Sea vegetables, or kelp, are types of algae used in Asian cooking and can be consumed as food. They vary in flavor and may contain cancer-fighting nutrients. They are sold dried and need to be rehydrated before use. They can be used in soups, stir-fries, and as a side dish.
Sea vegetables, also commonly called kelp, are types of algae that grow in bodies of water and can be consumed as food. They are an important ingredient in Asian cooking but are not as widely consumed in the cuisines of other cultures. Different varieties of vegetables can vary significantly in flavor, ranging from very mild to extremely salty. While many believe they contain nutrients that may help prevent cancer, this claim has not been conclusively proven. While there are sea vegetable supplements on the market, the vegetables themselves can be cooked and used in a variety of dishes, as well as eaten as a snack.
When cooking with sea vegetables, it is generally recommended to reduce the total amount of salt used in the recipe. When using a particularly salty variety, such as dulse, any additional salt can be ruled out entirely. Greens are thought to pair well with a range of flavors, such as soy sauce, ginger, citrus, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, and kale.
Since most commercially available sea vegetable products are sold dried, they need to be rehydrated before using in dishes. They are typically sold in sheets which can be cut into thin strips before use. The exact amount of rehydration time needed and how much water to use varies depending on the type of sea vegetables used because some are thicker and take longer to soften than others. For example, kombu seaweed can take up to 15 minutes to hydrate, while wakame tends to be quicker, taking about five minutes.
One of the most common ways to cook with sea vegetables is to use them as an ingredient in soups and broth-based pasta dishes. Once the vegetables are rehydrated according to package directions, they can be simmered with your other favorite ingredients for the final 20 minutes to infuse the flavors of the seaweed into the soup. For broth-based noodle dishes, such as udon noodles, a rehydrated sea vegetable can be tossed with the cooked noodles and other ingredients just before serving. They can also be added to stir fries or mixed with other veggies and proteins as a side salad.
Sea vegetables can also be used as a side dish, rather than incorporated as a main ingredient. The rehydrated strips can be chopped or crumbled atop soups, salads or other dishes to add a savory flavor. Dried sea vegetable flakes or powders can be sprinkled on dishes and used as a substitute or accompaniment for other condiments.
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