Seaweed

Kelp or konbu is essential to basic Japanese stock (dashi). Among the different kinds of kelp, the kinds used for Japanese stock are collectively known as dashi konbu, or named according to the production area, for example, Hidaka, Rishiri, Rausu konbu. These regions are in Hokkaido, which is famous for its konbu production. Konbu has blackish and dark green tones, with white powder on the surface. Never wash off this white powder as this is the source of umami, a pleasant savoury flavour. If you want to clean konbu, wipe it lightly with a well-squeezed damp kitchen towel. Konbu should be stored in a sealed container, away from heat or direct sunlight. For regions with tropical climate, I store konbu by cutting it into 4-cm (1¾-in) squares and refrigerate them in a sealed container. This is also convenient as you don’t have to cut konbu each time you want to use it.