Essential for oden and other simmered dishes! Bring the authentic taste of Japan to your table! Okui Kaiseido's "Oden Musubi Konbu" 25g

Selected by a professional connoisseur, this knotted kelp cooks softly and is perfect for oden and other simmered dishes.

Okui Kaiseido, a long-established kelp company founded in 1871 with a history of over 150 years, delivers "Oden-musubi Konbu" that elevates oden and simmered dishes to exceptional deliciousness.

This exquisite dish is made from high-quality sao-mae kelp from eastern Hokkaido, which is carefully tied one by one and cooked until soft.

It is perfect for oden, as well as simmered dishes and vegetable stews, and the umami of kelp gives the entire dish a deep, rich, and elegant flavor.

Okui Kaiseido, which has been loved by the head temples of Eiheiji and Sojiji, as well as famous restaurants across the country, has the discerning eye to bring the finest dishes to your table.

Product Features

● Uses "Saomae Konbu" which is cooked until soft.

■ This product uses "Sao-mae Konbu" produced in eastern Hokkaido.

■ Saomae konbu is young konbu harvested in June for the purpose of thinning it out before full-scale konbu fishing begins.

■ Compared to mature kelp, it is thinner and has less fiber, so it cooks soft in a short amount of time and does not fall apart easily.

■ It has less of the fishy smell and hardness that are characteristic of kelp, making it popular among people who don't like kelp and children as it is easy to eat.

● The art of tying, without sparing any effort

■ Each package contains approximately 20 pieces of kelp, carefully tied and delivered.

■ This knotting is not just for aesthetic reasons, but is a traditional method of allowing the broth to soak in well and bring out all the flavor.

■ The knot makes it easy to eat and easy to pick up with chopsticks, making it practical.

● Easy to prepare and authentic taste

■ If you soak it in water, it will be even easier to cook.

■ It can be used in a wide range of dishes, including as an ingredient in oden, Japanese-style simmered dishes, simmered dishes, and vegetable dishes.

■ The natural umami components of kelp enhance the flavor of other ingredients, giving the entire dish a deep flavor.

● Founded in 1871, with over 150 years of tradition and trust

■ Okui Kaiseido is a long-established kelp store founded in 1871 in Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture.

■ We have a strong reputation for quality and have been supplying kelp to Kyoto's top restaurants for generations, including Hoshigaoka Saryo, which was run by Kitaoji Rosanjin, and is the official supplier to the head temples Eiheiji and Sojiji.

● Safe quality with no additives

■ The only ingredients are kelp and brewed vinegar.

■ We do not add any unnecessary ingredients and value the original flavor of the ingredients.

■ It is a product of the quality that comes straight from nature, so it can be safely consumed by the whole family, from children to the elderly.

How to eat

● Basic usage

■ After soaking in water, simmer slowly in dashi stock with your favorite oden ingredients.

■ The kelp also adds umami, which makes the overall flavor of the oden even richer.

■ It is possible to cook it without soaking it, but soaking it in water will make it softer and cook it in a shorter time.

● Tips for rehydrating in water

■ Soaking it in water for 10 to 15 minutes will soften it sufficiently.

■ The soaking water also has a rich flavor, so it will taste even better if used as a simmering liquid.

● Perfect for these dishes

Oden: As a standard ingredient, konbu adds depth to the overall flavor of oden.

Simmered/cooked dishes: Simmered with taro, carrots, konjac, shiitake mushrooms, etc. to create an elegant simmered dish.

The umami of kelp brings out the sweetness of the vegetables.

Chikuzenni: Simmered with chicken and root vegetables, it creates an authentic Chikuzenni dish that is infused with the flavor of kelp.

Konbumaki variation: It is also recommended to untie the knotted konbu, flatten it, and wrap it around herring or salmon to make konbumaki.

Japanese-style soup: The umami flavor of kelp adds a deep richness to Western-style soups.

