Igisu (Egonori Seaweed Gel)

Quick answer

Total time: 60 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5

About this dish

Igisu is a Tottori dish made by boiling dried igisu seaweed, also called egonori, until it sets naturally into a firm gel.

The seaweed is washed several times, soaked, and carefully cleared of debris before it is cooked with water and a small amount of vinegar. Steady stirring over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes breaks down the fine fibers into a smooth paste. Chilling it in a container produces neat, jelly-like blocks without a separate setting agent. The pieces are topped with sesame and dipped in soy sauce, and have long appeared in Buddhist vegetarian meals, New Year tables, memorial services, and ceremonies.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
dried igisu seaweed	25	g
water	500	ml
sesame seeds	1	tbsp
soy sauce	1	tbsp
vinegar	1	tsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

5 steps

1

Step

Rinse the dried igisu seaweed two or three times under running water.

Soak until fully softened, drain in a sieve, and carefully remove sand and pieces of other seaweed.
2

Control

Put the cleaned igisu, 500ml water, and 1 tsp vinegar in a pot over medium heat.

Stir with a wooden spatula as it comes to a boil so it does not stick.
3

Control

Once boiling, reduce to very low heat.

Stir continuously for 30 to 40 minutes, until the seaweed fibers become smooth and the spatula leaves a brief trail in the thick paste.
4

Step

While warm, pour the paste into a storage container or shallow mold and level the surface.

Let the steam subside, then chill for at least 2 hours, until firm through the center.
5

Finish

Unmold the set igisu and cut it into bite-size rectangles.

Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sesame seeds and serve 1 tbsp soy sauce separately for dipping.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Dried igisu cooks until its fine fibers dissolve.
Finish cue: Unmold the set igisu and cut it into bite-size rectangles.
Storage and reheating: While warm, pour the paste into a storage container or shallow mold and level the surface.