Is it really necessary to wipe the powder off of dried kombu?
I looking not to waste time and product experimenting. What are the consequences of leaving the salt / glutimate / etc mixture on kombu when, say, making dashi?
Best Answer
The consequences are a relatively trivial loss in flavor-enhancing compounds (the glutamates). There's no reason to waste water removing it.
I vaguely recall some books like Gaku Homma's Japanese Country Cooking suggested you could wipe off the kombu with a wet paper towel if you like, but that's not really necessary, or in my experience, even remotely common.
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Quick Answer about "Is it really necessary to wipe the powder off of dried kombu?"
There is no need to wash or wipe off the white powdery substance as kombu is pretty clean these days. The white compound is known as Mannitol which is the key contributor to the umami. Make a couple of slits on the kombu will help release more flavor.Should you wipe kombu?
Cooking Tips Don't wash kombu under running water or in water; instead, wipe any dirt off it with a cloth. The whitish powder adds flavour; that is why you don't want to wash it away. It needs to be soaked at least 20 minutes before use, unless simmering it for dashi.What is the white powder on kombu?
The white powdery substance found on the surface of kombu is called mannitol, a umami substance. It is occasionally mistaken for dirt or mold, but one should not try to wash it off as all of the umami substance would be lost. Instead, you can simply wipe down the kombu with a wet towel to gently clean the surface.How do you clean dried kombu?
Clean the kombu kelp with a well wrung out damp cloth. Kelp is naturally dried on beaches so it may contain sand. Do not wash under running water though, for it may wash off umami on the surface.Is the white stuff on kombu MSG?
If you've ever cooked with konbu, you know it's usually covered in a white powder. Ikeda noticed it, too. Usually confused as salt from dried seawater, the white powder is actually nutrients produced by the seaweed. The powder is made from an amino acid, glutamic acid to be precise.How to cook JAPANESE KELP BROTH by Yutaka Toriu of SHARI SHANGHAI
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Answer 2
No! Not only is it unnecessary, it's kind of the point of using kombu. You want the glutimates for the umami, right? Don't rinse.
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