Seaweed starters in Chinese restaurants

[Dom Tuk]

A friend insists that the seaweed starter in chinese restaurants (sweet/crumbly and fried) is actually Cabbage. Any truth in that??

[brachiopod]

Yup, it's deep fried cabbage. Usually a green 'fleshy' variety like Savoy, sliced very finely and deep fried, then mixed with salt, sugar and a bit of scallop essence.

(Mmmm, getting hungry now - haven't had lunch yet! Thanks Dom !!)

[Dom Tuk]

so how do they square it up with the trade descriptions act then

[brachiopod]

Good point, Dom.

A quick straw poll (ie a look through the take-away menus that have been shoved through my letterbox in the last week or so) indicates that all them refer to 'crispy seaweed' with no explanation / description.

I would guess they get around it by saying that it is the 'name of the dish', not a description of the ingredients. In the same way that 'Bombay Duck' is not duck, and 'Angels on Horseback' are not made from angels (or so my mum tells me, but then she told me that there is no Father Christmas, so what does she know.) A better example eludes me at present.

I'm sure they would argue that 'most people' (whatever legal definition that has) 'know it's made from cabbage' and that the dish is only so-named because it looks like seaweed.

[funkychicken]

it is cabbage, but very yummy it is. you can buy it in morrisons if you so wish.

[brachiopod]

Picks ! What are you doing up this late? Go to bed now!

Since we are now talking about real seaweed, well, I last had some last Saturday morning, (ok, afternoon, let's just call it 'brunch'). A delicacy from South Wales, called lavabread.

Hand picked, hand washed, boiled and hand chopped. (none of the sloppy stuff from Swansea Maerket) Mmm, all it needed was some Penclawdd cockles.

[cheyenne]

Real Seaweed (laver)Has been sold in the Westcountry for years.Often mixed with vinegar,Also nice with a veggie fry up.

[ursula62]

Marks and Spencers sell Welsh Cakes. I bought some last weekend in Oxford Street branch.

[court typist]

i was told when they cant get seaweed they use spinach