Sea grapes (umibudo) ✦

Raisin de mer

What it is

A Caulerpa has no walls dividing it: a whole frond is one enormous cell with many nuclei, which is why a cut anywhere empties it everywhere. Okinawa has farmed sea grapes in shallow tanks since the 1980s and sells them at room temperature, deliberately.

In the kitchen

Never refrigerate them — below about 15°C the beads shrivel and never plump again. Rinse in cool water, drain, and dress at the table, because salt or vinegar collapses them within minutes.

Goes with

Ponzu Tuna Rice vinegar Wasabi Gilt-head bream Shikuwasa Soy sauce

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