If you’ve ever eaten miso soup in a Japanese restaurant, you’ve already been exposed to wakame – those dark green, slightly slippery bits that float in the broth are what they are. These algae is so common in Asian countrieslike carrots or onions. Except that instead of growing in the fields, they grow in the cool waters of the ocean. The Japanese eat wakame every day and maybe that’s why they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world and are famous for their longevity. It is worth following their example, stop treating algae as a culinary experiment and start including them in your daily diet.
Wakame algae belongs to a species of brown algae – a type of marine algae that grows in the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean around Japan, Korea and the coast of China. They look like long, dark green or brown ribbons, with characteristic wavy edges.
Wakame algae is an Asian superfood. In Japan and Korea, they are one of the most frequently consumed types of algae, after nori. They are sold in dried form (in pieces or flakes) or salted. After soaking in water, they swell, turn intensely green and acquire a slightly crunchy, but at the same time slippery texture.
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Their undoubted advantage is that they contain a large amount of iodinewhich is important for the functioning of the thyroid gland. The body uses it to create hormones that manage metabolism. It is worth noting here that people with hyperthyroidism should consult a doctor before including them in their diet.
What other properties do wakame algae have? They can boast too fucoidin content – a natural polysaccharide present in brown algae, which, according to reports from the world of science has anti-inflammatory, anticancer and immunomodulatory properties.
The above product it also provides a lot of calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Calcium supports bone and tooth healthmagnesium regulates the functioning of muscles and the nervous systemiron helps in the production of red blood cellsby the way supports the regulation of blood pressure. Additionally, they contain B vitamins, as well as vitamins C, K and A. These substances help maintain a healthy appearance and are responsible for elastic, rejuvenated and nourished skin.
For the dried variant, just soak it in cold or lukewarm water for about 10 minutes. After this time, they are ready to be added to dishes. For example, it’s hard to imagine without them miso soup. To make it, you need ingredients such as miso paste, dashi broth, tofu, wakame seaweed and chives. It is worth enriching this item with tuna.
How to use wakame in the kitchen? it’s a classic in every Asian restaurant. Soak the wakame, drain, mix with a sauce based on rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar (or honey) and a pinch of chili. Sprinkle everything with roasted sesame seeds. Serve seaweed as an appetizer or addition to sushi. You can also add cucumber, grated carrot and sprouts. These algae also work great in… .
Do you like rice dishes? Then definitely try it takomi gohan – cooked rice with additives. You can cook it with soaked wakame, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, pieces of chicken or tofu and soy sauce. Everything is cooked together, allowing the flavors to permeate the rice.
Or maybe you are a pasta fan? If so, choose the item with wakame algae. To do this, cook it soba or udon noodlesstrain and mix with a bit of sesame oil, soy sauce, grated ginger, chopped garlic and soaked algae. Don’t forget about the sesame seed sprinkle. Serve the whole thing warm or cold as a pasta salad.
Sources: Terazgotuje.pl, justonecookbook.com
