Refreshing Blanched Seaweed Salad
Delicious Seaweed Salad: Fresh Seaweed Lightly Blanched and Seasoned
Tired of the daily ‘what to cook?’ dilemma? While browsing the market, I spotted some fresh seaweed and decided to make a flavorful seaweed salad instead of seaweed soup. This salad offers a delightful chewy texture and the rich taste of the sea, perfect for a light side dish when your appetite is low. The combination of a sweet and tangy dressing with crisp, spicy chili peppers is truly irresistible!
Ingredients- 2 handfuls blanched fresh seaweed (approx. 200g)
- 2.5 Tbsp clear anchovy sauce
- 2.5 Tbsp coarse red chili flakes
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (or syrup)
- 1.5 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (or crushed seeds)
- 2 Korean green chili peppers (cheongyang peppers)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the cleaned fresh seaweed to the boiling water and stir gently to ensure even cooking. Blanch for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful not to overcook, as the seaweed can become mushy.
Step 2
Immediately transfer the blanched seaweed to a bowl of cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Rinse the seaweed several times under cold running water to remove any impurities. Squeeze out as much excess water as possible by hand. Thoroughly draining the seaweed is crucial to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the blanched and drained seaweed with all the seasoning ingredients. Add 2.5 Tbsp of clear anchovy sauce, 2.5 Tbsp of coarse red chili flakes, 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, 1 Tbsp of sweet plum extract, 1.5 Tbsp of fragrant sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds. Finely slice the 2 Korean green chili peppers (deseeded, if preferred) and add them to the bowl.
Step 4
Now, gently toss and mix the ingredients together with your hands, ensuring the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the seaweed. Use a massaging motion with your wrists to help the flavors meld deeply into the seaweed, making it more delicious. Ensure the seaweed strands are separated and well-coated.
