Korean Seaweed Snack vs Japanese Seaweed Snack

Today, I encountered an inquiry from one of our customers. He bought a bag of Japanese seaweed snack

.

and a bag of Korean Seaweed snack

Both are great stuffs…. for us. However, it doesn’t seem so for this customer, who was new to the seaweed. After devouring the super crispy Korean seaweed, he found the taste of Japanese seaweed is quite dull and thought it was stale.

The truth is, the Japanese seaweed snack is just as fresh as the Korean seaweed snack. The difference in the taste was due to how the seaweed snack was made by Korean or Japanese.

Korean style seaweed snack are usually seasoned and roasted in sesame oil (most of the time). You can do one experiment. Use a fine tissue, or simply use your finger to rub the Korean seaweed gently, you will see/feel the oil on the tissue or your finger.

Because the Korean seaweed has been roasted in oil, it is very crispy and it stays that way very long. Japanese seaweed, on the other hand, is not added with any oil. They are simply seasoned and dried roasted, just like the seaweed nori used for sushi making. The Japanese seaweed snack is not very crispy. It gains some degree of crispy from being very dried, but you will never have a Japanese seaweed snack or nori sheet as crispy as Korean ones.

Because it is not oiled, many new comers to seaweed snacks might find the Korean seaweed is more attractive than the Japanese one.

Nevertheless, after enjoying the Korean seaweed for a while, you might find the mild, “plainer” Japanese seaweed to be just as enjoyable. You can use it to roll the rice, meat, sprinkle over the noodle, soup or eat out of packets. Many many ways to enjoy. At 4 calories per 12 strips, you don’t have to worry too much on how much calories you are taking in.

Just like Fried Chicken, it tastes great, but one day you might find a grilled Chicken to be just as tasty as the fried one……..

We love all different kinds of seaweed snack. PierMall.com carries

4 different seaweed snacks:

Korean Seaweed - Low salt - 3 bags

Korean Seaweed - Low salt - 3 bags

Korean Seaweed Snack - Green Tea

Korean Seaweed Snack - Green Tea

Original Korean Seaweed - 1 case

Original Korean Seaweed - 1 case

Japanese seaweed snack

Japanese seaweed snack (light spicy)- Value pack available

PierMall.com also carry many different seaweed nori for sushi:

50 sheets seaweed nori + 1 Sushi Mat

50 sheets seaweed nori +1 Sushi Mat (product of China)

Seaweed Nori for Sushi (China)

Seaweed Nori for Sushi (China)

Seaweed Nori for Sushi (Japan)

Seaweed Nori for Sushi (Japan)

There are many types available, available in single bag or value pack. Search for “Seaweed”

Celebrate your birthday with a delicious cake – Zero Calorie!

How much I want to have that delicious cake! Oh no, that fat, sugar….
When I was searching for a good cake replacement for an upcoming birthday, I came across to these beautiful cakes, they are so beautiful and will definitely cheer up the party. The best yet, they come with zero calorie – naturally! You will stay just healthy, if not healthier.. But if you are allergic to the flower, it might be better for you to enjoy some real cake, even it is loaded with calories..
All the delicious cakes are provided by 1800flowers.com:

A slice of life? Birthday flower cake or a cupcake?

Treasured Chinese Fruite – Jujube Date

Heart Shape Date & Hetian Jade Jujube Date

Heart Shape Date & Hetian Jade Jujube Date

The jujube red date is an edible fruit and has high medical value. Jujube is rich in vitamins and contains many kinds of trace elements such as iron, zinc and cerium and so on.

The jujube also has the very high value for medicinal purposes. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that “the jujube is fruit of the spleen”. Date products have the function like diminishing inflammation, clearing blood and promoting blood circulation. It is believed that jujube has the tonic properties over the spleen, nourishing stomach, enriching blood and invigorating mind. The modern Chinese medicine research shows that both the big and small jujube are good for the spleen, but the big date’s merit is to reduce turbid, the small jujube’s merit is to strengthen the constitution, therefore the big date is used in medicine for treatment; The small jujube is not be the components of medicine and used for supporting body.

We carry both small ( seedless Heibei Heart Shaped jujube dates) and large date (XinJian Hetian Jujube Dates). Both types are the premium quality date with very small stone. Heart shaped jujube dates is already seedless. It has tight small body, chewy in texture. Xinjian Hetian jujube is large, soft and sweet with tiny seed. Both of them are delicious. You may use it for soup, rice porridge, meat dish, tea and even prepare it as a delicious no fat sweet snack.

