Wakame
Also known as：Sea cabbage, wakame seaweed
Undaria pinnatifida
- Origin
- Dalian, Shandong
- Season
- Mar–May
- Appearance
- A large brown alga with pinnately lobed fronds resembling a ribbon skirt; dried product is dark green.
Content compiled by the Xian Mancang team
Introduction
品种介绍Named for its skirt-like fronds ('qundai' = ribbon skirt); called 'wakame' in Japan. Dalian and Shandong are main origins. Smooth, crisp texture with quick rehydration — a common seaweed for dressed salads and soups.
Spring-harvested wakame is the best quality; circulates fresh, salted and dried in parallel.
Holding Environment
暂养环境Xian Mancang holding advisor: temperature, salinity, water quality and density references per species — feel free to exchange holding experience.
Circulates mainly dried or salted. After spring harvest: wash in fresh water, remove stems, then salt or machine-dry; dried forms include whole fronds and shreds.
Storage: dry, away from light and moisture; salted keeps at 0–4°C. Parameters above are reference values — adjust to harvest season and process.
Economic Value
经济价值Dalian's wakame industry leads nationally with a large export share to Japan; salting and drying systems are mature. Domestic sales center on cold dishes — a high-frequency ingredient of foodservice dressed salads.
Clear price spread between dried and salted forms; processing value-add is steady.
Culinary & Commercial Use
烹饪与商业用途Home: dressed wakame (garlic-vinegar, crisp and appetizing), wakame tofu soup, wakame salad; Japanese miso soup often pairs with wakame.
Fast rehydration and easy cooking make it a home staple; foodservice uses it in Japanese dining, light meals and soup garnish.
Buying Guide
选购指南Dried: dark green color, intact fronds, no yellowing or mold; salted: crisp texture, no grit or off-odor. Rehydrated fronds should open fully with vivid green color; check production dates and salinity labels.
Market Reference
规格行情Reference price: dried 20–50 CNY/jin; salted 5–12 CNY/jin; dried shreds slightly higher. Spring season (Mar–May) has the most supply at the lowest prices; slight autumn-winter rises.
Wakame · FAQs
How do I pick the freshest Wakame?
Dried: dark green color, intact fronds, no yellowing or mold; salted: crisp texture, no grit or off-odor. Rehydrated fronds should open fully with vivid green color; check production dates and salinity labels.
What are the live-holding requirements for Wakame?
Circulates mainly dried or salted. After spring harvest: wash in fresh water, remove stems, then salt or machine-dry; dried forms include whole fronds and shreds.
What is the current market price of Wakame?
Reference price: dried 20–50 CNY/jin; salted 5–12 CNY/jin; dried shreds slightly higher. Spring season (Mar–May) has the most supply at the lowest prices; slight autumn-winter rises.
How do I cook Wakame? What methods work best?
Home: dressed wakame (garlic-vinegar, crisp and appetizing), wakame tofu soup, wakame salad; Japanese miso soup often pairs with wakame.
Wakame · For stock availability and holding consultation, contact us