetizers like these and Chinese Cold Wood Ear Mushroom Salad are our favorites while dining out. Because of the health advantages of seaweed, I always feel good about ordering this for the table.
It’s a superfood that may be grown organically and has a wide range of nutrients. For cold prevention in the winter, we consume seaweed soup, but this excellent seaweed salad is a welcome change in the summer.
HOW MANY TEASPOONS ARE IN THIS RECIPE?
Only two types of seaweed are commonly used in Chinese cuisine, even though there are numerous forms of seaweed.
Seaweed Egg Drop Soup and this recipe both call for kelp (or hidài, zcài), which we use in our laver soup. As a result of its health benefits, seaweed is frequently used as a flavor and nutritional powerhouse in soups.
Kelp turns a considerably darker green—almost black—when dried. In this dish, I used fresh kelp rather than the dried sheets you’re more familiar with. Pre-sliced into long, thin “noodles,” it has a more robust green hue.
Kelp has a salty, oceanic flavor that’s pretty distinct. For this reason, the dressing contains chile, raw garlic, vinegar, and ginger, all quite potent flavors. The wakame seaweed used in Japanese seaweed salads is milder.
MSG was first developed to isolate the umami in kombu/kelp, which is why kelp has a savory umami flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
- 12 oz. of fresh kelp
- 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 3 thin slices of ginger (minced)
- 3 pcs. of Thai chilies (thinly sliced)
- 2 scallions (chopped)
- 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. of Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tsp. of sugar
- 2 tsp. of Chinese black vinegar
- 2 1/2 tbsp. of light soy sauce
- 1 tsp. of oyster sauce
- 1/2-1 tsp. of sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp. of salt
- 1/4 tsp. of five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp. of cilantro (chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil to get started. Simmer the kelp for 5 minutes on medium heat. Take a bucket and fill it up with cold water. Set aside the water when it has been drained entirely. If you want it even drier, you can use a salad spinner.
- Make the sauce or dressing next. The chopped garlic, minced ginger, Thai chilies, and the white sections of the scallions should be arranged in a big heatproof bowl so they are all near each other. As you’ll be sprinkling hot oil over everything, it’s best not to stack them too high.
- Using a small pot or saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of oil and heat it. Over low heat for 10 minutes, add the Sichuan peppercorns and allow them absorb the oil. Peppercorns can burn if they are overcooked.
- Scoop out the peppercorns and heat the oil to a smoky ember before adding them to the dish. Turn off the heat immediately and pour the oil over the aromatics in a heat-resistant bowl. The oil must be heated enough to cause the aromatic compounds to sizzle when they touch.
- To ensure a uniform distribution of heat, carefully whisk the oil. Toss in the five-spice powder, sugar, vinegar and light soy sauce. Stir in the green pieces of the scallions and cilantro into the mixture well.
- Toss the kelp with the dressing and serve. To see if salt is necessary, give it a taste. Serve.