Both dates are raw food, they should be thoroughly washed with tap water and cooked before eaten. We usually steam a bag of date for 20 minutes, and store the cooked jujube date in refrigerators to enjoy as snacks or add to various dishes.

Nutrient component of natural stunner, Hetian jade date (Large Date)

Content per 100g

Vitamin

A

2.60 ug

C

520 mg

Biotin

16.9 ug

B1

0.09 mg

D

ug

Carotene

0.04 mg

B2

0.10 mg

E

0.23 mg

Folacin

142 ug

B6

0.20 mg

K

ug

Pantothenic acid

1.55 mg

B12

mg

P

378 mg

Nicotinic acid

1.00 mg

Mineral element

Calcium

76.8 mg

Phosphorus

38.5 mg

Fe

2.59 mg

Kalium

282 mg

Natrium

19.1 mg

Cuprum

0.14 mg

Magnesium

26.2 mg

Zinc

1.84 mg

Selenium

1.12 ug

Goji, WolfBerry, Lycium Barbarum Benefits & Recipes

NinXia Goji - King of Goji

Ning-Xia Goji - King of Goji

Nowadays, almost everyone heard about Goji, thanks to the quite successful marketing of “Tibetan Goji” and “Himalayan Goji” products. However, if you ever tried to look for Tibetan or Himalayan Goji in China, you probably would never find it. Most probably, you would see a surprised face and a “what?” You know what? People in China never heard about such thing as an Authentic Tibetan or Himalayan Goji! The hometown of Goji berry is in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of north-central China. The unique, mineral-rich alkaline soil (pH 8.2 to 8.6) and wide temperature range (-16 F to 102 F) have produced the most beautiful goji berries. China Xinhua News Agency reported that Ningxia goji berry is far superior to ordinary Chinese goji berry – in both tonic effects and economic results”.

Ning Xia Goji Berry - Jumbo Size

Ning Xia Goji Berry - Jumbo Size

Goji is also known as Gou qi zi, Goji, wolfberry, lycium fruit, Lycium barbarum; Lycium chinense; Lycium europeaum. Goji berries have long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Goji berry , noted in Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing 《神农本草经》) (475 – 221 B.C.), benefits ranging from replenishing vital essences to strengthening and restoring major organs. Bencao Gangmu (本草纲目) written by Li Shizhen in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) reported that taking in goji berry regularly may regulate the flow of vital energy and strengthen the physique, which can lead to longevity. No long ago, the Chinese national census reported that the number of Ningxia residents living more that 100 years exceeds the national average by an amazing 400%. The people of Ningxia attributed their healthy and longevous life to the daily consumption of Goji.

Ginseng, Lingzhi, and Goji were three cherished tonic for health know by ancient Chinese people. In traditional Chinese medicine practice, Goji has many many Health Benefits.

NingXia Goji - King of Goji

NingXia Goji - King of Goji

It is believed that Goji can:

* protect the liver
* help eyesight
* improve sexual function and fertility
* strengthen the legs
* boost immune function
* improve circulation
* promote longevity

Where the Best Goji Grow?

Even Goji has been marketed as Tibert/Himalaya grown in western countries these days. If you ask any native Chinese, or even the native people from Tibet, they will probably tell you that the best Goji is from Ning Xia province.

Read some more honest reading about Origin of Goji Berry and health benefit at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfberry

What Does Goji Looks Like and How it Tastes?

Goji berries have a mild tangy taste that is slightly sweet and sour. Proper dried Goji has a similar shape and chewy texture as raisins, and slightly harder.

The good berry should be very dried.

How to Enjoy Goji Berry?

(1) Home Made Trial Mix

Mix Goji Berry with various dried nuts, chocolate chips, pretzel piece

(2)Bake Goji Cookies/Bread

Use Goji Berry as Raisin or Craisin, add to your daily baking

(3) Make Tea

Add 10~20 goji berry to a cup, add boiling water. The tea will taste tangy with mild sweetness

(4) Make Goji Wine

Soak Goji in Liquor as long as you want, a traditional Chinese way to enjoy Goji benefit

(5)Cook with Goji:

Add Goji to any your vegetable, meat dish, right before the cooking is done. Goji is widely used in soup or stew by Chinese.

(6)Make Goji Fruit Smoothies.

Add some goji into your favorite smoothies.

