Just soaking kombu seaweed in the water for a while makes water turns into magic water filled with umami and minerals. Thus, kombu seaweed is often called the king of seaweed. However, have you wonder if kombu seaweed turns water into dashi stock, why ocean never turns into delicious, mild water, instead of plain salt water?

379px-Kelp-forest-Monterey / Inf-Lite Teacher

It’s because when kombu seaweeds are still flickering in the ocean, they are still alive. Not just kombu seaweeds, but all the living matter have function in the body that takes in nutrients that is necessary to grow, and not letting them out, called selective permeability. Glutamic acid, basis of umami taste, is necccesary nutrient for kombu seaweed to grow. Therefore, it will store in its body over the years, condensing all the umami.

Kombu seaweed that was sun dried condenses rich nutrient and umami that was stored over the year, making each ingredients full flavored meal. Piece of dashi kombu strip is delivered to your with great care and time.

Maybe, if enough large amount of sun-dried kombu seaweed are thrown back in ocean, salt water may turn in to mild and full of umami.

Did you know that kombu seaweed that is used for dashi stock doesn’t have a real expiration date? At the grocery store, any packaged product, including kombu seaweed, is required to print expiration date on their package. As long as kombu seaweed is kept in dark cold place, it can be used for almost forever unless molded. In fact, some people let the kombu seaweed stored for the better taste. Kombu seaweed is already dried and stored for a year before ship out, but aging kombu will reduce sliminess off the surface and tangle smell of the sea, enhancing umami

Back in the days, Kombu seaweed that was harvested at Hokkaido, Northern Japan, was transported to Osaka where kombu seaweed consumption was high. However, kombu did not always delivered to Osaka due to lack of mass transportation. It was not rare to store over winter for heavy snow and transported after winter. When they find out that aged kombu that was stored over winter tastes better, aged kombu were considered luxury kombu seaweed. Nowadays, mass transportation system have improved and made kombu to be transported even in the harsh weather. Storing expensive kombu seaweed in a storage to age was too risky and costly due to maintenance fee and possible mold occurring. Consequently less and less manufacture still store kombu to be aged long term anymore.

In our company, we harvest kombu during summer and stored in storage made particular for kombu seaweed for the maximum taste. Not only we store kombu at kombu storage, premium quality kombu seaweeds are stored for years in the ripening chamber just like vintage wine.

Dashi kombu can be enjoyed even after ages as long as stored correctly. Even if you only use once in a while, just stock them in your pantry and use them for your convenience.

Just make sure before using, Kombu seaweed have white powder on a surface called mannit. Make sure you smell kombu before using it to figure out if its mold or not.

Japanese pickles is one of the comes out a lot on Japanese breakfast table from long time ago. Pickles were used as hashiyasume. It literally means resting chopsticks and enjoyed during each plate to refresh your palate with different flavor and flavor between main dish and side dish, enhancing the other dishes.

There are many varieties of pickles in Japan, but this time, we will introduce Asazuke pickles that can be done in regular household. Asazuke, generally means pickles that can be done in a few hours. It’s one of the most popular pickles in Japan and can be made by the common households. Asazuke rubs various vegetable with salt, draining water from them to enjoy saturated umami from vegetable and kombu seaweed.

When speaking of pickles, many might think sour fermented pickles. However, Asazuke does not use fermentation in a process so you can enjoy pure umami with no sourness just like quick snacks. It’s easy to make and tasty so please try at your house. All you need is vegetable, salt and kombu.

• Vegetables – use fresh vegetable. Any vegetable can be used but common vegetable being used are Chinese cabbage, cabbage, cucumber, radish. Other vegetables include celery, carrot, and leafy vegetables.

• Salt – salt help drain water from vegetable and can saturate umami in vegetables.

• Kombu seaweed – used to extract more umami from vegetables. Kombu gives a depth in the taste of pickles. Kombu also helps get rid of sodium out of body so it can help reduce high sodium content of pickles.

