Name: Cold-Stirred Agar-Agar (涼拌東洋菜)
Yield: Serves 4 as a single appetizer; more if part of a buffet.
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ pound baked ham in 1 piece; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 pound fresh spinach; ¼ cup dried shrimp; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 ounce agar-agar; 2 tablespoons oil or sesame oil; 2 tablespoons red-wine or cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a single appetizer .

Appears in

The Key to Chinese Cooking

By Irene Kuo

Published 1977

About

Agar-agar, a processed seaweed, has no taste of its own but plenty of resilient texture and bulk. Being spongy, it absorbs seasonings; when mingled and eaten with minced dried shrimp, tasty ham, and crisp spinach, it makes a refreshing exotic salad of brilliant colors and contrasting textures. The dried shrimp add a spark of extra taste, but you may omit them.