Seaweed

The name "seaweed" refers to a broad range of aquatic plants and algae. Seaweed is filling and abundant in glutamate, an amino acid with a distinctive umami flavor. Because of this, it is frequently used in broths and soups in many Korean and Japanese recipes. Nori and several varieties of kombu, such as rausu, ma, rishiri, hidaka, and naga, are seaweeds with a high glutamate content.

Choose wakame seaweed instead of kombu if you want to reduce the umami flavor because it contains less glutamate. Fish sauce can be substituted with either fresh or dried seaweed. While dried seaweed may be used in most recipes, fresh seaweed is ideal in salads, broths, and sauces. For measures, adhere to the directions on the packaging.