Cooking
Kombu Onigiri (Kelp Tsukudani Rice Balls)
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Don’t know what to do with leftover kombu? Then, use it up in one of Japan’s most popular onigiri recipes: kombu tsukudani rice balls. They’re savoury, flavourful, and so addictive! Let’s make them together!
Kombu onigiri are balls of cooked sushi rice stuffed with kelp tsukudani and wrapped with nori strips. Great as a portable snack or addition to your bento box.
The Japanese word tsukudani (佃煮) refers to a food preparation where seafood, meat, veggies, or seaweed has been slowly simmered in a sweet and savoury sauce.
So, kombu tsukudani consists of kombu strips boiled in soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar until glossy and tender. Chillies and roasted sesame seeds are added for extra flavour and texture.
Kombu is a type of seaweed also known as kelp. It’s widely used in Japanese cuisine, especially for preparing dashi broth, the base of the famous miso soup.
And making kombu tsukudani is a clever way of using up the boiled kombu leftover from preparing miso soup!
But don’t worry, you don’t have to make the soup to prepare these onigiri.
You can also start with dried kombu and rehydrate it before cooking it. Below, we’ll give you the option to use one or the other.
Kombu tsukudani has an intense umami flavour, and it’s sweet, salty, and spicy. The perfect filling to make delicious Japanese seaweed rice balls!
In the steps below, we’ll show you how to cook the onigiri rice, fill the rice balls with seaweed, and shape them into perfect triangles.
We’ll also share extra tips and tricks for the best results, so keep reading and follow along!
And if you’re looking for more delicious onigiri recipe ideas, we’re sure you’ll love this vegan tuna onigiri and crispy yaki onigiri. Give them a go!
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