Japan · Salads

Chuka Seaweed Salad

Chuka is a seaweed salad served as a cold starter in Japanese sushi restaurants, made from rehydrated dried wakame in a sesame-soy dressing.

10 min✻2 servings✻45 kcal
Chuka Seaweed Salad

Ingredients

  • dried wakame, about 100 g once soaked10 g
  • sesame oil1 tsp
  • rice vinegar1 tbsp
  • soy sauce1 tbsp
  • sugar1 tsp
  • chili paste0.5 tsp
  • lemon or lime juice1 tsp
  • white or black sesame seeds1 tsp
  • fresh ginger, grated0.25 tsp
  • garlic powder (optional)1 pinch

Method

  1. 1If using dried wakame, soak it in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes until it rehydrates and turns silky — 10 g dry yields about 100 g once soaked. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or run it under cool water. Once soft, drain thoroughly in a colander; excess water dilutes the dressing and makes the salad watery.
  2. 2Grate the fresh ginger on a microplane or the finest side of a box grater — you need just a quarter teaspoon, but it makes a real difference. The ginger should be almost a paste, not chunky pieces.
  3. 3In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili paste, lemon or lime juice, grated ginger, and garlic powder if using. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves. Taste the dressing on its own — it should be bold and slightly more intense than you'd want, because the mild wakame will absorb and soften the flavors.
  4. 4Place the drained wakame in a mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss gently with chopsticks or a fork, making sure every strand is coated. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the wakame soaks up the dressing.
  5. 5Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds (use a mix of white and black if you have both — it looks striking), and serve cold.