Finely shredded kombu seaweed, beetroot and cucumber are dressed in a savoury and umami dressing. This Japanese dish is delicious as a side or appetiser.
Healthy Asian Cuisine.com
Makes: 3-4 Servings Preparation Time: 1 hour (including soaking time) Cook Time: 5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese, Vegan, Vegetarian
Author: Healthy Asian Cuisine Prep
Ingredients
- 28g/1oz dried kombu seaweed (kelp)
- 750ml/3 cups water
- 100g/3.5oz cucumber
- 100g/3.5oz beetroot
- 2 spring onions (scallion), green part only
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 100g/3.5oz cooked edamame (optional)
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1½ tablespoons vegan sugar or other sweeteners
- ½ tablespoon ginger juice (2 inches fresh ginger)
- Chilli or chilli flakes (optional), according to taste
Method
Step 1: Soaking the Kombu
- Place the kombu into a large pot then add the water and leave it to steep for at least 1 hour. If you have time, leave it longer for 2 or 3 hours.
- After soaking the kombu bring the water to a boil. As soon as small bubbles start forming at the bottom of the pan, turn the heat off. Remove the kombu from the pan and set it aside to cool.
Step 2: Preparing the Salad Ingredients
- Roll the kombu piece lengthwise then cut it crosswise very finely.
- Next, thinly slice the cucumber and beetroot then stack them up and cut thinly again into julienne.
- For the spring onion, cut and reserve the white part for other dishes. Cut the long green part of the spring onion into half and half again then chop them into 2-3 millimetre pieces.
Step 3: Serving the Salad
- Before serving the salad, first, prepare the dressing. Grate about 2 inches of fresh ginger using a grater then extract the juice with a small sieve as shown in the video.
- Whisk the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and ginger juice in a small bowl making sure the sugar is diluted. Add some chilli flakes to the dressing at this moment if you wish to, it is optional.
- To serve the salad, add the kombu seaweed, beetroot, and cucumber to a big bowl with the dressing and toss everything together with a pair of chopsticks.
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl, topped with chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.
| Notes: For health reasons: This refreshing and simple salad is deliciously blended in a sweet savoury dressing. It is a wholesome salad high in iodine, iron, calcium, and vitamin A and C. Consult with your doctor before eating if you are on Thyroid medication, otherwise enjoy and get the goodness from the kombu seaweed. Kombu size: When rehydrating the kombu seaweed, use one large piece with the full width and length. Shredded long thin hydrated seaweed creates a better texture compared to short thick julienne kombu salad. Kombu dashi: The liquid created in the pot is kombu dashi that you can use for making other dressings, soup or stew. Kombu dashi remains fresh for 3 days if stored in a refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze kombu dashi for 2-3 weeks. Economize Kombu: When you make kombu dashi (kelp stock), remember to reserve the kombu to make a salad, and add them to soup, noodles or stew. You can freeze them for 2-3 weeks in a tightly sealed container or a freezer bag. Salad ingredients: You can use carrot, daikon (white radish) or red radish and other preferred varieties. Storage: Kombu seaweed salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days. It is best to consume on the same day. Julienne kombu from the store: Finely julienned kombu is called ‘Kiri kombu’ (切り昆布) or ‘kizami konbu’ (刻み昆布). To save time preparing, you can buy dried Kiri kombu from a Japanese grocery store and then rehydrate them in water for 15 minutes. |