Takana Kombu Recipe
Recipe information
Make Takana Kombu in just 4h . ((SEA PICKLED KELP) GREENS)
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Ingredients
Kombu & Brine
Takana (mustard greens)
Combine & Marinate
Assembly / Storage
Kombu & Brine
1. Rinse and soak kombu
Lightly wipe the dried kombu with a damp cloth to remove surface salt and any dust (do not scrub off the white powder). Place the kombu in a shallow bowl and cover with 600 ml cold water. Let soak 30 minutes to rehydrate; for deeper flavor you may soak up to 2 hours or refrigerate overnight. Reserve the soaking liquid.
2. Prepare the brine
In a small saucepan combine the reserved kombu soaking liquid plus mirin (60 ml), sake (30 ml), soy sauce (45 ml), rice vinegar (30 ml), sugar (20 g), salt for brine (1.5 tsp) and red pepper flakes (0.5 tsp). Stir to dissolve sugar over low heat.
3. Simmer kombu gently
Add the soaked kombu (with any attached soaking liquid) to the saucepan and heat gently. Do not let the mixture come to a rolling boil — raise to a gentle simmer and cook 10–12 minutes to infuse flavors and soften the kombu. Keep heat low so the kombu becomes tender but not rubbery.
4. Reduce and cool
Remove the kombu from the brine, reserve the liquid by straining it into a heatproof bowl (this is the reserved kombu brine used later). If you prefer a slightly stickier texture, return the kombu to the pan and simmer 5–8 more minutes in the brine to reduce a little, then remove. Let kombu cool until safe to handle.
5. Slice kombu
Once cool, stack the kombu and slice into thin 3–5 mm strips (you can also cut into fine julienne). Set aside the sliced kombu and the strained reserved brine (measure about 80 ml — if you have more, you can store extra for seasoning later).
Takana (mustard greens)
6. Wash and blanch greens
Bring 1000 ml water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp salt for blanching. Submerge the takana (250 g) and blanch 30–45 seconds until wilted and bright green. Do not overcook — you want them tender but with texture.
7. Shock and drain
Immediately transfer the blanched greens to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. Once cool, squeeze the greens firmly to remove as much water as possible (use clean hands or press in a sieve).
8. Chop greens
Gather the squeezed greens and chop into approximately 1 cm pieces. Place the chopped takana in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine & Marinate
9. Combine kombu and takana
Add the sliced kombu to the bowl with chopped takana. Pour the reserved kombu brine (about 80 ml) over the mixture to moisten and season — start with 60–80 ml and add more only if needed. Toss to combine so the kombu and greens are evenly coated.
10. Finish seasoning
Add toasted sesame oil (1 tsp), toasted sesame seeds (1 tbsp), and the thinly sliced scallion (1 stalk) to the kombu/takana mixture. Toss again. Taste and adjust: if you want brighter acidity, add a teaspoon of rice vinegar; if you want sweeter, add a pinch of sugar. The reserved brine supplies the main salty-sweet umami — adjust sparingly.
11. Marinate
Transfer the combined takana kombu into a clean jar or container, pressing down to remove air pockets. Cover and refrigerate at least 2–3 hours to allow flavors to meld (ideally overnight). The mixture will keep developing flavor for 24–48 hours and can be kept refrigerated for up to 5–7 days.
Assembly / Storage
12. Use as onigiri filling
To make onigiri: wet your hands with salted water to prevent sticking. Take about 1/2 cup of warm cooked Japanese short-grain rice, make a small indentation in the center, add 1–2 tablespoons of the takana kombu filling, and enclose with more rice, shaping into a triangle or ball. Wrap with a strip of nori if desired. Repeat to make approximately 6–8 onigiri depending on rice portion size.
13. Storage and tips
Store leftover takana kombu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days. For longer storage, freeze in small portions for up to 1 month (thaw in refrigerator). If filling onigiri to be eaten later the same day, keep rice and filling separate until just before serving to avoid sogginess.
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