kombu
(ˈkɒmbuː)
[Jap.]
A brown seaweed, one of the local species of Laminaria, used as food, esp. as a base for stock.
| 1884 Satow & Hawes Handbk. for Travellers Cent. & N. Japan (ed. 2) 519 Kombu, a broad, thick, and very long species of seaweed, most of which is exported to China. 1905 Nat. Geogr. Mag. May 218 Kombu is one of the staple foods of the country [sc. Japan], entering into the dietary of almost every family. 1949 New Biol. VII. 96 The various preparations of ‘kombu’ are said to have quite distinctive flavours. 1958 G. Mikes East is East 67 Kombu (a kind of seaweed) is not less delicious than boiled cabbage. 1969 G. W. Prescott Algae x. 350 In Japan, laminarian food (from stipes) is called kombu; food from Alaria is called sarumen. Stipes of some of the larger brown algae are cut, washed in fresh water, boiled and seasoned with preserving fluids. |