• Seasonings – pickles will taste good without any seasonings other than kombu and salt, but seasonings can be added depending on your preference. Commons seasonings used as a varieties are citrus peal, green perilla leaves, ginger, vinegar, red pepper.

Direction

1. Cut vegetable into bite size pieces

2. Pour salt equal to the 2% weigh of vegetable, kombu and desired seasoning together.

3. Let vegetable marinate for few hours.

By storing pickles in a fridge, it can last 2 to 3 days.

浅漬け / rhosoi

It’s the  season of entrance exam in Japan in February. People in Japan needs to pass the entrance exam in Japan in order to attend high school and college, even some kindergarten requires entrance exam. For college entrance exam, there are standardized exam and individual exam and applicant must take both exam and pass. Unlike American universities, you can only take exam once. If one doesn’t get into desired university, it is not rare to find applicant to wait for next year’s exam, not attending any college. Since whole life could depend on your test scores, people used good luck charm to help get better grades. Now days, many food companies tries to sell their products toward test takers using puns. Kombu seaweed is the perfect ingredient for auspicious puns and has been used for many decades. However, not only auspicious they can help regain your energy and stay focused.

Kombu seaweed has following efficacies.

• Relieve fatigue – Kombu seaweed is rich in vitamin B1 and B2 that help the nervous system function properly, and are needed for good brain function. They are sometime called anti-stress vitamin because it may improve the ability to withstand stressful conditions.
• Help you have a quick mind- Alginic acid is said to help you get agile.
• Reduced mood swing – Some says calcium can help reduce mood swings and kombu seaweed contains 7 times more calcium than milk

In our company, we have chewy snack Kombu seaweed that is easy to consume and helps you stay alert by chewing. Sadly it is not on sale outside of Japan, but Seaweed Salad on the go contains kombu and can be prepared in 5 minutes anywhere or anytime.

Kombu seaweed is used by many as a basis and to extract hint of Japanese cuisine in form of dashi stock and many other ways. However, not many people know that kombu seaweed that has been used once for dashi stock still holds plenty of umami and nutrition in it and can be used. By keeping it in freezer, dashi that has been used can be stored for long time. When the dashi kombu seaweed gets piled up, it can be used as a food ingredients such as kombu dressing, kombu chips. Re-using kombu seaweed is not only economical, but also ecological by reducing the waste from household and can enjoy all the health benefits.

We, Kurakon Foods Corporation, have been using kombu seaweeds that has been grown with blessing of natured and we try to maintain environment. As part of sustainable business model, we promote reducing waste and inventing eco-friendly recipes building awareness to public. Reusing kombu can only be a good thing for economical, ecology, health. Here are the few recipes using used kombu. It’s easy to make and healthy so feel free to try.

Non-oil kombu seaweed chips

Serving size 2~3 person

Ingredients:

Used kombu     1 oz (30g)

Direction

1. Cut used kombu into inch size

2. Wipe all the unnecessary water on kombu with paper towel

3. Place kombu seaweed on microwavable flat plate

4. Microwave for 20 second with 600W

*When kombu seaweed is microwaved for too long, it can be charred.

*It may make some noise during microwave. It’s the sounds of bubbles in kombu seaweed

Kombu seaweed dressing

Serving size: 3~4 person

Ingredients:

Used kombu seaweed                 1oz (30g)

Olive oil                                         2tbl spoon

Vinegar                                         4tbl spoon

Salt                                                 1tbl spoon

Sugar                                             1tbl spoon

Pepper                                          dash of pepper

Direction

1. Put vinegar, salt, and sugar into a bowl and stir it well

2. Mince used kombu seaweeds.

3. Add minced kombu seaweeds into a bowl

4. Add Pepper to adjust the flavor

Japan has distinctive season and it is engraved in our daily life and cultural events. Beginning of seasons is supposedly set on a calendar day and on the first day of season, often traditional ceremony held.

Since, seasons calendar uses Chinese calendar, this year’s beginning of spring was on February 5^th. The day before spring is called setsubun and many events is held in each household.

