I Made Seaweed Butter.

Recipe #5: An umami power move if your personality is "Butter Lover"

I’m still riding on quarantine cooking fatigue and lately, my food dreams have been hinged on secret childhood meals I used to make for myself when there were no grown-ups around. I say secret because it’s something my parents would never approve of—Spoonsful of Hershey’s chocolate syrup on untoasted white bread (and directly in my mouth), Libby’s corned beef straight out of the can, cold bananas dipped in Ovaltine powder, and that one time I tried to make blue Kool-Aid milkshake (promise me you’ll never do this).

Of all the deranged secret meals I’ve made growing up, one particular memory comes to mind. These days I find myself dreaming of a bowl of steaming hot rice, calamansi, an obscene knob of salted butter, and generous splashes of Kikkoman soy sauce aka supreme liquid MSG.

The great philosopher Regina George once posed the question—Is butter a carb?

No, Regina, butter is fat and dairy, and the perfect food. In this recipe, we’ll turn perfect into God-tier by making seaweed butter and putting it on everything.

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SEAWEED BUTTER

(Makes about 1 cup)

Exercise self-care by microdosing your seaweed butter via multiple applications. If you think my white rice/calamansi/butter/Kikkoman alchemy falls under chaotic evil, use this compound butter on toasted bread, noodles, savory pastries, or scrambled eggs. I first made this for a dinner party I hosted last year and it was the real pièce de résistance. Glad to share this recipe with everyone!

trishakatipunan

This time last year, dinner gathering: Bread spread + furikake compound butter and fleur de sal 📷: @micahdcabral

July 21, 2020

SOME TUNES TO COOK TO:

Listen to this while making seaweed butter and falling into a coma after one too many dabs.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of roasted nori sheets

3 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp white miso

1 Tbsp togarashi or gochugaru (or any chili powder)

2 sticks of room temp butter (unsalted)

1 Tbsp whole black pepper

1 cup chopped scallions

1 Tbsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Blitz your nori sheets in a blender until it turns into flecks. You don’t want super fine, powdery seaweed so just pulse it. Toast the black peppercorns on a dry skillet until fragrant.

2. In a mortar, throw in the toasted black peppercorns, chili powder garlic, and the nori and pound until a paste forms. Add in the white miso, chopped scallion, garlic powder, and swirl until well combined.

3. Scrape the seaweed mixture into a bowl together with the softened butter. Mix with a spoon or rubber spatula vigorously until you no longer see white streaks of butter. Give it a taste and see if you’re okay with the saltiness coming from the nori, garlic powder, and miso. If you think it could use more salt, add in a pinch, mix thoroughly then taste before making more adjustments. Store the butter mixture in a container or roll in parchment paper. This keeps in the fridge for a few weeks.

4. Nostalgia took over and I immediately consumed mine with steaming hot rice and Kikkoman. The butter will melt from the heat, stir until all the grains are coated. Eat while still very hot and call it a day.

Naps are in order after a bowl or two. Still bomb. Only God can judge me.

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THINGS I ATE THIS WEEK:

1. Muscovado and single origin dark chocolate cookies from Blocleaf:

2. Cheesecake with cookie crust and shortbread from Baked Both Ways:

3. Chicken Curry and bulgur salad from Slow Cook:

   

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   The world is never gonna be the same again, but I hope that you all have a roof over your head, and a meal to keep you warm and healthy. If you stick around for a minute, maybe this weekly project can morph into something really special.

   - Trisha