also: こぶ
kelp; kombu
Refers to edible kelp, especially Saccharina japonica, used in Japanese cuisine for dashi, simmered dishes, and tsukudani. The term can also cover other edible Laminariaceae species.
from Ainu
I make dashi stock with kombu.
This kombu is from Hokkaido.
I carefully made stock using kombu.
I soak the kombu in water before using it.
I simmered the kombu in sweet soy sauce.
I wrapped the white fish in kombu and let it sit overnight.
昆布 is a thick kelp used mainly to make dashi stock, unlike 海苔, which is a thin dried sheet eaten directly or wrapped around rice.
Used when referring to individual sheets or pieces of dried kombu; for whole bundles, speakers may use other expressions instead.
shio kombu; salted kombu strips
Japanese kelp; ma-kombu
vinegared kombu; sour kombu with black vinegar
Laminaria longissima (species of kelp)
Laminaria ochotensis (species of kelp)
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
Hiragana spelling, often used in everyday writing.
Katakana spelling common in culinary and commercial contexts.
Rare alternate reading; may be encountered in some dialects or older texts.
The word is likely a borrowing from Ainu language source. The exact Ainu origin is uncertain, but it may be related to Ainu words for seaweed.
shredded kombu · Kjellmaniella gyrata (species of kelp)