Jellyfish Salad

This is a bit unusual, I will admit. One wonders how destitute you have to be in order to catch jellyfish, salt them, and dry them in the sun. Later, the dried jellyfish is sliced thin, refreshed in water, and made into many dishes, this salad being the most famous. I can only say that I am glad for that first person who tried such a thing because this is one of the great dishes in Chinese cuisine-I promise. The texture is a bit firm and tender at the same time, and the Chinese love that sort of confusion in the mouth and tastebuds.

It will take some doing to find the dried jellyfish, but if you are near a big Chinatown you should have no problem.

I love this stuff, and so do my sons. Jason named this 'rubber-band salad' and, when he was little, he used to get a kick out of serving this to his very young friends. 'It's rubber-band salad' he would say. Only after the kids had eaten several helpings would he tell them what it was. That night I would get calls from parents asking me to explain what their child was talking about. 

It may be an unusual salad for Westerners, but it is not unusual in China


Jellyfish Salad
The Frugal Gourmet

1 pound dried jellyfish

Dressing:

1/4  teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon MSG (optional)
2    tablespoons sesame oil
2    tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2  teaspoon sugar
1    teaspoon garlic and red chili paste or hot mustard or horseradish
1    tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1    cup fresh bean sprouts

Cut the jellyfish into 1/8 inch strips. Rinse with water and place in a stainless-steel or glass bowl. Cover with water and refrigerate. Change the water every 30 minutes for a total soaking time of 2-1/2 hours. Drain. 

Heat 2 quarts of water to boiling and remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and them plunge the drained jellyfish into the water. Wait 5 seconds and drain and rinse in ice-cold water. I put ice cubes in the bowl at this point. This is the critical step. Do this whole step in a hurry or your jellyfish will not be tender and tasty. Drain well. 

Mix the dressing and toss with the jellyfish and bean sprouts. 

Variation: You may wish to add Chinese Mustard or even hot horseradish to this dish. I will follow you anywhere for jellyfish with hot horseradish.

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Duck and Jellyfish Salad
The Frugal Gourmet

I had this dish for the first time in San Francisco. I was so taken by it that I have worked out a method of duplication. This is very serious eating, which means it is also serious cooking. 

Prepare a batch of jellyfish salad. Also prepare a batch of Duck Salad using regular roast duck, not smoked duck. (Leftover Peking Duck is just great with this dish.....but then, who has leftover Peking Duck?) Also, omit the bean sprouts in the Duck Salad. 

Toss the two salads together and then serve over a head of thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, sliced 'taco style.' This is just outstanding.

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Chinese Duck Salad
The Frugal Gourmet

I developed this dish one night since I had a bit of roast duck left over. That does not happen very often. This salad is so good, however, that it would be worth your time to roast a duck just for this dish. 

1/2 pound cooked boneless duck meat, cut julienne. (I prefer the smoked duck)
3/4 pound bean sprouts
1/4 cup fresh chopped coriander

Dressing

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (Japanese)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil (toasted oriental style)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons freshly toasted sesame seeds
black pepper, freshly ground to taste
Iceberg lettuce, shredded for base

Place the ingredients for the salad in a bowl. Mix the dressing separately and toss with the salad. Serve over shredded iceberg lettuce.

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Norm Corley
BBQ List
8/12/01

Preparing Jellyfish for the Table  

As the jellyfish has been preserved in salt and alum, it should be washed in
salted water and soaked in cold water. If the pieces of jellyfish are thick
they should be soaked for three to four days; thin pieces should be soaked
overnight. After soaking, rinse and drain. Shred the flesh if this has not
already been done. If the amount of jellyfish prepared exceeds your
immediate requirements it can be kept in water for two weeks, providing the water is changed daily. 

Before including jellyfish in a recipe, scald it in boiling water for three
seconds (where it will curl), then soak it in cold water for three hours.
Drain and combine with other ingredients as desired. 

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Go ahead and send it to me, offlist, Gary.  Last time I had jellyfish they
were just prepped, sliced, cooked until crispy and served with a soy
sauce/vinegar/sesame oil mixture.  Not a bad appetizer really.  That was in
Korea.  

