Seaweed is an important part of the food in China, Japan, and Korea. You can buy dried or fresh seaweed. If you have seaweed or plan to buy it, you might be wondering how to keep it.
Seaweed that is still fresh can be kept in the fridge. There, it can stay fresh for 3 or 4 days. Fresh seaweed can also be frozen. Seaweed needs to be washed and dried before it can be frozen. Fresh seaweed that has been frozen can last for 6 to 12 months. Just keep dried seaweed in a cool, dry, dark place.
Seaweed can be fresh or dried, and there are many different kinds. Each can have a different response to storage. Find out about the different kinds and how to store them in the next section.
Storing Fresh Seaweed
There are many Asian grocery stores where you can buy fresh seaweed. Put it away as soon as possible, but don’t wash it first. You can clean seaweed by running clean water through it several times. Use this method more than once, usually at least three times, to make sure you get rid of all the junk. Use your hands to move the seaweed around to wash it better.
Fresh seaweed can stay in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Dry it first if you want to freeze it. You can also blanch it like most other vegetables before letting it dry. After that, dry it.
Once it is dry, seal it in an airtight container and put it in the freezer.
Fresh seaweed that has been frozen can last for 6 to 12 months. If you have a vacuum sealer, you can make sure the quality is better by using it before freezing.
Storing Dried Seaweed
Fresh seaweed doesn’t last as long as dried seaweed. Since the water is gone, the microorganisms that cause food to go bad can’t grow. Most dried seaweed comes in packages that are sealed. Put it somewhere cool, dark, and dry. It can last for years after its expiration date if it is not opened. If you have dried seaweed left over, put it in a container that can be sealed and kept in the same place.
Spiced dried seaweed is another kind of dried seaweed. In most Korean dishes, dried seaweed that has been seasoned is used. Most of the time, salt and sesame oil are used to season this version. The oil can make the dried seaweed spoil faster because oils can go bad.
As you just read, plain dried seaweed can last for years after its date of expiration. But because of the oils, dried seaweed that has been used for a long time can only last less than a year after its. After that, it might start to taste funny.
Seaweed can also be freeze-dried, either plain or with seasonings. When frozen, they can last for years. Whether or not you’ve opened the dried seaweed, put it in a container that won’t let air or water in.
You might want to switch containers because the original packaging might not be safe to put in the freezer. If you don’t, the packaging may break down over time and let water in.
Keep Dried Seaweed From Getting Soggy
You might also want to use containers that are rigid. Thin, dry sheets of seaweed are easy to break. Using tough containers instead of sealable bags can prevent tearing. Dried seaweed sheets also need to be tight against air and water. There can be moisture in fridges and freezers.
If you don’t use a container that won’t let moisture in, the sheets will get wet. Because of the buildup of moisture, the sheets can become soft, sticky, and wet. You might not be able to split them up in the future.
How to store the most-used seaweeds
There are a lot of different kinds of seaweed, but we only eat a small number of them. Here are some of the most common ones used in cooking.
Umibudo
Umibudo means “sea grapes,” which is also what we call this type of seaweed in English. Umibudo doesn’t have leaves like most plants do. Instead, its stems look like bubbles, which is how it got its name. Umibduo is different from the other seaweeds we’ve talked about. Vietnam sea grape is often sold fresh, so this is why.
Umibudo is sold fresh, which is different from the other seaweeds you’ve read about here. It can be kept at room temperature for 3–5 days without going bad. If you want to keep umibudo in the fridge, put it in a rigid container that won’t let air in.
If you put it in a bag that you can close again, it might get crushed. Some of the grapes on the umibudo can be very soft. It can last at least 7 days if it is kept well in the fridge. If you put umibudo in a salt-water solution, they will last longer at both room temperature and in the fridge.
If you want to freeze umibudo, you need to take the grapes off the stems first. Spread them out on a tray so they won’t stick together. Put the grapes in the freezer for a while, usually at least 4 hours. Once the grapes are frozen, put them in a bag that you can seal and put them back in the freezer.
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Nori
Nori is the word used in Japan. It’s called “zichai” in Chinese. It is called gim in Korean.
Most people know that nori is thin sheets of dried fish. Nori is a type of red algae, but the sheets look dark green or black. Nori can be a snack all by itself. But it is used more often to wrap sushi or onigir (rice balls).
When nori sheets are dried or toasted, they easily take in moisture from the air. So, it should be kept in containers that keep air out. You can use a bag or jar that can be closed again.
A desiccant would be a better way to store them. You can choose to freeze your nori sheets if the air is humid. First, put them in containers that can’t let air or water in.
Kombu
Kombu is a type of brown seaweed and kelp that is used a lot in Japanese cooking to make dashi or stock. Most of the time, it is dried and cut into wide strips. Store kombu like any plain dried seaweed. Put kombu that has been cooked in airtight containers in the fridge.
Wakame
Wakame is also sold dried more often. You can also find the salt-preserved dry version in the section for cold foods. You can keep wakame in the bag it came in, which is sealed.
Keep it like any plain dried seaweed. But if you got the version that was preserved with salt, keep it in the fridge. The salt can keep the wakame fresh for a few weeks in the fridge.
Rehydrated wakame can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for about a year. Wakame is often chopped up and used in seaweed salads or miso soup after it has been rehydrated.
