Sesame Seaweed Salad
Instructions:
- The easiest way to produce this salad is to buy a small
package of mixed seaweeds (available at many natural
food stores and most Japanese food stores), but once you
get more familiar with seaweed, you can use wakame,
kelp, hijiki, or others, alone or in any combination you
like.
- 1 ounce assorted dried seaweeds or all wakame
- 1/4 cup chopped shallot, scallion, or red onion
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon rice wine or other light vinegar, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon mirin or 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon dark sesame oil, or to taste
- Pinch cayenne, or to taste
- Salt, if necessary
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- Rinse the seaweed once and soak it in at least 10 times its volume of water. When it is tender, about 5 minutes later, drain and gently squeeze the mixture to remove excess water.
- Pick through the seaweed to sort out any hard bits (there may be none) and chop or cut up (you may find it easier to use scissors than a knife) if the pieces are large. Put in a bowl.
- Toss with the remaining ingredients except the sesame seeds; refrigerate for up to a day before serving.
- When you’re ready, taste and add salt or other seasonings as necessary and serve, garnished with the sesame seeds.