Kobu-Maki ( Rolled Kelp )

Hello,

I'd love to sit and blog more, but I haven't been able to manage my time very well. :(

But, little by little, and bit by bit.

The other day, my mother sent me a package with a lot of Japanese ingredients, including various types of seaweed. Yeah! I love to eat seaweed, we have many different types of seaweed and seaweed products in Japan- Nori, Wakame, Kombu, Hijiki, Tororo-Kombu, Ao-Nori...

When I saw the big kelp package in the box, I was inspired to make Kobu-Maki right away.

I soaked the kelp in the water and made until tender, then rolled carrots and shiitake mushroom in a piece of seaweed, and put Kanpyo (Dried Gourd) strip and tied the roll.
Then I simmered the rolls in Dashi (Japanese broth), Soy sauce, Sugar mixture for 30min.

This is a popular New Year's dish. Because Kom-Bu, it is the same pronunciation as "Yo-Ro-Ko-Bu" = to be glad in Japanese (English translation), it is said that kom-bu is considered to be a good luck type of food ingredients in Japan. That's why this dish is recognized as a New Years Dish.
Inside ingredients are vary including the following; burdock root, carrots, other root vegetables, cured or smoked fish...

I only had carrots and mushroom that day, but I wish I had Gobo and Nishin ( Herring ) or so.
I love to make it again soon, and next time I will offer to my husband...