Ogonori ✦

Ogonori

What it is

Gracilaria is one of the world's main sources of agar, yet in Japan it is mostly eaten whole: a few seconds in hot water flip it from wine-red to bright green, and it goes under sashimi as a crisp bed. It is always sold treated, never gathered and eaten fresh — poisonings have been recorded from raw ogonori.

In the kitchen

Salt-packed needs ten minutes of rinsing and a spell in iced water to bring the snap back. Dress it at the table: vinegar softens it within minutes, and the glassy crunch is the whole point.

Goes with

Tuna Gilt-head bream Wasabi Ponzu Cucumber Squid Rice vinegar

Something wrong here, or missing? Tell us