August summers bring to mind blistering days at the beach as a child when, despite the heat, you just didn’t go in the ocean because of the yucky seaweed infestation. If you did venture into the green swamp, long slimy ropes swirled around your legs, and stayed resolutely trapped in your bathing suit for the trip home. It was also a favorite source of ammunition as summer snowballs hurled by belligerent brothers. What a nuisance.
Fast forward a few decades and it’s time for an attitude adjustment when it comes to seaweed, and a new appreciation especially for Japanese Kombu.
Kombu is a member of the kelp family and can be purchased dried, pickled or shredded. It is used in Japanese cuisine as a flavor enhancer and tenderizer. It's available in Asian food markets and also at Whole Foods Markets.
According to Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods, Kombu is the only food that is an adequate source of the minerals that our bodies need. Those minerals are important as the foundation of all nutrients and no other nutrient will work in the body without minerals, since they are the basic structure for building proteins, enzymes and vitamins.
Dried Kombu usually comes in dark green strips about one inch wide by seven inches long and expands greatly when soaked or cooked. It is a rich natural source of both sodium and potassium and a 3.5 inch strip provides more than 100% of the recommended daily value of iodine.
Cooking with Kombu is simple. Just add a 3.5 inch strip to the pot when cooking any brown rice or other whole grain. The Kombu will be cooked in 30 to 45 minutes and can then be sliced or diced into the grain or eaten separately. It can also be added to beans to tenderize them and make them more digestible. If cooked longer in a soup or a stew, the Kombu will dissolve when stirred.
Eating the Kombu diced or sliced is something of an acquired taste. Pitchford recommends starting with a one inch strip and says that you have to eat if for several weeks before you develop the natural enzymes necessary to break it down and truly enjoy the flavor. The effort is worth it to ensure your supply of daily minerals.
Pitchford's one caution is to use Kombu sparingly, if at all, during pregnancy.
Also resist the urge to hurl it at your brother.
You might also enjoy these:
Comments
I hope you're bringing seaweed to the next family dinner. Not for eating; for hurling.
Why must you stay away from kombu during pregnancy?
Also, I enjoy the aural similarity between "kombu" and "combat". It fits nicely with seaweed's ammunition-like properties.
We love dulse flakes at my house. We sprinkle them in salads, soups, stews, etc. They have a nice salty taste and look pretty too. Helps us get our iron, iodine, B6 and B12 vitamins, among others. Check it out!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!