Don’t know what to do with leftover kombu? Then use it in one of Japan’s most popular onigiri recipes: kombu tsukudani rice balls. They’re savory, flavorful and so addictive! Let’s do them together!
Kombu Onigiri are balls of cooked sushi rice filled with seaweed tsukudani and wrapped in strips of nori. Great as a portable snack or as an addition to your bento box.
The Japanese word tsukudani (佃煮) refers to a food preparation in which seafood, meat, vegetables, or seaweed have been slowly cooked in a sweet and savory sauce.
So, kombu tsukudani consists of kombu strips cooked in soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar until shiny and tender. Chilies and toasted sesame seeds are added for extra flavor and texture.
Kombu is a type of seaweed also known as kelp. It is widely used in Japanese cuisine, especially for making dashi stock, the base of the famous miso soup.
And making kombu tsukudani is a smart way to use up the cooked kombu left over from making miso soup!
But don’t worry, you don’t have to cook the soup to make this onigiri.
You can also start with dried kombu and rehydrate it before cooking. Below we give you the option to use one or the other.
Kombu Tsukudani has an intense umami flavor and is sweet, salty and spicy. The perfect filling for delicious Japanese Seaweed Rice Balls!
In the following steps we will show you how to cook the onigiri rice, fill the rice balls with seaweed and shape them into perfect triangles.
We also share additional tips and tricks for the best results, so read on and follow us!
And if you’re looking for more delicious onigiri recipe ideas, we’re sure you’ll love these Vegan Tuna Onigiri and Crispy Yaki Onigiri. Try it!