Sea Grapes, Lato, Latok, Umi-bud? (Caulerpa lentiferia)

Description

Sea Grapes, Lato, Latok, U
mi-budo
(Caulerpa lentiferia)
10 Package/Box  Price Includes shipping cost
This seaweed is one of the
favored
species of edible Caulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. C.
lentillifera
is farmed and eaten in the Philippines, where it is locally known under various names including
latô
,
gusô
, and
arosep
; in the Malaysian state of Sabah, where it is known as
latok
; and in Okinawa, Japan, where it is known as
umi-budo
, meaning  sea grapes
.
It is sometimes known in English as green caviar or sea grapes.
Caulerpa
lentillifera
is usually eaten raw with vinegar, as a snack or in a salad. In the Philippines, after being washed in clean water, it is usually eaten raw as a salad, mixed with chopped raw shallots and fresh tomatoes, and dressed with a blend of fish sauce or bagoong (fish paste) and vinegar. It is known to be rich in iodine.
The pond cultivation of C.
lentillifera
has been very successful on Mactan Island, Cebu, in the central Philippines, with markets in Cebu and Manila. About 400 ha of ponds are under cultivation, producing  tons of fresh seaweed per hectare per year.
Caulerpa
lentillifera
is a species of
bryopsidale
green algae from coastal regions in the Indo-Pacific.