Unlike Mary, I always loved fish and seafood. When I became a vegetarian and then a vegan, I knew I would not touch seafood anymore. This was not, however, an issue (even though I’m a foodie) as I knew I was doing it for the animals and this was a very strong reason for me.
The fact that I stopped eating animals does not mean that I also forgot these flavors and the memories attached to them. So a few years ago when I visited an Asian restaurant in the United States, I tried vegan seafood, which was actually a meal with seaweed, and I totally fell in love with it!
Since then, I have been preparing and enjoying vegan seafood many times, such as “fish and chips” with jackfruit, nori sheets and other seaweed, “tuna salad”, “fish soup”, etc.
Now if you wonder how seaweed can taste like fish or seafood, let’s not forget that fish eat seaweed!
Edible seaweed, such as kelp, nori, etc. give an incredible sea flavor to your food, although to a different degree each one of them.
In addition, seaweeds are very rich in nutrients such as iodine, minerals, potassium, etc.
And if you have seen the documentary Seaspiracy or you already know that eating fish is not healthy at all, you might know that edible seaweed is an excellent choice as it has more health benefits than fish, without the problems that fish cause (without even talking about the ethical point of view).
In case of thyroid problems or other medical issues, talk to your doctor about how much and which seaweed you can consume.
In conclusion, if you miss or crave a fish soup like the one you used to eat or if you are just curious to try seaweed in soup, use our recipe and tell us how you liked it!
Vegan “Fish” Soup
Ingredients
- 1 red onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 medium carrots sliced
- 3 medium potatoes 250gr, cut in cubes
- ½ fennel 170gr, cut in slices or medium pieces
- 300 gr oyster mushrooms cut in slices with your hands
- 1 nori sheet
- 2 dried wakame “leaves”
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 45 gr rice
- pepper, salt
- water approx. 600-700ml or until ingredients are covered
- lemon for serving
Instructions
- Cut the vegetables and the mushrooms.
- Blend the dried seaweed (nori and wakame) in a food processor, so they become almost a powder or very small pieces.
- Add the olive oil into a pot, and when the oil is warm, add the onion, the garlic and sauté them for about 1-2 minutes.
- Continue with the remaining vegetables, mushrooms and the seaweed, and mix. Sauté for about 5 minutes while mixing them, making sure they don’t stick.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Add the rice and mix.
- Add enough water to cover and let cook over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes. The cooking time depends on the rice you’re using. If the rice you’re using cooks faster than the “hard” vegetables (potatoes and carrots), add the rice when the vegetables are almost ready.
- Turn off the heat and taste if you need to add salt or pepper. Serve in bowls and add lemon juice.
Notes
Find more recipes in our digital cookbook “Eat Like A Greek Vegan”!