Title: Japanese Seaweed: A Guide to Japan's Diverse Sea Vegetables | Let's experience Japan
Headings: Japanese Seaweed: A Guide to Japan's Diverse Sea Vegetables
Japanese Seaweed: A Guide to Japan's Diverse Sea Vegetables
Japanese Seaweed: A Guide to Japan’s Diverse Sea Vegetables
What is Nori?
What is Kombu?
What is Wakame?
What is Mekabu?
What is Hijiki?
What is Kanten (Agar Agar)?
How to Buy Japanese Seaweed

Content: Dried nori sheets are produced by pressing shredded edible red algae into thin sheets and drying it, similar to the process of paper making. Other forms of nori include kizami nori (shredded nori), for garnishing dishes such as donburi (rice bowls), and aonori (powdered nori), used as a condiment on foods such as okonomiyaki and yakisoba. Flavored nori (ajitsuke) is also available, with common flavorings including soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil. What is Kombu? Kombu is a variety of bull kelp gathered mostly off the coast of Hokkaido in northern Japan. It has a tough, leathery texture that must be rehydrated before use. Packed with calcium and iron and a savory umami flavor, kombu is one of the main components of dashi broth, an essential ingredient in almost all Japanese dishes. In addition to being used for stock, kombu can be cooked in “tsukudani” style, where it is caramelised in soy sauce, sake, and sugar until the color darkens and the texture becomes soft and chewy. This type of kombu is a popular filling for onigiri, a topping on rice, and addition to salads and vegetables. Kombu can also be used to prepare a type of tea—kombu-cha—where dried kombu pieces are steeped in water.