Sei-kombu

Sei-kombu is the Japanese name for dried seaweed products formed from the kelp Laminaria japonica, used in Japanese cuisine as an ingredient of stocks and seasonings. Kombu contains significant amounts of glutamic acid, the basis of monosodium glutamate, which is why dashi broth tastes so savoury. It exemplifies how traditional ingredients embody deep flavour science. Soaking and gentle simmering extract its umami best. A strip of kombu transforms a simple broth. It is umami in its purest traditional form. It is a cornerstone of Japanese flavour.