Hosome-kombu
Saccharina japonica

Family: Laminariaceae

What it is like

A seaweed. It is large, olive-brown and rough. It is 2-6 m long and 20-40 cm wide.

It is sold pickled in packets. It is available dried in Chinese stores in Australia. Plants are rich in iodine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on rocks below the tide level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Europe, France, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia

How it is used for food

It is boiled to make stock for dashi soup. The dried blades are shredded or powdered and sprinkled over rice. It is used as a seasoning for meats, sauces and other foods. Dried sheets are fried in oil and coated with sugar and eaten as a snack. They can be pickled or wrapped around fish.

It is cultivated as a food plant.

Edible parts

Seaweed, algae, frond

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Dashi kombu, Dasima, Ebisume, Hababiro-kombu, Haidai, Kelp, Kombu, Makombu, Ma-kobu, Minmaya-kombu, Moto-kombu, Oki-kombu, Rishiri-kombu, Seatangle, Shinori-kombu, Tai tai, Uchi-kombu

Synonyms

Laminaria japonica J. E. Areschoug; Laminaria ochotensis Miyabe;