Kelp is a common food with health benefits including softening hardened masses, reducing swelling, promoting diuresis, and moistening the bowels to eliminate phlegm. It offers versatile preparation methods—suitable for cold salads, soups, and numerous other dishes—making it a versatile ingredient for creating many delicious meals.
Most kelp sold commercially is sun-dried, requiring pre-soaking before cooking. For crispy cold kelp salads, steam the dried kelp over water for half an hour before soaking.This method yields crisp yet tender kelp ideal for salads. For soups, simmer the kelp along with its soaking water to preserve nutrients. Remember to change the soaking water several times during preparation; thoroughly rinsed kelp yields superior broth. Below are several kelp recipes.
1. Kelp and Tofu Soup
Ingredients: Kelp, frozen tofu, mushrooms, ginger slices.
Method:
Squeeze excess water from frozen tofu. Slice soaked kelp. Clean mushrooms and tear into small pieces. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pot. Pan-fry the frozen tofu until golden brown on both sides. Add the kelp, ginger slices, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the mushrooms halfway through cooking. After 30 minutes, turn off the heat, season to taste, and serve.
Method:
Toast sesame seeds until fragrant, then set aside to cool. Boil kelp in water, drain, and set aside. Heat oil in a pan, add kelp, and stir-fry. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and salt, continuing to stir-fry. Pour in enough water to cover, simmer until the liquid reduces, then drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
3. Braised Kelp with Pork Ribs
Ingredients: Kelp, pork ribs.
Method:
Soak kelp until softened, rinse, boil briefly in hot water, drain, cool, and cut into chunks.
Rinse ribs, season with salt, and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok, stir-fry garlic and ginger slices until fragrant. Add ribs and cooking wine, stir-fry until ribs change color. Add kelp and continue stir-frying for a few minutes. Pour in water, add cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Simmer until sauce thickens.
Heat oil in a wok, add garlic and ginger slices to release fragrance, then stir-fry pork ribs with cooking wine until color changes. Add kelp and stir-fry for a few minutes. Pour in water (or broth if available), add dark soy sauce and salt, cover, and simmer until sauce thickens.
4. Cold-Served Three-Thread Salad
Ingredients: Lean pork, shredded kelp, dried vermicelli noodles.
Method:
Steam the kelp shreds, soak briefly, rinse clean, and set aside; wash lean pork, slice into thin strips, blanch in boiling water, drain, and set aside; soak vermicelli noodles until softened and set aside;
Heat oil in a wok. Stir-fry chopped scallions and minced ginger briefly, then add glass noodles. Stir-fry for a few minutes, remove, and let cool. Place all three shredded ingredients in a bowl. Add minced garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and other seasonings. Toss to combine.
Soak kelp until softened; wash pork ribs, cut into chunks; wash daikon radish, cut into chunks. Set aside.
Blanch ribs in boiling water, then drain.
Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add ribs, ginger slices, and cooking wine. Bring to a boil again, then simmer on low heat for one hour. Add kelp and daikon radish. Bring to a boil once more, then simmer on low heat for another half hour.
Numerous delicacies feature kelp, with the above briefly introducing five recipes—all ideal for this season. Summer's humid heat makes kelp's anti-inflammatory and phlegm-reducing properties particularly beneficial. Kelp also effectively prevents and treats breast hyperplasia, so women may wish to prepare these dishes to aid prevention.