The natural umami flavor of kelp enhances the flavor of other ingredients, giving the entire dish a rich, deep flavor.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How can I use it?

A. After soaking it in water, use it as an ingredient in oden or simmered dishes.

It is possible to cook it without soaking it, but soaking it in water will make it softer and cook it in a shorter time.

Soaking it in water for 10 to 15 minutes will soften it.

Q. What kind of food does it go well with?

A. It is ideal for all types of Japanese simmered dishes, including oden, simmered dishes, chikuzenni, vegetable stews, and konbumaki.

The umami flavor of kelp brings out the flavor of other ingredients and adds depth to the dish.

Saomae konbu cooks until it becomes soft, so it can be used in a variety of simmered dishes.

Q. Can my family members who don't like kelp eat it?

A. Yes, Saomae Konbu is young konbu, so it has less of the fishy smell and hardness that are typical of konbu, and is popular among people who don't like konbu and children as it is easy to eat.

In fact, we have received feedback from customers such as, "My daughter, who doesn't usually eat kelp, said this kelp was delicious and tried it."

Q. How many pieces of knotted kelp are included?

A. It contains about 20 pieces of knotted kelp.

Each one is carefully tied and delivered so you can use it as is in stews or oden.

Q. How do I save it?

A. Avoid direct sunlight, high temperatures and humidity, and store in a cool, dark place.

The expiration date is 2 years from the date of manufacture.

After opening, store in an airtight container and consume as soon as possible.

Q. Is it suitable as a gift?

A. Yes.

This is an additive-free, natural product made by a long-established company founded in 1871, making it a wonderful gift for health-conscious people and those who love cooking.

Founded over 150 years ago, our history is built on kelp

The year was 1871 (the fourth year of the Meiji era).

The history of Okui Kaiseido began when Okui Hango, a samurai who lost his stipend when the feudal domains were abolished and prefectures were established, noticed the kelp being unloaded at Tsuruga Port.

At that time, Tsuruga was a key trading point for the Kitamaebune ships that connected Hokkaido with Kyoto and Osaka.

Hokkaido's new kelp, harvested in the summer, was unloaded one after another at the port of Tsuruga in late autumn.

In the snowy Hokuriku region, it is not possible to transport cargo in winter, so the kelp ends up spending the winter in the storehouses in Tsuruga.

And then spring.

The kelp tasted before shipping had undergone an astonishing transformation.

The roughness and impurities of the new kelp had disappeared, and it had been transformed into a product with outstanding umami flavor.

The kelp is left to rest in the storehouse to deepen its flavor.

It is said that the technique known as "Kurai" that is passed down in Tsuruga was born in this way.

The first generation Hango was one of the first to start dealing in this high-quality kelp, and he also started processing and manufacturing it, laying the foundation for the kelp business.

During the time of the second generation owner, Tatsunosuke, the company received permission to serve as an official supplier to Eiheiji Temple, and began doing business with famous restaurants in Kyoto.

It was around this time that we began doing business with Hoshioka Saryo, run by the renowned gourmet Kitaoji Rosanjin.

The traditional "Kurai" manufacturing method was once on the verge of disappearing due to the development of transportation.

However, Okui Kaiseido has built a dedicated warehouse equipped with a modern temperature and humidity control system, and has passed this technology down to the present day.

We have been collecting Rishiri kelp from Kafukahama on Rebun Island every year since 1989.

The current fourth-generation head of the family, Takashi Okui, says, "I have never gone into business with the intention of creating a brand.

"You can only gain trust by doing the work you do on the ground up," he says.

True to its name, Okui Kaiseido's kelp continues to be chosen by high-end restaurants throughout Japan, including Kyoto, the vegetarian cuisine of temples such as Eiheiji and Sojiji, and food lovers throughout the country.

Kelp is breathing.

The way it ages over time in the cool storehouse is just like wine.

Ingredients grown by nature are prepared with time and human skill.

This philosophy has been passed down unchanged for over 150 years.