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Does ‘green caviar’ taste as good as it sounds?

Photo courtesy Meal Belly.
Photo courtesy Meal Belly.

It’s green in colour, tastes like caviar but looks like grapes … what is it? The answer is “green caviar”, a type of seaweed that is a staple in Okinawa, Japan, where it is called umi-budo (sea grapes). The crunchy green beads that sprout from the stems are said to have a briny, refreshing taste.

Green caviar is purported to have anti-ageing properties, being chock-full of vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and fibre. It also contains fucoidan, a natural compound with anti-cancer properties, and is said to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Where once it was hard to come by, caulerpa lentillifera – to give it its scientific name – is now more easily available in Singapore, for example via online retailers.

Photo courtesy Meal Belly.
Photo courtesy Meal Belly.

It has to be eaten raw

Green caviar should not be cooked. To prepare, simply rinse the fronds with running water and soak in chilled water for 3 to 5 minutes before eating.

As a snack, green caviar goes well with a dipping sauce such as soy sauce or vinegar, which is how Okinawans would eat it.

Photo courtesy Meal Belly.
Photo courtesy Meal Belly.

For a more Western take, canapés topped with green caviar make for a filling snack. Add smoked salmon to give the dish a healthful boost of omega-3 fatty acids and protein.

Photo courtesy Meal Belly.
Photo courtesy Meal Belly.

Add green caviar to a salad

In the Philippines, green caviar is the main ingredient in the popular dish ensaladang lato.

To prepare your own wholesome umi-budo salad, combine strips of grilled chicken with red cabbage, carrots, mint and basil leaves. Mix in a dressing of fish sauce and vinegar and top the salad with a generous helping of green caviar.

Photo courtesy Meal Belly.
Photo courtesy Meal Belly.

For a main dish, use green caviar as a garnish for crab meat broth or Japanese green tea rice (ochazuke). It will add a salty tang to the dish and enhance its nutritional value, too!