A seaside gem: why you should eat Kritamo

If you’ve had a summer salad in Greece, you’ve likely been served something green and seaweed-like on occasion. Enter Kritamo! This plant has been known and heralded since ancient times for its healing properties and unique taste. Kritamo or krithamo name derives from its seeds’ similarity to those of barley. Thus, the ancient Greeks called it "krythmon.” The similarities stop there. Interestingly, it only grows by the sea. Kritamo is also known as sea fennel, sea bean, sea pickle and/or crest marine.

In ancient Greece, famous doctors such as Dioscorides (who we talk about a lot around these parts) and the famous botanist Plinios wrote about this plant and its valuable properties. They greatly highlighted kritamo for its essential oils, minerals, iodine, vitamins, appetizing ingredients, tonics; what else could you ask for from a nice green?!

It contains vitamins E, C, K, as well as minerals, and is rich in high-quality antioxidants and omega-3 fats. It is beneficial for liver and kidney dysfunction and also stimulates skin renewal. Moreover, it has aphrodisiac properties. I’ve seen people pick this out of their salads in confusion… don’t dismiss it! Your skin (and apparently libido) beg you not to.

Want to try it? Below are some recipes.

Kritamo Salad

Boil water in a pot and put the kritamo in it. Leave it for 5 minutes. If you want to keep the green color of it, put it immediately in a bowl of ice. After two minutes, drain it and put it on a plate. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Be careful with the salt because it is salty by itself. The taste will fascinate you! It is an ideal meze for ouzo and makes for an excellent combination along with fish and seafood. 

Kritamo Salt

You have to dry kritamo in the sun until it is completely dry.  After, beat the dried crumbs in the mortar and place the powder in a jar. The powder is salty, exactly as kritamo is, with an extra interesting flavour. Substitute this powder for salt in salads and in various recipes.

Kritamo pickles 

Boil ½ liter of water and 1 cup of vinegar (good quality) as soon as it boils, add 250 gr. kritamo for 1 (strictly) minute. After that drain it but keep the vinegar and leave it to cool. Combine the kritamo with the vinegar water in a glass jar together with 2 tablespoons of sea ​​salt.  Close them and keep them in the refrigerator. This is a delicate product.

A special note on Kritamo:

 At an exhibition held in Plauen, Germany, Greek Kritamos was honored with the first natural product award. Who knew!