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Kombu tsukudani
Konbu no tsukudani (昆布の佃煮): leftover dashi kelp simmered into a sticky soy relish for onigiri and bento rice
Japanese home cooks hate waste, so the softened kelp left over from making dashi is saved in the freezer until there is enough to simmer down into tsukudani, a dark, chewy relish named after Tokyo's Tsukudajima island, where fishermen first preserved their catch in soy. A teaspoon goes into the middle of an onigiri or on top of the rice in a weekday bento, and it lasts a week in the fridge. The common mistake is boiling it hard from the start: the kelp turns slimy and the sauce scorches before the strips are tender. A splash of vinegar early on softens the kelp so it cooks evenly. Chef's tip: stop when only a spoonful of glaze clings to the pan, because the relish thickens a lot more as it cools.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz kombu (kelp), left over from making dashior 20 g dried kombu soaked in 600 ml water for 30 minutes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirincontains a little alcohol, which simmers off; alcohol-free: 2 tsp sugar plus 1 tbsp water
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 3 ½ oz kombu (kelp), left over from making dashi into 2–3 cm squares or thin strips with kitchen scissors. If it came straight from the freezer, thaw it first.
Step 2: Put the kombu in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium-low heat and cook, half covered, for 10 minutes, until a piece tears easily when pinched.
10 minStep 4: Simmer uncovered over a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the liquid has almost gone and the kombu looks glossy and dark. Stir constantly for the last few minutes so it does not catch.
20 minStep 5: Take off the heat and stir in 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds and ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes, if using.
Step 6: Cool completely, then keep in a clean lidded jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Spoon cold into onigiri or onto bento rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 45 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kombu tsukudani take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of rice vinegar?
- Cider vinegar with a pinch of sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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