White Seaweed Salad
Garlic Mayonnaise, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Sea Salt
White seaweed salad makes a unique sea vegetable banchan (side dish). Seaweed “noodles,” also called kelp noodles, are made from kelp, water, and sodium alginate. Sodium alginate is extracted from the cell wall of brown seaweed. It is used as a stabilizer, thickener, and emulsifier in many common foods. In modernist cuisine it is used as the cold gelling agent to form spheres that have a thin membrane and are filled with a flavored liquid – a technique called spherification, pioneered back in 2003 by Chef Ferran Adrià at El Bulli.
Kelp noodles are fat-free, gluten-free, and low in carbohydrates and calories, and rich in oceanic trace minerals. They have a neutral taste and surprisingly crunchy texture with a curious elasticity. Here, the salad is made with minimal preparation – the noodles are served raw, simply rinsed and coated with a garlicky mayonnaise, toasted sesame seeds and sea salt. The result is an unusual side dish that pairs especially well with spicy Korean dishes.
White Seaweed Salad Recipe
Rinse the seaweed well, then drain completely.
Use kitchen shears to cut the long seaweed strands into more manageable lengths.
In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise with some minced garlic.
Add seaweed to the bowl and toss with the mayonnaise to lightly coat all the strands, add several shakes of toasted sesame seeds, season with sea salt to taste.
I served the White Seaweed Salad with my Spicy Korean BBQ Chicken (recipe here).
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Thank you for the recipe! I absolutely love this stuff. I first tried it at Soowon Galbi in Los Angeles just like AC above, and since I have been buying it in the banchan section at Koreatown Galleria Supermarket. I just bought ingredients to try to make it myself. The noodles say they are zero calories!
Hi Christy – thanks for your comment. It’s a great banchan. Guests are always curious about the kelp noodles. For a more substantial side dish, you can add julienne cucumber, carrot, or even some crabmeat.
LL
Hi. How come my white seaweed feels like plastic and hard? Doesnt look edible at all . I soaked it in water and even microwaved it with water but it didnt soften at all. Thank you.
Sorry to hear that Luilea. Perhaps look for a product labeled “kelp noodles.” Good luck!
LL
where can i buy white seaweed, please?
Hi Canny – I buy it at a Korean supermarket.