Most common event is Mamemaki, an event scattering roasted soy beans to drive demons away. People hurl roasted osybeans around the entrance and room of their homes, shouting “in with fortune! Out with Evil” (おにはそと、ふくはうち). Soy beans are believed to hold a vigorous and charm against evil. After scattering soy beans, we eat same number of soy as your age to stay healthy.

Other practice during setsubun includes fukucha and ehou-maki.

Fukucha is a tea with kombu seaweed, soy beans, and pickled plum. Soy beans are for hard working, plums are traditionally used for auspicious occasions. This drink is originated from old tales that a monk saved people’s lives with it.

These scattering soy beans and drinking tea has been done for hundred of years, but ehou-maki started fairly recent. It is custom to eat sushi roll facing the direction of the year without talking. Direction changes every year and this year it was south-south east. To receive full luck, people have to eat the rolls with few bites and without talking.

Japanese people prepare for coming spring. It may be already a spring on a calendar, but it still is cold out there with snow storms. Keep your healthy living and auspicious meaning with hot comfy tea and sushi rolls.

節分 / yamakazz

There are 5 fundamental taste receptors in human gestation including sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness and umami. Umami is often translated as a savory flavor and its unique characteristic is synergetic effect when used with other ingredients, bumping up the umami drastically.

Japanese chefs have known this fact long ago before umami was discovered from their experience and utilized umami in their cooking. Knowing that this savory taste were distinct from other 4 fundamental tastes and used this synergistic effect from the experience when using food filled with glutamic acid such as kombu seaweed with other umami ingredients will increase the taste. That is because Japanese food is to extract ingredients taste using ingredients such as kombu seaweed. Therefore, Japanese dashi stock using kombu and bonito was invented from the experience.

4 years ago, mechanism of taste synergy effect was discovered. Receptor of Umami, shaped like venus fly trap bind close to the hinge region bind to an adjacent site when glutamic acid is together and stabilizing it. When stabilized, glutamic acid is able to stay in the receptor, increasing umami in the gestation.

venus fly trap / BotheredByBees

When umami is added, meal become more palatable with savory flavor, making the food taste the way they taste like. With little bit of work and ingredients, it will make your dish multiple times better and healthier for low sodium. Utilize umami and add healthy delicious meal.

osechi year 2010 / nAok0

In Japanese culture you will see many occasions using puns to be a good omen. Especially on New Year, the most important holiday of all in Japan, uses many puns in a hope for a better and healthy life for their family members by eating special meal called osechi.

Osechi is served in special boxes　that are just like layered bento boxes and consumed through out the new year celebration. On the New Year, there is a belief that toshigami, the New Year God will visit your house and fire was considered holy and avoids using them as much as they could. Only exception is the mochi soup called ozouni, to be eaten with New Year god. Thus, Osechi is composed food that is meant to serve cold. However, since Osechi is enjoyed thorough out New Years, Osechi is prepared to last long. Among all ingredients that are used on osechi, kombu is one of most utilized product, including boiled kombu seaweed, to flavoring with dashi stock.

Osechi originally imported from china as a food for cerebration on 700AD. Then Osechi became meal to celebrate New Year. As I stated earlier, each ingredients used in osechi has special meaning hoping for better coming year. Those foods listed below.

Simmered kombu roll (kombu maki) – kombu symbolizes happiness as Japanse word for happiness is yorokobu associate with kombu. Kombu is used in osechi in many forms and dishes

Sweet mashed potato made with chestnuts (kuri-kinton) – associated with fortune as the color reminds gold. Chestnut can be grown in all regions and is used for good fortune.

Red and white fishkcake (kamaboko) – fish cake symbolizes sunrise and must have item for osechi. Sunrise has special meaning as it depicted on national flag. Moreover red symbolize happiness and white symbolizes holiness and purity.

Black beans (kuro-mame) – beans represents health and rugged and must have item for osechi

Herring roe – as herring reproduce thousands of eggs, it symbolizes fertility.

Shrimp – as they have long beard and curved back reminds of aged men and symbolizes longevity

Burdock – thin and long plant that roots in underground is thought to be the role model life and used in many osechi foods.

