If you've never tried cooking with kombu seaweed you've been missing out on a world of umami and nutritional benefits available in this amazing edible sea kelp.
In Japanese cuisine kombu is a key ingredient in 'dashi' a simple broth that forms the cornerstone of many Japanese dishes.
It can be purchased dried or fresh, or even pickled. Prized for its chewy texture it's also a nutritional powerhouse known as the 'king of seaweed' for its superior health giving credentials.
A store cupboard staple, dried kombu will last for years making it an amazing flavour enhancer to have on hand in the kitchen as the 'sea kelp' packs a big punch for its small size.
Kombu seaweed can be thrown into salads, stews, used as a condiment, to make broth or even be used to soften beans.
Here are three simple recipes to get you started with kombu seaweed in your home kitchen:
HOMEMADE SEITAN WITH MUSHROOMS AND WHITE WINE
Try this easy and step by step seitan recipe, to make a tasty vegan dish with mushrooms and an Italian white wine. Kombu seaweed is used to add extra flavour to the broth.
Miso Soup with Seaweed
The classic healthy Japanese soup is stocked with Kombu to boost the umami flavours of the broth.
Seaweed Ribollita
Chef Marco Stabile transforms the classic Tuscan bread soup called ribollita into a gourmet, light and exotic seaweed soup.
Get to know more edible seaweeds that you should try here.
