Wakame Rolls (Kobumaki)
Servings: This recipe makes about 12 rolls
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Kobumaki is a Japanese dish that is typically served during Osechi Ryori – the traditional Japanese new year feast. The feast is comprised of several small dishes that each represent a wish for the new year; fertility, prosperity, good fortune, good health, and happiness. Kobumaki represents happiness, because kobu sounds similar to the Japanese word for happiness – yorokobu. Therefore, this dish is thought to bring good luck! Although kobumaki are traditionally filled with salmon, we’ve provided a vegetarian alternative with onion, carrots and cabbage. The strips of winged kelp are delicate to the touch and easily biteable, with a lovely umami flavour that brings everything together.
Instructions:
- Blanch the wakame for 8-10mins in boiling water then place in ice water to cool. When cold, remove the stems and cut the seaweed into 12-15 cm stripes.
- Cut the onion, the carrots and the cabbage into thin strips. Crush the garlic.
- Sauté the garlic and the onion in a frying pan with sesame seed oil until golden
- Season with soy sauce and rice vinegar.
- Add the stripes of cabbage and carrot and sauté 2-3 minutes longer, until cooked but still crunchy. Let the vegetables cool down.
- Fill the wakame stripes with a bit of the vegetable mixture and roll.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
