【Reading】こぶじめ

【English Name】Kobujime / sandwiched in kelp

Kobujime is a culinary technique in which ingredients such as seafood are sandwiched between sheets of kelp (kombu) and left to rest. It is a regional dish originating in Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures.

During the Edo period, large quantities of Hokkaido-produced kombu were brought into Toyama via the kitamaebune trading ships, and this technique took root widely as a way to make use of it. As the kombu absorbs the excess moisture of the ingredient, the flesh firms up, and at the same time the kombu's umami components, chiefly glutamic acid, permeate into the ingredient. Before refrigeration technology became widespread, it was also a practical method for extending the shelf life of sashimi.

It pairs especially well with white-fleshed fish such as sea bream, flounder, sea bass, and pufferfish, and is widely used in the Kansai region. Besides red-fleshed fish such as marlin and yellowtail, it is also used broadly for squid, sweet shrimp, and firefly squid. However, fatty fish species tend not to take on the umami well. In Toyama, a distinctive style of wrapping white shrimp in oboro-kombu can also be seen.

At sushi restaurants, applying kobujime to white-fleshed toppings is valued as a technique for imparting deep umami to lean fish. When eating, it is common to serve it with wasabi and soy sauce, but pieces prepared with salt can be enjoyed as they are.

Kobujime as a commercial product is said to have first been sold in 1973 by a business in Uozu City.