| Caulerpa lentillifera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Caulerpa lentillifera inChonburi,Thailand | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Ulvophyceae |
| Order: | Bryopsidales |
| Family: | Caulerpaceae |
| Genus: | Caulerpa |
| Species: | C. lentillifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Caulerpa lentillifera | |
Caulerpa lentillifera orsea grape is a species ofulvophytegreen algae from coastal regions in theAsia-Pacific. Thisseaweed is one of the favored species ofedibleCaulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. It is traditionally eaten in the cuisines ofSoutheast Asia,Oceania, andEast Asia. It was firstcommercially cultivated in thePhilippines in the 1950s, followed by Japan in 1968. Both countries remain the top consumers ofC. lentillifera. Its cultivation has since spread to other countries, includingVietnam,Taiwan, andChina.C. lentillifera, along withC. racemosa, are also known assea grapes orgreen caviar in English.[2]
It is a siphonous macroalgae, meaning it is a giant single cell withmultiple nuclei, and can grow to 30 cm in length. Instead of leaves, the algae has bubbles that burst in the mouth, releasing anumami taste.[3]
Traditionally,C. lentillifera were harvested directly from the wild. The first commercial cultivation ofC. lentillifera was in the 1950s inCebu,Philippines, after accidental introduction ofC. lentillifera to fish ponds.[4] Currently, there are around 400 hectares of ponds on Cebu, producing around 12 to 15 tons of freshC. lentillifera per year. They are usually harvested after two months from first planting, and every two weeks afterwards depending on growth rates.[5]
Commercial cultivation was followed by Japan in 1986, where it was cultivated in tanks in the warmer waters ofOkinawa.[6] Commercial cultivation has since spread to other countries, includingVietnam,Taiwan, andChina (inFujian andHainan). Most are for domestic consumption, but they are also exported to Japan.[7]
Caulerpa lentillifera, along withC. racemosa, have been traditionally eaten in the cuisines ofSoutheast Asia,Oceania, andEast Asia. They are almost always eaten raw on their own or insalads.[8] They have been described as tasting "like the ocean." It is known to be rich iniodine.[9]
In thePhilippines,C. lentillifera is usually known aslatô orarosep. After being washed in clean water, it is usually eaten raw in salads (ensaladang latô), with chopped raw shallots and fresh tomatoes, and dressed with a blend offish sauce orbagoóng (fish paste) and vinegar. Its popularity has also spread to theMalaysian state ofSabah (where it is spelledlatok) due to the migrations of theBajau peoples.[10][5] They are also coveted by coastal Malay communities (aslatoh) in theRiau Archipelago andSingapore, the latter until they were displaced inland late 20th century.[11]
InOkinawa,Japan, it is known asumi-budō (海ぶどう), meaning "sea grapes", orkubiretsuta.[12] It is served dipped inponzu, made intosushi, added into salads, or eaten as is.[13][14]
Caulerpa lentillifera is also eaten inVietnam, where it is known asrong nho orrong nho biển, meaning "grape algae" or "sea grape algae";[15] inKorea, where it is known asbada podo (바다포도), also meaning "sea grapes"; and inIndonesia (particularlyBali), where it is known asbulung.
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