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Cold shredded kelp is a very popular Chinese cold dish, especially in summer, it is a delicacy on the table with its refreshing taste and rich nutrition. The following is a simple method of cold shredded kelp:

**Material**:

- Shredded kelp: appropriate amount (dried shredded kelp needs to be soaked in advance)

- Carrot: 1, shredded

- 1 green pepper/red pepper, shredded

- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced

- Ginger: a small piece, minced

- Coriander: appropriate amount, cut into sections

- Seasoning: soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, chili oil (optional), sesame oil

**practice**:

1. Prepare kelp shreds: If it is dried kelp shreds, soak them in warm water until they are soft, then rinse them with clean water and drain. If it is ready-to-eat kelp shreds, just rinse them.

2. Boil kelp shreds: Put the soaked kelp shreds into boiling water and blanch them for 1-2 minutes. After taking them out, immediately put them into ice water to cool them down. This will make the kelp shreds more crispy.

3. Prepare side dishes: blanch the shredded carrots and green peppers separately, then rinse with cold water and drain.

4. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, add minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, chili oil (to taste) and sesame oil, mix well to make the sauce.

5. Mix all ingredients: Put the processed kelp, carrot and green pepper into a large bowl, pour in the prepared sauce and mix well.

6. Serve: Place the mixed kelp shreds on a plate and sprinkle with coriander as decoration.

7. Refrigeration: If you like to eat it cold, you can put the cold kelp shreds in the refrigerator for about half an hour, and take it out before eating for a better taste.

This dish of cold kelp shreds is rich in color, crisp in texture, and moderately sweet and sour. It is very suitable for summer consumption. It can not only increase appetite, but also provide rich dietary fiber and trace elements.

The seasoning of kelp salad can be adjusted according to personal taste, but in general, the following are some common seasoning combinations that can make delicious kelp salad:

1. Basic seasoning:

- Light soy sauce: adds saltiness and umami.

- Balsamic vinegar: adds sourness and a refreshing feel.

- Sugar: Balances the sour taste and adds a hint of sweetness.

- Salt: Adjust the overall saltiness.

- Minced garlic: adds flavor and has antibacterial properties.

- Minced ginger: removes fishy smell and enhances flavor.

2. Auxiliary seasoning:

- Sesame oil: adds aroma and makes dishes more appealing.

- Chili oil or chili powder: increases the spiciness and enhances the taste.

- Sichuan pepper oil: adds a numbing taste, suitable for people who like spicy food.

- Chicken stock or MSG (optional): enhances the umami flavor, but is not essential.

- Coriander: adds a fresh aroma, serves as a garnish and adds flavor.

3. Personalized seasoning:

- Oyster sauce: adds seafood flavor and makes the taste more intense.

- Lemon juice: Use instead of balsamic vinegar to add a refreshing, tart flavor.

- Crushed peanuts or sesame seeds: add texture and nutty flavor.

- Chopped green onion and shredded onion: add spicy flavor and layering.

When preparing the kelp salad, you can first prepare the sauce according to your own taste preferences, then pour it evenly on the kelp and mix it gently. Remember to use the right amount of seasoning. You can add a little at first, taste it, and then adjust it according to your personal taste.

The tools needed to make kelp salad are relatively simple. Here are some basic kitchen tools and supplies:

1. Knife: used to cut kelp shreds, side dishes (such as shredded carrots, shredded green peppers) and other ingredients that may be needed (such as minced garlic and minced ginger).

2. Chopping board: used to place ingredients for easy cutting.

3. Pot: A pot used for blanching kelp shreds and side dishes.

4. Colander or sieve: used to scoop out the blanched kelp and side dishes from the boiling water so that they can be cooled quickly.

5. Large bowl or pot: used to mix and stir all ingredients and seasonings.

6. Stirring chopsticks or spoon: used to stir and mix the kelp shreds and seasonings so that they are evenly distributed.

7. Measuring cups or spoons: Used to accurately measure the amount of seasonings, especially helpful for those who are trying a new recipe for the first time.

8. Refrigerator: If you like to eat cold food, you can put the mixed kelp shreds in the refrigerator for a while to increase the cool taste.

9. Plate or dish: used to hold the prepared cold kelp salad for easy serving.

10. Timer (optional): Used to control the blanching time of kelp shreds and side dishes to ensure they are cooked but not overcooked.

The above tools are common in home kitchens. If you don't have special kitchen tools, many tasks can be done with ordinary kitchen utensils at hand. For example, if you don't have a colander, you can use chopsticks instead, and if you don't have a measuring cup or spoon, you can add seasonings directly by feel. The key is to ensure that all tools are clean and hygienic before and after use to ensure food safety.

The key to making cold kelp salad is to control the heat of blanching to keep it crispy and tender. Here are some steps and tips to help you control the heat:

1. **Choose the right kelp**: Use fresh or high-quality dried kelp shreds, because poor-quality kelp will not achieve the ideal taste even if the cooking time is well controlled.

2. **Soak the kelp**: If it is dried kelp shreds, you need to soak them in warm water in advance until they are soft. This process can help remove the fishy smell of the kelp and make the kelp easier to cook.

3. **Blanching time**: Put the soaked kelp into boiling water and blanch. The blanching time should not be too long, usually 1-2 minutes is enough. The specific time depends on the thickness of the kelp and the softness or hardness you prefer. You can try a small portion to determine whether the desired taste is achieved.

