Our guest is Yumi Komatsudaira, who is a recipe developer, food stylist, culinary instructor, and the president of K-Seaweed. Yumi grew up outside Tokyo, playing and snacking in her family’s seaweed factory. 

When we hear seaweed, many of us may think of the weeds by the beach that do not look particularly delicious, or even edible. But it is like looking at weeds coming out of the pavements on busy city streets. What we are talking about here about seaweed is the equivalent of plants from well-managed farmlands. 

In Japan, seaweeds are quintessential ingredients for their rich umami. Umami is the fifth taste after salty, sweet, sour and bitter and it enhances and mitigates these other four tastes to make food delicious. That is why Japanese dashi broth, which is made with seaweed, is indispensable in Japanese cuisine. 

Seaweed is also becoming a hot topic for its huge potential to make the world more sustainable. Not to mention, seaweed is vegan too. 

In this episode, we will discuss how seaweed is used to make food delicious and healthy in Japan, different types of seaweeds that you can choose for specific flavors and textures, quick seaweed recipes so that you can enjoy its umami, the health benefits of seaweed, Yumi’s new book “Japanese Superfoods”, and much, much more!!!

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