Kombu
Unlike nori, kombu is thicker, smoother, and stronger in flavor. That’s because kombu comes from kelp, which is generally hardier than red algae.
Because kombu is so hardy and thick, it itself isn’t usually eaten — or on the rare occasions you do eat it, it must be cooked for a very long time first or pickled or shaved very thin. When not taking steps to make it edible by itself though, it’s primarily used to make other foods more flavorful, most famously dashi.
Dashi is a broth that’s the backbone of countless Japanese dishes. It’s not just used in soups, but also in place of water in doughs and batters to impart more flavor, like in okonomiyaki, the Japanese savory cabbage “pancake.” One of its main ingredients is kombu which, along with bonito, is key to creating the earthy, rich umami flavor.
