Japanese cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Mekabu no Ponzu

The frilly root of the wakame is briefly blanched, finely chopped and spooned up sticky-fresh with ponzu.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g fresh mekabu (wakame root, or substitute 3 tbsp dried wakame seaweed)
• 4 tbsp ponzu (or substitute 3 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp lemon juice)
• 1 piece ginger (3 cm)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Rinse the mekabu thoroughly under cold water until no sand remains in the sieve, and cut out the tough central rib.
2. Bring plenty of water with a pinch of salt to a boil and blanch the mekabu for only 20–30 sec., until it turns from brown to bright green.
3. Shock immediately in ice water, drain well and finely chop with a sharp knife until it becomes a stringy, silky mass.
4. Finely grate the ginger and press lightly, cut the spring onions into thin rings, and toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 min. until golden.
5. Mix the chopped mekabu with ponzu and sesame oil and chill for 10 min. so the flavor settles.
6. Spoon into small bowls, sprinkle with ginger, spring onion rings and sesame seeds, and serve well chilled as a starter or side dish with rice.