Omar

Omar is a jarred seaweed product built around cochayuyo, the thick Chilean kelp that shows up in kitchens as a chewy, mineral vegetable rather than as a classic seaweed snack. By our assessment, its value is in that dense texture and the way it can carry strong seasoning in soups or salads. The honest downside is that cochayuyo is not for everyone: it needs cleaning, soaking, and cooking, and the flavor is more briny and earthy than delicate. In practice it asks for time at the sink before it gives anything back on the plate. It sits far from sushi seaweed or nori sheets and closer to a traditional regional ingredient with a lot of bite. The name is simple, but the use is specific, and that narrowness is exactly what gives it its place.