Wakame question
Posted by lebkuchen on Dec 07, 2009 · Member since Aug 2008 · 449 posts
I am confused about how long to soak wakame.
The package says that to eat it raw, you should soak it at least 12 hours. Otherwise, it should be cooked/boiled.
Then I see recipes that say to just soak it for 20 minutes and eat.
Anyone know which is correct? And is it OK to soak for 12+ hours at room temp, or does it need to be refrigerated?
Thanks!
I usually soak it for about 20-30 minutes. Make sure to rinse it well to remove excess salt.
i have only used it in an asian soup... just broke it up in really really really small pieces and threw it in (it expands huge!) i think towards the beginning... i never ate it raw though
I've always minced it (scissors help) and soaked it for 5 minutes in boiling water, and used immediately. I usually use it in Asian salads (like with marinated cucumber). I refrigerate leftover salad, and that works fine. Don't know if that's by the book, but it's always worked for me.
However, some Wakame is much more fibrous than others - the varying directions might have to do with whether you're using tender, or more fibrous varieties, but that's just a guess.