Lotus roots – hole in the lotus roots let you see through the future.

Osechi put meaning on the dish into important consideration and many of them consume lots of time and effort. lots of house wives spend new years eve, preparing for the new year to have a joyful New Year with the family and relatives

Usage of kombu seaweed has been widen but there are not many countries using kombu in daily diet and savory. Kombu probably will continue to be used as a healthy ingredient and gain presence in the use. With in that use, there will be better methods, recipes will be introduced and to make more people to enjoy kombu seaweed, we will continue to provide with products that satisfy demands.

Recently, Kombu has been used in many parts of the world as healthy and tasty ingredients. However, Japan is the only country establishing a way to consumer as soup stock and many other cooking methods. Not only dashi stock but traditional shaved kombu are seasoned only with Vinegar, and many other product using kombu try to pull out all the umami kombu seaweed have. Though, it is true that kombu seaweed have been eaten in many other places of world.

Japan leads a consumption of kombu seaweed in the world, but behind Japan is China. China which is most of the geographical area is occupied on land, kombu seaweed and other seafood were considered valuable and given from korea and japan as a tribute. During Qing dynasty, many kombu seaweeds were exported from Japan through Nagasaki and Okinawa. It was treasured as one of the few ingredients to intake iodine because at the time, many inland residents suffer from endemic disease from lack of iodines. Cooking method varies depending on the region such as using sliced kombu as appetizer, stir fry, and soup. However, most of the kombu seaweeds consumed in China are cultured kombu harvested within a year, which cannot be used as dashi stock.

In Taiwan, Kombu seaweeds are used in many households and can be seen in general grocery markets. Many street vendor served kombu seaweed as a thinly cut kombu kelp that is tied and dried.

Moreover, Russia has been increasing the consumption. It is consumed in a can where putting sliced raw kombu pickled in plain oil. It is true that consumption of kombu seaweeds are rising in Russia, it is mostly used for it’s nutrients as substitute a vegetables and not for it’s palate.

In America, due to its trend of Japanese food, consumption has started to rise rapidly with the 2000 tons of consumption every year. Kombu seaweeds are used mostly in Japanese restaurants and dried kombu. Other than these countries, European nations spiked the fish consumption due to its healthy Japanese food trend and seaweeds are used as rich in minerals and fibers. As our company sells Seaweed Salad on the go and Japanese delight, it is enjoyed by many for its taste and health benefits. These products are easy to make in regular household, where previously it was hard to obtain in your daily diet.

Few weeks earlier, there was the news that first license to sell, and harvest seaweeds were given to a man from government in the United Kingdom. They hold many coastal areas and able to harvest and more than 650 seaweeds exists in their economic water. However, not many types of seaweed were eaten in the UK. As the traditional seaweed delicacy, laverbread exists but many do not eat often or avoid it due to its image of poverty. Though, as the Japanese food got popular and got the support from general public, seaweed became more common to them. As people started eating seaweeds, their image started to change into something healthy.

Laverbread Oatcakes topped with Soft Goats Cheese & Laverbread / Girl Interrupted Eating

Seaweeds are not only rich in mineral but enhances flavor of the dish. In fact England’s renowned celebrity chef and owner for “Fat Duck”, Heston Blumenthal was assigned for project in National Health Service to make the hospital food better and proposing them to use seaweeds in the dishes to add meaty flavor. A meal time is one of the few pleasures for patients but often times; seasonings are too weak due to the health concerns. To fix this problem, Blumenthal recommended adding seaweeds such as kombu seaweeds to enhance the flavors and umami not adding any sodium. By using nature made ingredients filled with glutamate, making it possible to serve healthy dinner that actually tastes good for patients. This project is still on an experimental stage and is used in few NHS hospitals but initial reaction of patients went well. If this project succeeds on running an everyday meal, it will be applied to all of the NHS hospital in all over the United Kingdom.

I hope to take this opportunity for people in The UK to try out more seaweeds and enjoy the health and flavor benefits from it.