Dried kombu is dehydrated, edible kelp seaweed. Simply soak this kombu dashi with bonito fish flakes to make a homemade dashi stock – the delicious base for Japanese soups, sauces and dressings.

The dark, olive-coloured kombu leaves are cultivated on ropes off the Japanese coast, harvested and then sun-dried. This quality kombu still has a white, sea salt residue on the surface which shouldn’t be rinsed off, but wiped with kitchen paper. Rehydrate the dried kombu for 8-10 minutes in water so that the seaweed is chewy and malleable – perfect for adding to miso soup, eating alone sashimi-style or even wrapping around fish before cooking on a grill or barbecue.

Ingredients: Seaweed