Wakame Recipe

Rehydrate wakame

Place the dried wakame in a heatproof bowl and pour 120 ml hot (not boiling) water over it. Let soak 5–8 minutes until softened. Drain in a sieve and gently squeeze out excess water. If pieces are large, chop to 1–2 cm lengths.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or jar combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, toasted sesame oil, lime juice, honey (or agave), grated ginger, and minced garlic. Whisk or shake until honey dissolves. Taste and adjust: add up to 1/2 tbs more rice vinegar for acidity or a pinch more sugar if too sharp. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes.

Dress wakame

Transfer the drained wakame to a medium mixing bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the wakame and toss to combine. Let sit 5 minutes so flavors meld; reserve the remaining dressing to toss with fruit and vegetables so the salad remains bright.

Prepare mango and cucumber: peel the mango and cut flesh away from the pit, then slice into thin strips or 1 cm dice. Peel (optional) and halve the cucumber lengthwise, scoop seeds if large, then slice thinly into half-moons about 3–4 mm thick. Place mango and cucumber in a bowl.

Slice scallions and chili: trim and thinly slice the scallions on the bias. If using chili, remove seeds for less heat and slice very thin. Add both to the bowl with mango and cucumber.

Combine salad: Add the dressed wakame to the bowl with mango, cucumber, scallions and cilantro. Drizzle the reserved dressing incrementally and toss gently to coat—use only as much as needed to lightly dress fruit and cucumbers (about 1–2 tbs). Taste and season with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper; adjust to taste.

Finish and serve: Transfer salad to a shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and extra cilantro leaves. For best texture serve immediately so mango is fresh; alternatively chill 10–15 minutes to meld flavors but not so long that mango softens excessively.