As seen in Blue
Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai
By Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm
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| Hijiki |
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Brittle and black, hijiki comes in ½
to 1 inch strands. It has a mild anise like flavor and is high in
calcium. I use hijiki in salads and soups. It must be dehydrated in
warm water for about twenty minutes to be usable. |
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| Konbu |
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Available in pliable sheets, konbu or
kelp tastes delightfully of the sea. The Japanese use it primarily
to make dashi, the mother stock of their cooking, from which miso
soup is prepared. Konbu sheets are packaged in various sizes; I use
the smaller sheets (roughly 6 by 7 inches). |
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| Nori |
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Used preeminetly as a maki sushi
wrapper, nori comes in thin sheets of iridescent black, dark green,
or purplish seaweed. Buy toasted nori (labeled yakinori), which is
usually sold flat in packages. The sheets measure 7 to 8 inches
square. Nori, which has a sweet ocean taste, is extremely rich in
protein, vitamins, calcium, iron, and other minerals. Unused nori
should be wrapped in plastic and stored in a cool, dark place.
Available in
Ming's Pantry |
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| Wakame |
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Bright green when reconstituted, this
strandlike seaweed has a lovely ocean taste and pleasing slippery
texture. It is also extremely nutritious. Soak wakame in warm water
for twenty minutes to soften it. |
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