by merrill
View
my 134 recipes »
Photo by Sarah Shatz
1 cup seaweed Ask a question about this ingredient
1/3 cup plus 3 teaspoons all-purpose flour Ask a question about this ingredient
Salt Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons sesame seeds Ask a question about this ingredient
5 ounces soda water Ask a question about this ingredient
Peanut oil, for frying Ask a question about this ingredient
Soy sauce (I prefer light), for serving Ask a question about this ingredient
If your seaweed is in wide strips, slice them into thin ribbons. Clean the seaweed with running water and drain it well. Set aside.
Ask a question about this stepStir together the flour, a pinch of salt and the sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Gradually pour in the soda water, whisking constantly.
Ask a question about this stepHeat 2 inches of oil in a large, deep pot over a medium flame, to about 300 degrees F. In the meantime, add the seaweed to the batter and stir to combine. Carefully drop the seaweed into the hot oil by 1/2 tablespoonfuls, about 6 spoonfuls at a time. Fry until lightly golden, turning over once during cooking, and then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels while you fry the rest of the seaweed. (If the clumps of seaweed sink and stick to the bottom of the pot, don't worry -- after a minute or two you should be able to use the spoon to gently ease them from the bottom of the pot.)
Ask a question about this stepSprinkle the fried seaweed with salt and serve while still warm with soy sauce for dipping.
Ask a question about this stepThese are a great find, Merril. I think they would make a good appetizer to a dish containing scallops.
these look great. what kind/type seaweed works. fresh ? dried ?
Mollie is the best-selling author of many (mostly) vegetarian cookbooks, including the original Moosewood Cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and a trilogy of cookbooks for kids. Her most recent title is Get Cooking : 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen.
photo 1 of 14
First, you have to find fresh (or at least salted) seaweed. Try to find some that's very thinly sliced to save yourself some work -- I found a frozen kind in a Japanese market that I liked a lot.
photo 2 of 14
The two varieties I found (both salted) below: the frozen one, on the left, was much thinner and didn't need any further slicing, while the one on the right did.
photo 3 of 14
Use a very sharp knife if you're gonna slice!
photo 4 of 14
And make sure to rinse the seaweed well and drain it.
photo 5 of 14
Soda water makes the batter really light and crispy -- it's the secret to great tempura.
photo 6 of 14
Sesame seeds are the unsung hero in this dish, in my opinion. They give the fried seaweed a lovely nutty crunch.
photo 7 of 14
Whisking soda water with flour, the sesame seeds, and a bit of salt.
photo 8 of 14
Then, you just plop in the seaweed!
photo 9 of 14
Got my oil heating as I mix the seaweed with the batter.
photo 10 of 14
photo 11 of 14
You want the oil hot but not super-hot -- about 300 degrees is good.
photo 12 of 14
Carefully dip small spoonfuls of the seaweed into the oil, making sure not to crowd the pot.
photo 13 of 14
This slotted skimmer is a great tool for deep frying.
photo 14 of 14
A brief drain on some paper towels, a shower of salt, and you've got a great bar snack!
Droplet: That would be the perfect compliment for scallops!
Thanks for thinking out loud!