Edible Seaweed

Hutt News, Volume 15, Issue 16, 17 September 1941, Page 8

Edible Seaweed

'Blj H. K^C|r.| i ; (Osteopaths). following excellent article * ; on s+srweeds, we are indebted to the , AuUtetin, issued quarterly by the - ,New Zealand Women's Food Value ® >( 'htitffe: Thii #plendid_ orgaiMatiw, whichfhaa its headquarters in AuclU \ land; with branches in allr the main centres in New Zealand, exists j solely for the purpose of shading the gospel of better health |fersd£b better nutrition, and it laation to whichevery housewife Hn j "New Zealand should belong. Its quarterly Bulletin has grown to a ' lt-pjage journal, and is crammed With -valuable information relating ; tb every phase of the food question. Analyses, recipes, etc., etc., and even a page or two devoted to scientific home gardening. "Up till recently, seaweeds have not found much favour with. New Zealanders, but with th,e pjWtent prohibitive price of Ash, ite greater use is a goitre preventive is well worthy of investigation. We might add that we know of several local people who have been using seaweed for several years past, with moßt gratifying resujts. It Is easily gathered and in the dried state stores very well for use in soups particularly. . New Zealand seaweeds are not to be bought In shops, so if you want theto you will want to know something about where to gather them. Seaweeds, when alive, float about like Jelly fish, but are firmly attached to some object that must be solid —neither mud or sand will do. They are quite particular about the kind of place where they grow, and can roughly be divided into two groups:—(a) those that either are left high and dry when the tide goes out or grow Just about low tide mark ' or in pools; (b) those that grow below low tide mark and are never out of water. • The first kind are easily got at, and should always be picked directly from the rocks to be; absolutely fresh. The second kind can be gathered alive from a boat or even, with a boat-hook. Stowns . often tear them from their attachment, and you will see them cast up. on the beaches in tons. If you catqh them just as they float ashore they may be quite fresh and sweet, but let them lie on the beach even from one tide to the next and decay may be well advanced, helped to no small extent by myriads of small animals (hoppers, snails, etc.) that come hurrying to the feast. The evil-smelling heaps,,that one often sees on neglected beaches are admittedly unsavoury, but are they worse than piles of decaying potatoes or tpwatoes which, at the right stage, would be accepted as good food? i The first point then is to get your seaweed fresh, which meapß going to a rocky coast at low tide, gathering it from a boat or being. ready to claim it directly from tjjie waves that carry it on tp a sapdy beach. The first will be .usually f the best way, but you must be careful always that the rocks you choose are well away from any contaminating sewage outfall or farmyard drainage. Which to choose: Seaweeds ai'e naturally either brown, green or red, but the last two colours will *; sometimes bleach to white the action of fresh water and sun. The Japanese eat at least 26 difft t'erent kinds and the Hawaiians U about 50. In general, it ia quite fj jai'6 to let your palate be your s guide. Eat any that tastes attracy ave to you. Only one seaweed is 2 likely to be poisonous, but I do not M know anyone who has had the courA age to taste it yet. It is found U mostly about Wellington, and to the I] south, and will not trouble north--6 erners. It is a deep water plant (I that disappears ih winter. In spring 5 it begins to be washed ashore, and II during summer may form a fair ft proportion of the drift weed. If U spread out flat its parts are seen to n be arranged rather like the fronds s of a fern anything from a foot to a (J yard long. Alive in the water it it, 8 a rich golden brown and flrto in texU ture, but when exposed to air it ft fades within an hour to a muddy y green, acquires a repulsive smell, j| and has a trick of staining any 6 other weed in contact. 11 Seaweeds, after they die, deterion rate within a few hours if they are y kept wet. In general, green ones 0 and brown ones are best used when ft fresh, but some of the tougher red y ones, as you will sometimes notice n on the beach, can be dried quite 1 satisfactorily with or without P bleaching, and may then be stored jj indefinitely. In any case, the first y step is the same. Wash thoroughly ft in the sea to get rid of the sand, y shell fish, etc. If you are not going II to nibble them on the spot, pack 0 them into a clean container that M won't leak—preferably without a jj tight lid—and take them home. (J be attended to. as soon ft as possible—that Bame day, at y least. >' jj Drying: Wash the ones that are jj to be dried quickly but thoroughly In fresh water. Spread them out on a clean paper and leave in thft sun, or at least in a cleah; airy place. Keep them away from rain and dew and. turn frequently. After a few days of good weather they should 3, be thoroughly dry and ready to S, store away in screw-top jars. If you are so unlucky as to strike a 1 humid «?e» tfeey may stfU be damp

i a'iioktHy jfoy species that you find .palatable 'in th« raw Btate tgfta good „ additions ty<safctf% 1 delicate ■ grapes, taste father" like ojrsfes. Choose tender young tips of the bigger brown ones, and you will find some with an attractive crisp*-; ness and rather nondescript salty taste. TJje young (arts of aome brown <and 'ieiiaifi Hhe freen sea le*tu<*j . bage. They change to green as they cook. The flavour seems to "be a little insipid, and would probably be improved with the addition of some ! condiment. I In Soups: This is the best way to use seaweeds; Any species that smells and tastes good may be thrown in. S#me almost melt away, some *|ie best japped small, and some should after their Juices hiave h?eh r ?Bktracted. A number of species thicken soup appreciably." > Other recipes may be found in Miss JHaqkmore'B book, "How to Oook "Fish," with illustrations of Seaweeds as well.