Jellyfish, dried, salted

Dried, salted jellyfish is a specialty ingredient in Chinese and other East Asian kitchens, prized for its distinctive crunchy, slightly springy texture rather than for a strong flavor of its own. Before cooking, it's typically rehydrated by soaking and rinsing in several changes of water to remove excess salt, then sliced into thin strips or shreds. It's most often served cold, tossed with sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and chile flakes as a salad or cold appetizer, where its texture contrasts nicely with crisp cucumber, scallion, or shredded carrot. Some cooks also add it to cold noodle salads or serve it alongside other cold appetizers at the start of a meal.

A cup serving (58 g) has just 36 calories, with iron at 13% DV and protein at 11% DV per 100 g. Because sodium is very high at 9690 mg per 100 g from the salting and drying process, a thorough soak and rinse before use is standard practice to bring the saltiness down to a manageable level. Look for it in the refrigerated or dry goods section of Asian grocery stores, sold in sealed packages, and use it within the timeframe printed on the label once opened, keeping it refrigerated and covered in liquid until ready to slice and serve.