Ensaladang Lato (Lato Salad)~ A Filipino seaweed salad that’s simple yet packed with flavors!
When I first had this in a scrumptious seafood dinner, I thought that this should be paired with every seafood dish. What better salad can complement seafood dishes other than the ones that also came from the sea right?
Although this dish is really simple to make, I hope this recipe article will help you mix the best dressing and get more knowledge about this feed. Feel free to read through the article before jumping to the recipe.
What is Lato?
Lato (Caulerpa lentillifera) is an edible seaweed that is abundant in the Philippines and the nearby regions. It is known by other names such as Latok, Sea Grapes, and Green Caviar.
It is easily recognizable as it looks like strings of small green grapes. When you take a bite of it, you’ll notice that it easily bursts. The taste is very interesting as you’ll be getting a unique sea salt flavor.
Because of this taste, it is used in many cuisines around the Asian region like Japan (umibudo), Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Most use this as a salad or as a side dish.
What is Ensaladang Lato?
Ensaladang Lato translates to Lato Salad or Seaweed Salad in English. Like many ensalada dishes here in the Philippines, this too involves a main ingredient tossed in a delicious vinegar-based dressing.
The dressing in this dish combines tomatoes, onion, and sugar, giving off a somewhat sweet and sour flavor to the salty seaweed.
All ingredients used are fresh, making it a perfect pair to freshly caught seafood dishes. Learn the step by step instructions as well as useful tips below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Aside from the lato, here are salad ingredients that’ll enhance the overall flavor of this dish:
Vinegar
Vinegar is commonly used as a base for salad dressing and is responsible for the citrus or acidic flavor. You can also substitute vinegar with calamansi juice.
Green Mango
For this recipe, green mango is an optional ingredient. Ensaladang lato would taste just as good without it. But if you love green mangoes or want an extra sour kick to your salad, go ahead and add some.
Onion
I recommend you use red onion for this salad as it has a stronger taste. But you can also use white onion to replace this.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like tomato, sugar, salt, and black pepper. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
How to Make Ensaladang Lato
Ensaladang lato is a quick and easy fresh salad dish and it will only involve 2 major parts.
For the first part, we will be making the salad dressing. It is a simple combination of ingredients and mixing them together.
For the second part, we will be tossing the lato or seaweed with this dressing until it is well-flavored. Take note that we still have to let it sit for a few minutes before eating so that the dressing will be fully absorbed.
Preparation Tips
- This dish involves fresh ingredients, including the lato, so make sure everything is properly rinsed and cleaned before preparing.
- Don’t add the dressing to the lato if you won’t consume it soon. Dressing the lato for a long time may cause it to wilt.
How to Serve Ensaladang Lato
Ensaladang lato goes well with white rice and is served as a side dish to fresh and cooked seafood dishes. Pair it with fresh oysters, fresh sea urchin, buttered shrimp, baked scallops, grilled squid, and crabs for example. Yum!
Other Seafood Recipes
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Ensaladang Lato (Seaweed Salad) Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) lato (sea grapes seaweed), rinsed
- 2 pcs large-sized tomato, diced
- 1 pc green mango, chopped (optional)
- 1 pc medium-sized red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, black pepper, sugar, tomato, onion, and green mango (optional).
- Stir together until well mixed.
- Add-in the lato and toss with the vinegar dressing.
- Let it stay for at last 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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