Kombu Ingredient Guide: How to Use Japanese Kombu

Kombu (also spelled konbu) is the Japanese name for several species of dried, brown, edible kelp of the Laminaria genus—most famous for its use in the soup stock dashi. Kombu thrives in cold water and primarily grows off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan. You can find kombu—known as haidai in Chinese and dasima in Korean—at most Asian grocery stores and health food stores.

Kombu has been used as an all-purpose flavoring in Japan for more than a thousand years. It wasn't until the early twentieth century that Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda found that kombu is exceptionally high in monosodium glutamate (MSG). Based on his kombu and MSG research, Ikeda identified the fifth flavor, umami

There are multiple species of kombu, each with a unique flavor and culinary purpose. Some of the most widely available include:

1. 1. Karafuto kombu (Laminaria saccharina): The presence of the sugar alcohol mannitol in this type of kombu creates a sweet flavor.
2. 2. Ma kombu (Laminaria japonica): This thick, wide kombu yields a clear broth.
3. 3. Mitsuishi kombu (Laminaria angustata): This type is also known as dashi-kombu because it is commonly used to make dashi.
4. 4. Rishiri kombu (Laminaria ochotensis): Named after the island Rishiri off the coast of Hokkaido, this kombu is thin and ruffled.

Kombu adds umami flavor to many Japanese foods, including:

1. 1. Kombu dashi: This soup stock serves as a backbone of Japanese cooking and is made from kombu, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), and sometimes shiitake mushrooms. It forms the base of miso soup, hot pots, noodle bowls, and more.
2. 2. Seaweed salad: Adding thinly sliced kombu to seaweed salad creates a thick, meaty texture.
3. 3. Tsukudani: Kombu pickled in soy sauce can be eaten as a snack or used as a condiment.

Japanese cuisine makes frequent use of different types of seaweed.

Nori: Use thin, crisp sheets of nori to wrap sushi and onigiri. Nori is much more pliable than kombu and does not need to be cooked or rehydrated before using.
Wakame: Use the wrinkly, dry strips of wakame in soups, or rehydrate them for seaweed salads. Wakame is more textured than kombu and has a shorter cook time.
Arame and hijiki: These seaweed types look like strands of loose-leaf black tea and are rehydrated for use in salads. Due to their wispy texture, they’re not a good substitute for kombu.

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