Cook Around Japan – Hokkaido: Home of Kombu – Dining with the Chef

Kombu Dashi Soup with Eggplant

Ingredients

Kombu (dried)

Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

Eggplant

Sake

Salt

Soy sauce

Naganegi long onion

Ginger

Directions

1. For kombu dashi (stock), soak kombu in water overnight. Gently simmer on low heat. You will use this dashi for the soup and the marinade.

2. Make marinade for the eggplant. Add katsuobushi into the kombu dashi. Strain and season with sake and salt in a pot on low heat. Add a dash of soy sauce and turn off the heat. Chill the broth over an ice bath.

3. Peel and cut the eggplant. Deep fry them and soak in marinade broth while still hot.

4. Cook the clear dashi soup. Gently warm the original kombu dashi and add sake, salt and soy sauce.

5. Place the marinated eggplant in a bowl and pour in the soup. Garnish with shredded naganegi and grated ginger.

Kombu-infused Corn and Rice

Ingredients

Corn

Rice

Kombu dashi (kombu and water soaked overnight)

Salt

Directions

1. Shave off the kernels of corn.

2. Cook the rice with the rehydrated kombu water and kombu also add a corn cob to a pot.

3. When the rice is almost cooked, remove the corn cob and add the corn kernels. Steam until they’re fully cooked.

4. Finally remove the kombu and add some salt. Mix and fold on a bowl and serve.