4. **Quick cooling**: After blanching, the kelp shreds should be immediately rinsed with cold water or cooled in ice water. This step can quickly stop the cooking process and prevent the kelp shreds from becoming old due to residual heat, and it also helps to maintain the crisp and tender taste of the kelp.

5. **When to season**: Season the kelp strips after they have completely cooled down. Seasoning too early may cause the kelp strips to absorb too much salt and become soft.

6. **Gently stir**: When mixing in the seasonings, be gentle and avoid rubbing them hard to avoid destroying the structure of the kelp shreds and affecting the taste.

7. **Taste at the right time**: During the seasoning process, taste the kelp shreds at the right time and adjust the proportion of seasoning according to your personal taste to ensure that the final taste meets your preferences.

By following the above steps, you can effectively control the heat so that the kelp salad can maintain its delicious taste without being too stale. Remember, practice is the only criterion for testing truth. Try a few more times and you will gradually find the heat and method that best suits your taste.

Judging whether kelp is cooked is mainly based on changes in its color, texture and taste. Here are some specific ways to judge:

1. **Color change**: Uncooked kelp is usually darker in color, dark green or dark green. When cooked, the color becomes brighter, showing a brighter green.

2. **Texture change**: Raw kelp is hard and tough. Cooked kelp becomes soft and easy to break. You can use chopsticks to gently pick up a kelp to feel its softness.

3. Taste test: The most direct way is to taste it. Take a blanched kelp and try it after cooling it down. If the kelp tastes crisp and tender, does not feel raw, and has no obvious fishy smell, then it is probably cooked. If it still feels raw or hard, you need to continue blanching.

4. **Observe the bubbles**: During the blanching process, if a large number of small bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the kelp shreds, this usually means that the kelp shreds have begun to cook.

5. **Time control**: Generally speaking, the blanching time of kelp shreds in boiling water is about 1-2 minutes. If you are not sure, you can start checking the status of the kelp shreds when it is close to this time point.

It should be noted that kelp shreds should not be blanched for too long, otherwise they will lose their crispy and tender taste and become soft and mushy. Therefore, it is very important to master the blanching time. If you are making it for the first time, it is recommended to try a small amount first, and then make a large batch after finding the best blanching time.

In order to maximize the retention of kelp nutrients, the following measures can be taken:

1. **Quick cooking**: The cooking time of kelp shreds should be shortened as long-term high-temperature cooking will lead to the loss of water-soluble vitamins (such as vitamin C and B vitamins). Using a quick blanching method can reduce the loss of nutrients.

2. **Low temperature processing**: If possible, use low-temperature cooking techniques such as steaming or slow cooking, which can preserve the nutrients in food better than high-temperature stir-frying.

3. **Avoid over-cleaning**: Kelp shreds do not need to be soaked for a long time or rinsed repeatedly, as this will wash away some of the water-soluble nutrients. Just use clean water to clean the impurities on the surface.

4. **Consume promptly**: The cooked kelp shreds should be consumed as soon as possible, because nutrients will gradually be lost over time even if they are refrigerated.

5. **Reasonable combination**: When making cold kelp shreds, you can add some vegetables rich in vitamin C (such as tomatoes, green peppers, etc.). Vitamin C helps to improve the absorption rate of iron in kelp.

6. **Reduce the amount of seasoning**: Too much salt and other seasonings may affect the body's absorption of certain minerals, so be moderate when seasoning.

7. **Adopt healthy cooking methods**: Try to use olive oil or other healthy oils, and avoid using too much oil to reduce calorie intake and retain more nutrients.

Through the above methods, the nutrients of kelp can be retained to a certain extent during the cooking process. However, it is impossible to completely avoid loss, because there will always be a certain degree of nutrient loss during the cooking process. The key is to maximize the retention and utilization of nutrients in food through reasonable cooking methods and eating habits.

Whether or not the kelp strips need to be marinated before serving depends on personal taste preference and the type of kelp strips used. Here are a few different scenarios:

1. **Fresh kelp shreds**: If you use fresh kelp shreds, additional marinating is usually not necessary. Fresh kelp shreds are soft and can be blanched and seasoned directly.

2. **Dried kelp shreds**: Dried kelp shreds need to be soaked before being mixed with salad dressing. This process can help remove the fishy smell of the kelp and make it easier to cook. During the soaking process, some people choose to add a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice, which can further remove the fishy smell and help soften the kelp shreds. But this is not necessary. If you don't mind the original taste of the kelp, you can directly soak it and proceed to the next step.

3. **Pickling to enhance flavor**: If you want the kelp shreds to have a richer flavor after being served cold, you can choose to pickle them briefly after blanching. Put the blanched kelp shreds into the prepared sauce and let them absorb the flavor of the sauce. The pickling time usually ranges from 10 minutes to half an hour, depending on personal taste and time. When pickling, you can use the various flavoring sauces mentioned above, such as soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, mashed garlic, etc., mix them in the proportion you like and apply them on the kelp shreds.

4. **Pickling to remove the fishy smell**: Some people may not like the fishy smell of kelp. In this case, you can simply pickle it with some fishy-removing materials (such as ginger slices, cooking wine, etc.) after soaking or blanching. This pickling is mainly to remove the odor, not to increase the flavor.

In general, pickling is not a necessary step in making kelp salad, but it allows you to adjust the flavor of the dish according to your taste preferences. If you choose to pickle, remember that the pickling time should not be too long, so as not to make the kelp too soft and affect the taste.