Green caviar is chock-full of nutrients, and goes well with many dishes.
Green caviar is chock-full of nutrients, and goes well with many dishes.
A type of seaweed, this delicacy is fast gaining popularity among the conscious-eating crowd, owing to its slew of health benefits as mentioned on the previous page.
Also known as sea grapes for the colour and shape resemblance, green caviar tastes far from the sweet and sour grapes you know. It has the texture of caviar and the taste of seawater: salty and slightly fishy. Green caviar is available from www.mealbelly.com.
To prep, rinse in water for 10 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of cold water to soak for five minutes. Here are five ways to consume it.
1 PAIR IT WITH A SAVOURY DIP.
These are guilt-free snacks, and easy to prepare.
To make a Thai chilli dip: In a blender, combine one cilantro root, a bunch of mint leaves, five bird’s-eye chillis, five green chillis, five cloves of garlic, half a tablespoon of fish sauce and juice from half a lime.
To make a miso dip: In a bowl, mix one tablespoon of miso, two tablespoons of water, lemon juice and capers to taste.
Dips are good for one serving (20g) of green caviar.
2 ADD IT TO SALADS.
Jazz up your usual salad with a handful of green caviar. It lends an interesting texture, plus a kick of natural saltiness.
3 USE IT AS A TOPPING.
Small-sized and easily separated from the stem, green caviar is extremely scalable in terms of portion. Use it as a garnish on canapes or other light bites. The distinct green colour will make any dish pop instantly!
4 EAT IT WITH OCHAZUKE.
A simple Japanese dish, ochazuke involves pouring green tea over cooked rice with savoury toppings.
To make: Steep a green tea bag in 250ml of hot water for 10 minutes. Add half a tablespoon of shoyu and a quarter teaspoon of sesame oil. In a serving bowl, mix one cup of cooked short grain rice with two tablespoons of shredded seaweed. Garnish with shredded omelette, shredded pan-fried salmon and green caviar. Pour the green tea mixture into the bowl and serve immediately.
5 MAKE A LIGHT, FRUITY MOCKTAIL.
Whip up an impressive looking mocktail with just these ingredients: green caviar, seedless grapes, chilled soda water, lime sorbet and mint leaves.
To make: Peel the grapes, then cut them as well as the green caviar into desired sizes. Place the grapes and green cavier in a tall glass. Pour in chilled soda water. Serve with lime sorbet and garnish with mint leaves.
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