(7)Let Your imagination go wild!

PierMall.com carries the high quality NingXia Goji Berry fruits. They are very large in size: Over 0.5 Inch. Unlike new electrical dried goji, which are too dry to chew in most of the case. Goji we carry are traditional sun dried: very dry yet still chewy and clean. We offer different value pack size and we also offer wholesale by case (30 lb/case).

Seaweed – Treasure From the Sea

Dried Kaisou Seaweed Salad With Dressing

(5Dried Kaisou Seaweed Salad With Dressing

I always have the passion about seaweed. I loves all kinds of seaweed: Haidai (Kombu, or kelp), wakame seaweed, seaweed nori, seaweed snack: Japanese seasoning styles and Korean roasted seaweed snack.

Salt Preserved Seaweed Salad, No dressing

Sea Salt Preserved Seaweed Salad, No dressing

There are many many different types of seaweed, and many ways to enjoy the seaweed. It is always a pleasant surprise whenever I saw a new ways to enjoy the seaweed.

The most famous story about Seaweed benefit began with Atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. Dr. Tatsuichiro Akizuki, then the Director of the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Francis’s Hospital in Nagasaki, was able to save numerous survivors of the blast from radiation sickness and cancer of the blood by feeding his staff and patients a strict diet of brown rice, miso and tamari soy soup, wakame, kombu and other seaweed, Hokkaido pumpkin, and sea salt .

Japanese Cut Seaweeds

Japanese Cut Seaweeds

Today, intensive studies around the world have shown that seaweed is rich in vitamins and minerals such as, calcium, natural iodine, selenium, enzymes, plus a list of others such as: vitamins: A, B, C, D and Vitamin K. Seaweed is also good source of selenium and iodine. It has anti-cancer effects and provides soluble fibre and omega 3 fats.

Kombu - Haidai or Kelp

Kombu – Haidai or Kelp

The Seaweed benefit includes:
1) Potent Protection from Radioactivity – Fights Radiation Poisoning

(2)Detoxify and Live longer

(3)Beauty – Healthy Hair, Wight Loss

(4) Healthy Heart and Veins,

(5) Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure

Natural Seasoned Seaweed Snack

Natural Seasoned Seaweed Snack

(6) Prevent Ulcers

(7) Fights Constipation

(8) Lung Health

(9) Neutralize Acids

Keep in mind, though, Seaweed is not a quick fix. Seaweed is a unique health food supplement rich in valuable nutrients that our body needs. it is long term investment that will produce results over time.

Japanese Seasoned Seaweed -100 Packets

Japanese Seasoned Seaweed -100 Packets

PierMall.com carries many Japanese seaweed products.

(1) Dried or Sea salt preserved seaweed salad and Dried Cut Wakame Seaweed

They are very simple to prepare: either soak in water, or wash throughly under running water.

Dried Cut wakame seaweed is the essential ingredients in miso soup, seaweed salad in Japanese dishes

(2) Kombu (Kelp or called Hai Dai in Chinese)

Seaweed Agar Agar Strips

Seaweed Based Agar Strips

This is the seaweed with thick or meaty leaf, which is essential seaweed for the thicker soup, meat stew. The cooking is very simple. Just soak the kombu first until it is soft and flexible. Don’t over soak. If it can be easily smashed, it is over soaked.

Cup into strip, and add into your simple meat soup or stew. There are recipes on the package.

Seaweed Nori for Sushi Making

Seaweed Nori for Sushi Making

(3) Agar agar strips

The gelatin used for commercial Jello is prepared from collagen from Cow or other animal products. If you want to avoid to use animal product, you can use this wonderful seaweed based agar strip to replace gelatin in all the recipes that calling for gelatin. You can make all the Jello to your heart content and know it is good for you and your wallet :) .

(4) Roasted Seaweed Snack.

All those little packets are one of the most welcomed snacks among Asian kids. Rich in protein, fiber and mineral and low in fat. It will satisfy your taste buds. And you can add these little crispy strips on top of your rice bowl, noodle soup and more.. Give them a try to see why kids like them and grown up love them too.

(5) Roasted Seaweed Nori Sheet for Making Sushi

Don’t forget our high quality seaweed Nori sheet made in Japan. They are full size sheet and great for making those delicious taste sushi roll at home at a fraction of the money you paid at a Japanese Restaurants. We have all wasabi horseraddish powder, sushi mix powder , sushi making bamboo mat. Check them out.