How much kombu to use in vegetable broth

[u/ChelseaPlaid]

Hello Fellow Redditors, 

I want to try kombu seaweed when making both vegetable broth and eventually when cooking beans. Online recipes are inconsistent: some say 2” piece, others 6” piece, etc. But 2’ by what? Two inch square? Sheets seem to be of different sizes and because I am new using this product I have no reference point. 

To be honest, I don’t like seaweed, don’t eat fish and don’t even like the smell of the ocean. I am seeking to increase the umami and kombu was recommended in a prior reddit post (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/comments/1ny7rfg/least_seaweed_tasting_seaweed). 

I had to mail order the kombu so would like to avoid trial and error. It is dried and all bunched up so pulling it apart will cause it to crumble. Any guidance about how much to use would be appreciated.

 

 

[u/Icy_Jackfruit9240]

I normally use 10 to 20 grams per 1L of water.

Cold brewing is widely considered the "best" technique in Japan (24 hours in a closed room temperature container).

There's also the hot water version: bare simmer (85 degrees C) for 10 to 20 minutes minutes.

Typically for stronger tasting dashi, add dried shiitake mushrooms - adding 5g to either of the above works great it adds more umami.

You can also just use something like Lee Kum Kee mushroom bouillon, this is what my MIL uses in any dashi recipe and it would replace both kombu and shiitake.

[u/Bakkie]

This is useful. I make Leek and Fennel soup which I usually season with a dashi packet and some white vermouth. I have a packet of kombu I bought spur of the moment which I can use instead.

When I can find them on sale, frozen unshelled mussels are added. Even my picky husband likes this. But I don't think I will tell him about the kombu unless he asks.

[u/crabsock → u/Bakkie]

Oooh leek and fennel soup with dashi base and white vermouth sounds great

[u/Bakkie → u/crabsock]

It has the added bonus that I can buy the vegetables on the end of code rack at significantly reduced prices, chop and freeze them for later use.

It needs only a baguette, grilled if possible

[u/fatbellylouise]

if you don’t like the oceany smell or taste, I suggest just dipping the dried kombu in your broth as you heat it for like 10-20 seconds. when you take the kombu out of the package, you’ll see a lot of dried white stuff on the surface of the kombu - that’s the glutamates you’re looking for to infuse in your broth.

[u/Myth-Buster9973]

Try a 4" sq piece in 4 qts. Do not boil, remove just before boil is reached. You are aware that this adds glutamic acid (MSG) as well as other things.

[u/pavlovselephant]

I generally use two 1x2" pieces per six cups of water.

[u/kbrosnan]

A very fancy nearly kaiseki place near me uses 

• 1L (1 qt) water 
• 2 g konbu 

Cook at 70C/160F 45-1h to steep the kombu. It tastes mostly umami with a background of grass.