Dried kelp, or dasima in Korean, or kombu in Japanese, is a very important ingredient in the base broth of many Korean recipes, giving the broth a delicious umami flavor. Kelp is sold in huge sheets in many Asian markets, as well as most whole-foods stores. Choose the thickest you can find. Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container or zipper-lock bag. Don’t worry if the surface of the kelp has a white powder, it’ll make it more delicious!
Hi Maanghi. This was the only kind of dried seaweed I could find at my local store, I was wondering if either is fine to use? Thanks.
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Those two will absolutely work. Dashi kombu 出し昆布 is what you’re looking for when choosing a Japanese variety of kelp (kombu) meant specifically for soup stock (dashi), and that’s exactly what the left package is. As for the one on the right, the Chinese characters on the gold label (海帶片) literally translate to “kelp sheets.” They may not taste exactly like the Korean varieties Maangchi uses—or each other, for that matter—but the differences should be negligible.
Hello I purchased the one which called 염장다시마 is it the right one to use for making broth?
There are many different kinds of dried seaweed. : ) Yes, even though it says dried seaweed, I see it’s dried kelp.