Japanese Seaweed Salad Recipe

[Artichoke47]

Does anyone have an authentic recipe for the appetizer-type salad that is served in Japanese restaurants?

Thanks

[DancingWillow]

There are different versions of seaweed salads, so I'm not sure what exactly you're looking for. I found these recipes:

Seaweed and Cucumber Salad
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1/2 cucumber
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup bean sprouts
3/4 cup fresh wakame seaweed

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Japanese chili pepper powder
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger root, peeled and chopped

Wash cucumber and slice thinly. Saute in sesame oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Boil bean sprouts until crisp and tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Wash salt off fresh wakame seaweed and soak for about 5 minutes. Chop into 1-inch pieces. If you use dried seaweed, soak it in water for about 20 minutes, remove the hard parts, and chop into 1-inch pieces.

Arrange cucumber, seaweed, and bean sprouts on a platter.

Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Toss with salad just before serving. Garnish with chopped ginger.

GINGER-PEPPER SAUCE
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1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced spring onions(scallions)
1/4 cup diced green. bell pepper
3 garlic cloves crushed with a little seasalt
3 red peppers roasted,skinned and chopped
l oz. cornstartch (2 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. gound ginger
1 Tbsp. tamari
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup water
cayenne pepper to taste

In medium saute pan, cook onion, sallions, bell pepper and garlic over low heat and until soft about 10 min. In food processor or blender process remaining ingred. until smooth. Add to onion mixture. Cook over med. low heat until sauce thickens and heated through - about 5 minutes.

(Source: http://www.recipelink.com/mf/8/7996) (http://www.recipelink.com/mf/8/7996)

Salted Seaweed Salad with Lemon and Freshly Grated Ginger
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/side_seaweedsalad.shtml

another Cucumber Wakame (Seaweed) Salad
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/salad/r/cuwakamesalad.htm

two seaweed salad recipes
http://www.midorimart.com/japanese2.html#seaweedsalad

Hope that these are helpful:) The first two look very delicious!

[Artichoke47]

Thanks. I saw the Midorimart ones and it calls for a package of seaweed salad; I want to make it myself. The one at restaurants doesn't have cucumber or celery. I will check out the Splendidtable one. :)

[GoodbyeGirl]

this is my favorite seaweed salad although i know it isn't the one you are looking for. are you still looking? is it the one with the long emerald green strands of seaweed? i will look in my japanese cookbook for you. for now though.......

HIJIKI SALAD
1c dry hijiki (approx. 1oz.)
1 large onion
1t sesame oil
dash of shoyu
water to cover
sesame seeds
sort over hijiki; soak for 15 to 20 minutes. while hijiki is soaking slice onion and saute in oil over medium heat. drain soaked hijiki; chop into 1 inch pieces and add to sauteing onion. cover with water and simmer 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. watch carefully and allow liquid to boil down, but not burn. season with shoyu. drain and serve garnished with sesame seeds.

variations
*add matchstick-cut carrots or cubed squash to hijiki. steam separately and toss together, or add carrots to hijiki and cook together 15 to 20 minutes.
*season with 1t lemon juice, rice vinegar, ginger juice or dark sesame oil
*add fried tempeh or tofu cubes to simmering hijiki. garnish with scallions
*add leftover hijiki to rice or noodle salads.

[GoodbyeGirl]

sorry, no luck. sunomono is the one that i usually get at the sushi restaurants (wakame & cucumbers). i see the bright green strands at the grocery store and at some take-out sushi places. i've eaten it but i don't know what it is called or what type of seaweed it uses.

[Artichoke47]

I've since had an arame salad and wakame. The wakame was horrible reconstituted from dried. The arame was tasty but black in color (I'm used to green). Thanks for that recipe!

[GoodbyeGirl]

I've since had an arame salad and wakame. The wakame was horrible reconstituted from dried. The arame was tasty but black in color (I'm used to green). Thanks for that recipe!

do you ever eat dulse? it is purple so it is really pretty and it is incredibly salty. i read the back of a pack once and it said to use it in place of bacon in a BLT sandwich. i tried it and it was great. it doesn't taste like bacon, but it gives you that salty flavor that is great with tomatoes and sourdough bread.