Description
A light cold dish where Nostoc algae (Yulai Gu)—growing wild in mountains after rain, romantically nicknamed 'Lover's Tears'—is tossed with garlic, vinegar, and sesame oil.
Restaurants serving Lover's Tears (Nostoc) Salad
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Yulai Gu(Nostoc/algae)
- Garlic
- Black vinegar
- Thick soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Ginger
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Yulai Gu Prep] Prepare 'Yulai Gu' (a frilly greenish-brown algae resembling wood ear). *Sold as a specialty in Kenting, southern Taiwan. Wild ones contain sand, so wash repeatedly and carefully under running water.
- Boil water, blanch Yulai Gu briefly for '~
- seconds', drain, shock in ice water, and squeeze out water firmly.
- [Dressing] Mix grated garlic, shredded ginger, Taiwanese black vinegar (or white vinegar), Jiangyou Gao, sesame oil, and a little sugar in a bowl.
- Put drained Yulai Gu and julienned carrots (or red chili) for color into the bowl, toss firmly with the dressing.
- Chill in fridge to meld flavors before serving.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Garlic and Sesame oil aroma
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Black wood ear or Wakame (sub for texture/visuals)
Pairing
Indigenous Millet Wine or light seafood dishes
Trivia
[For Women] A traditional indigenous ingredient beautifully named 'Lover's Tears' because it magically appears on the ground only after rain. Nearly zero calories, mineral-rich, and romantic-looking, making it a hugely popular health food for female tourists visiting Kenting resorts. Also delicious stir-fried (Chao Yulai Gu).
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Scoop the extremely delicate, gentle texture—softer than wood ear, 'silky, squishy'—with a spoon along with the sweet/sour dressing to eat!
Allergen
Soy, Wheat (from soy sauce), Sesame