Seaweed

[Mebutter]

I'm working on a story for the Tribune on seaweed. It's sort of a primer: types available, how to work with seaweed, health benefits (but just a little on that) and recipes.

I'm curious to find Chicago area folks who cook/eat/love the various forms of seaweed out there. And does anyone have a good recipe for hijiki?

Now don't be shy...e-Gullet is all family

I'd like to try and get this story finished in the next two weeks, so if you have something to say about seaweed - favorite type, best recipe, biggest seaweed screw up and where you like to buy it - please let me know.

Write back to me here.

All the best,

Bill Daley

Chicago Tribune

[Maureen B. Fant]

I'm working on a story for the Tribune on seaweed. It's sort of a primer: types available, how to work with seaweed, health benefits (but just a little on that) and recipes.

... if you have something to say about seaweed - favorite type, best recipe, biggest seaweed screw up and where you like to buy it - please let me know.

Write back to me here.

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It's too much of a coincidence that I've been banging my head against a seaweed problem all week, so I'll add it to your post. Maybe it will jog something useful for you.

I'm translating a couple of very idiosyncratic and complicated recipes by an extremely imaginative and learned Sicilian chef (I feel I shouldn't post his details at the moment, but will post the link to the recipe as soon as it's online).

The recipe in question is for a lightly smoked fish with a very complicated garnish of fruits and seafood (and thank you, I will accept suggestions for how to respect in English the Italian play on frutti di mare and frutti di terra). In the ingredient list for the garnish, he calls for "a bunch of fresh seaweed of the species Gigartina tedii." He fails to deal with it in the method, so I assume it is purely decoraative (but I will ask). My Googling has turned up merely that it is probably red and possibly related to Irish moss. Logic suggests it is available at the Catania fish market.

Of even less use to you is my memory of my grandmother, who grew up on the west coast of Ireland, recognizing edible seaweed on Cape Cod. I could possibly try to press my mother's memory on this.

[kbjesq]

I'd like to try and get this story finished in the next two weeks, so if you have something to say about seaweed - favorite type, best recipe, biggest seaweed screw up and where you like to buy it - please let me know.

←

I'm not from Chicago, I'm presently from Florida by way of New England, so I hope you don't mind my butting in here. I'm glad that you are writing an article about seaweed. Seaweed is a sadly neglected vegetable here in the U.S.

Hijiki! Mmmm. Soak in a saucepan with water to cover for 10 minutes, then add a splash of sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and mirin if you have it or a bit of sugar if you don't. Add a few thinly sliced carrots and simmer for 10-15 minutes until most of the water is gone.

We were just talking about Dulse on another thread. Dulse is finely chopped and used by many folks as a seasoning. But I like to eat it like potato chips by spreading it on an oiled baking sheet (after rinsing and squeezing dry) and toasting in a low oven until dry and crunchy. You can add a sprinkling of grated cheese and run it under the broiler for a nacho effect.

Reasons to eat seaweed: It's very nutrious, but low in calories. There's plenty of it. It is relatively inexpensive (depending on where you buy it). It's easy to store and prepare. It tastes great.

Reasons not to eat seaweed: ??

Best place to buy seaweed: Asian markets or healthfood stores. The latter typically have much higher prices.

Biggest seaweed screw up: Serving it to my former in-laws, who were shocked and appalled, based on their expressions, and refused to even taste it. Oh well.

[djyee100]

I've never had much to do with seaweed outside of a sushi bar, but recently I was reading Barbara Tropp's The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, which includes a recipe for Shrimp Rolls With Crisp Seaweed. These are rolls of shrimp paste wrapped in nori seaweed and then deep-fried. I haven't made this recipe yet, though I bought the seaweed yesterday.

One of my friends once tried many different kinds of dried seaweed while discussing it with a Japanese exchange student. My friend was very sick the next day. Too much of a good thing? In any case, I wonder how digestible seaweed is.

[LindsayAnn]

I am in chicago! All I know is I am obsessed with seaweed salad...I haven't made it as I fear I would screw it up. I get it from sushi/chinesse restaurants. The seaweed is mixed with viniger, soy sauce (some times), seseame seeds, oil, amoung other things too...it all depends on the place you go....

I love it. Its served cold. The best place I have found seaweed salad at is Chens in Wrigley (on Clark, just a few step south of addison - right by the cubs stadium). I LOVE CHENS seaweed salad. Holy moly.....mmmmm

So - like Djyee100, I am wonder how digestable is it. I have eaten it a lot in the past 3 weeks...is this bad on my digestive system? Hmm/....if you know PLEASE speak up!

Also - what are the nutrition stats? Is this healthy (And I already know seaweed salad is LOADED with sodium! Not the seaweed, but the other stuff its mixed with in the 'seaweed salad'.

[LindsayAnn]

Anyone? Seaweed? Regarding the digestability (sp!?) and nutritional stats of seawwed

(Or, for me and my inquiring mind, particularly seaweed salads digestability and nutritional stats?)...

Please chime in if you know (or think you know)....I am really curious about this now that it has been brought up and I keep checking back hoping people have chimmed in but I see nothing ....booo I am sad!