Mmm... Seaweed Spaghetti...

[livius drusus]

I've been a fan of seaweed edibles since I was a kid and a Japanese classmate of mine let me try her nori-wrapped crackers. I love me some seaweed salad and am fascinated with sea vegetables in general. Having recently discovered kelp noodles are a thing which exists, I quickly secured some to try.

I got this brand. At first I tried to eat them raw. They're crunchy, like chow mein crunchy, but they taste like nothing at all. So I made an Asian-like chicken salad and dropped the noodles in the pot of chicken stock, water, fresh ginger, green onions and soy in which I had just poached a couple of chicken bewbs and let them sit until I was good and ready. The burner was off, but of course the stock was still burbling so the noodles cooked in the retained heat.

They softened considerably, but still retained a toothsome quality. Most importantly, they absorbed all the flavors around them. They're a tabula rasa on which you can project whatever taste you wish. To test their versatility, I later made a mushroom sauce and used them just like regular pasta, cooking the noodles in the delicious mushroom water I had left after reconstituting dried porcini. Verdict: this shit is dope.

You can also soak them in water with some vinegar to soften them a little without having to cook them, but I haven't tried it yet.

[Megatron]

I first ran into those about two years ago thanks to a friend of mine. I like to use them for soup with homemade chicken stock and boneless/skinless thighs. Sliver some baby carrots (or regular ones really, you can just run them against the heavy side of a stand-up cheese grater), throw in some leek slices, spinach, onions and garlic and if you wanna go hard throw in a raw egg toward the end of cooking and it'll be about egg drop cooked by the time the soup is cool enough to eat. Good shit.

[livius drusus]

That sounds brilliant. One-pot wonder.

[livius drusus]

This is not about kelp noodles, but it's in the family so it goes itt. I got some roasted seaweed snack chip-like items at Trader Joe's (wasabi flavor) and they're great. The wasabi hit is the first thing that strikes your tongue, then they just sort of melt in your mouth.

[Kyuss Apollo]

Also, about a dozen of these in the cupboard at all times for the squid. (I, for one, care less for them.)

[livius drusus]

I have discovered a quick and easy secret to twirlably soft kelp noodles: baking soda. Dissolve half a tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl of warm water and soak the noodles for two minutes. Drain. Rinse. The end.

Toss them in a dressing of soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, minced green onion and toasted sesame oil and it makes an amazing Asianish base to add whatever veggies and/or proteins you want. I like to sautee some snow peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, onions, carrots, bok choi in sesame oil and toss it all together with the dressing and noodles. Throw in some shrimp or chicken for that lo meiny vibe.