Late Summer Wakame and Greens
This is side dish that is healing and simple. Wakame has a very cooling thermal nature and moistens dryness, which is ideal for the transition from late summer into autumn. It’s a diuretic and also one of the seaweeds highest in calcium (hijaki is the first) and is said to promote healthy hair and skin. Here I combined it with amaranth greens, which is in season from summer to mid-fall. The leaves are similar to that of spinach, and the stems are a little thicker which I chopped in ½” pieces. Amaranth greens have a deep flavor and are hearty yet tender. The overall flavor is slightly salty, sweet with a touch of pungency. If amaranth greens aren’t available, you can make this dish with any greens you choose. Kale is an accessible go-to green. This serves as a side dish or is great integrated in a soup, with rice and/or lentils, or in Asian noodle dish. I added soy sauce to it and paired it with chow mein for dinner and the following day tossed it into a soup for lunch.
- 4 cup wakame, soaked, drained & chopped
- 2 tsp avocado or sesame oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
- 1 large bunch of greens (about 12 oz) chopped
- 2 tsp avocado or sesame oil
- 2 pinches of sea salt
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- ¼ cup stock or water, as needed
In a sauté pan, heat oil on medium heat. Sauté wakame 10 to15 minutes, adding a little water as needed. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant, then add greens, salt and lemon. Stir greens until they begin to wilt, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until greens are tender. Add water or stock as needed.
Serves 6-8.
Nourish