Ulva Holiday Dip
A fragrant, umami-rich appetiser to start your holiday meal. The natural umami taste and saltiness from the seaweed pairs beautifully with the richness of the olive oil and the acidity of the vinegar. You can also bake sourdough bread with Palmaria in it. Like Sang explains in the video, this seaweed can substitute some of the salt you would normally add to the dough.
Ingredients
- Dried Ulva, ground into flakes
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Finely chopped fresh basil
- Fresh (or dried) thyme
- Sourdough bread (ideally with Palmaria for extra flavour)
Method
- Grind the dried Ulva into flakes with a mortar and pestle. If you don't have one you can finely chop as well.
- Pour a shallow layer of olive oil into a serving dish.
- Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the oil.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of Ulva flakes on top.
- Add finely chopped basil and some thyme leaves.
- Serve with slices of sourdough bread.
Gracilaria Winter Salad
This Gracilaria salad is a refreshing counterbalance to the richness of typical holiday dishes. Light, colourful, and full of clean flavours, it shows just how versatile this delicate seaweed can be. With a quick blanch and a simple dressing, the Gracilaria keeps its pleasant bite and ocean-fresh character.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- Fresh Gracilaria
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Cucumber, halved and sliced
- Cooked shrimp
- Sesame seeds (for topping)
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar (white or brown)
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- 1 finely chopped garlic glove
- Optional: chili flakes for heat
Method
- Blanch the Gracilaria: place it in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately cool in ice water.
- Prepare the dressing: mix vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, shallot, garlic and optional chili flakes until the sugar dissolves.
- Combine tomatoes, cucumber, shrimp and Gracilaria in a bowl. There are no exact measurements here, adjust the ratio to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently.
- Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Palmaria Lumpia
These Palmaria lumpia bring a festive twist to a familiar favourite. The sweet-salty depth of Palmaria adds natural umami to a hearty filling of vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms, all wrapped in a perfectly crisp shell. They’re fun to assemble, satisfying to eat, and ideal for sharing!
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- Sweet chili sauce (for serving)
- Salt & pepper
- Lumpia (spring roll) wrappers
When finely chopped, equal parts of:
- Tofu (about 500gr)
- Mushrooms (about 250gr)
- Carrot
- Onion
Method
- Squeeze excess water from the tofu.
- Chop the mushrooms until you achieve a similar volume to the tofu.
- Do the same for the carrot, onion and Palmaria. You can also use scissors to cut the Palmaria.
- Mash everything lightly with a fork or a potato masher.
- Season with only salt and pepper, the Palmaria brings rich umami and natural sweetness.
- Mix everything by hand until cohesive.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of filling onto each lumpia wrapper and roll gently. In the video, Sang gives a clear explanation on the best way to roll a lumpia.
- Fry the lumpia in vegetable oil until golden and crisp.
- Serve with sweet chili dipping sauce.