Who says the best greens grown on land? From ocean to plate these seaweed salads are making waves worldwide.
By Jessica Huras
Chile
Ensalada de cochayuyo
Cochayuyo, a briny seaweed native to Chile’s coast, is the star of this simple salad. A dietary staple for the Indigenous Mapuche people, the brown bull kelp has been harvested from Chile’s shores for millennia, and is valued for its fiber, iodine and other mineral content. To prepare it in a salad, dried tubular stipes are rehydrated and boiled to soften their firm texture. They are then diced or shredded and combined with chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro. A touch of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of salt tie it all together with a burst of fresh flavor. Where to try it: Look for the salad in restaurants across southern Chile, including the charming Restaurante Viento Sur in Puerto Montt.
Japan
Hijiki no nimono
Whie this umami-packed side dish is served at room temperature, it brims with slow-simmered flavor. Dried hijiki, a dark, wiry algae, is first soaked, then joins sautéed carrots, shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu and edamame or lotus root in a dashi broth with soy sauce and sake. The mix gently cooks before cooling, yielding a savory, slightly crunchy bite. Where to try it: Teishoku restaurants in Kyoto, like Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka, often features hijiki no nimono on their set menus.
China
Liáng Bàn Hǎi Dài Sī
Typically served as an appetizer, this punchy seaweed salad is a bold way to kick off a meal. Long noodle-like strands of fresh or rehydrated kelp are boiled, then tossed in a heady mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, raw garlic, vinegar and ginger. A final pour of chili pepper-infused hot oil lightly cooks the aromatics, mellowing their zing. Where to try it: For a Michelin Bib Gourmand-approved take, head to Lu Bo Lang, a Shanghai institution known for its Jiangnan cuisine.
