Instructions: Did you know that Kombu is known by many names?

konbu = kombu = tangle = sea tangle = oarweed = sea cabbage = kelp

Im sure you know that all sea vegetables are rich in minerals, and are considered to be one of the most healthful foods.

Ive been using Kombu (well, actually its "wild Atlantic kelp", a cousin of kombu) recently to make a stock to use as a base for my daily miso soup. I discovered that I wouldnt make miso soup regularly because it took 1/2 hour for the stock to be ready, so I made a big batch of stock with kombu and finely chopped carrots. Then I refrigerated the stock. Each day I simply dole out a portion into a big mug, heat it in the microwave, then stir in some dissolved miso paste. If I have any tofu opened, I put a few cubes into the soup.

You can, of course, make miso soup with just hot water, but I find it an easy and pleasant way to add more sea vegetables to my diet.

Dont wash off the white powdery coating, as it contains many valuable minerals and adds flavor. Kombu comes dried, and all you have to do is break off a piece the size you want, and then simmer it in water or other liquid for 20-30 minutes until it is soft. I usually snip it into smaller pieces because I dont remove it; I eat it as part of the dish. But you could remove it, toss it or use it in stir fries. Beware, it swells a great deal once its softened, so use a piece about 1/3 of the amount you want in the end.

Did you know that kombu is considered indispensable in Japan for making any soups or broths? It also makes beans more digestible, so instead of using Bean-O, try tossing in an inch or two of kombu. Again, you can either remove the kombu, or simply leave it as part of the dish. Sometimes it smells a little "fishy" when its simmering, but weve never detected a fishy taste, so dont be put off by the slight scent.

Miso, and to a lesser extent kombu, have both shown to protect against radiation exposure. Since Im undergoing radiation treatments right now for basal cell carcinoma, Im making sure I get a daily dose of miso and kombu. My radiation oncologist is surprisingly interested and involved in alternative diets and supplements, and he was very supportive of using miso as an aid during radiation treatment. Apparently even anti-radiation drugs do not impact the effect of radiating cancerous cells, but they do protect healthy cells from being damaged. So they routinely prescribe anti-radiation remedies (especially when certain areas of the body are radiated).

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