People are only just realising how crispy seaweed in your Chinese takeaway is REALLY made… and they feel betrayed
PEOPLE are only just realising how the crispy seaweed in your Chinese takeaway is made – and they feel betrayed.
The “crispy seaweed” served by most Chinese restaurants is actually cabbage which has been first dried out and then fried.
Chef Ken Hom said that the first Chinese takeaways in the UK could not find actual seaweed to serve customers – so they swapped in easily-sourced cabbage.
Even today, “crispy seaweed” often tends to be a soil-grown Chinese vegetable like pak choi or bok choi.
Chinese food superfan Dominic said: “Crispy shredded seaweed from the Chinese takeaway is not actually seaweed.
“It’s deep fried shredded lettuce. I feel betrayed.”
But Brits hungry for genuine seaweed can find it in many commonplace dishes.
The black binding around rice in sushi rolls is made from nori seaweed.
Agar-agar, a substitute for gelatin used by posh restaurants, is also made from seaweed.
And seaweed can also be found in many instant noodle packets sold by your local supermarket.
You may also be surprised by the reason Flake ice creams are called 99 – it’s got nothing to do with the price.
And people are just realising that Haribo’s name has a secret meaning – and that early gummy bear fans included one of history’s greatest boffins.