Kombu (also known as kelp) is essential to Japanese cuisine. Used as a main ingredient in flavouring dashi, sushi rice and hot pots, it's also rich in minerals and nutrients. The most common use is steeping the Kombu in warm water to extract the umami flavour that Japanese food is so famous for.

This particular Kombu was farmed in the cold waters of Japan's northern most island, Hokkaido, which is often considered to be the best kombu for dashi.