Behind-the-Scenes Notes | No. 1 Rapeseed Blossom and Kombu Experiment Log

The very first sheet that became the start of the Nori-cho (Seaweed Notebook) is made from rapeseed blossoms and kombu.
I would like to leave a little record here of the kitchen experiments I layered behind the scenes.

—

【Materials Used】

• Rapeseed blossoms
　Boiled until soft, then squeezed well to remove moisture (approx. 30g after boiling).
• Kombu
　Dried cut kombu (approx. 3g)
　Rehydrated in water before use.
• Salt
　A pinch. Just enough to bring out the umami.
• Moisture (supplementary)
　Keep the rapeseed blossom boiling water instead of discarding it, in case it doesn't turn into a paste.
—

【Thoughts While Making】

• The rapeseed blossoms won't turn into a paste.
　→ There wasn't enough moisture, so I added a little of the boiling water to adjust.
　→ I thought, "I'm glad I used the boiling water, which retains the flavor of the rapeseed blossoms, rather than plain water." It makes it tastier.
• The kombu is hard to chop finely.
　→ It was too hard to chop finely while dry.
　→ By rehydrating it in water before chopping, it became smooth.
• The center was hard to dry.
　→ I handled this by adding more baking time (+10 minutes).
　→ It seems better to spread it to a more uniform thickness.
• Regarding the finish with remaining fibers
　→ I worried about whether I should make it smoother, but
　I felt that the "slightly fibrous" texture was characteristic of rapeseed blossoms, so I left it as is.
—

【Recipe Notes】

1. Boil the rapeseed blossoms with a little salt and squeeze out the moisture well.
2. Grind the rapeseed blossoms and the rehydrated, chopped kombu using a mortar or blender.
3. If there is not enough moisture, add the rapeseed blossom boiling water little by little to adjust.
4. Spread it out to a thickness of about 1mm on parchment paper.
5. Bake at 120°C for about 40–50 minutes until dry (check the center and add more baking time if needed).
—

【Observation Memo】

• Even when ground, some fibers remain in the rapeseed blossoms.
• Kombu is easier to chop finely after being rehydrated.
• When baked, the color changes to a deep green or dark brown.
• The center is hard to dry, so the baking time is a bit longer (about 50 minutes).
—

【Taste and Finish】

• Aroma: A gentle scent combining the greenness of the rapeseed blossoms, the umami of the kombu, and a faint saltiness.
• Texture: It tended to get thick and finished quite firm, but it was just right when wrapped around rice.
• Usage Ideas:
　→ Tearing it up and floating it in ochazuke (tea over rice) was delicious as it combined with the dashi.
　→ It's also great mixed into potato salad. The greenness of the rapeseed blossoms melted smoothly into the sweetness of the potatoes.
—

【Things to Try Next】

• A different version with added sesame or miso
• A finish that retains texture with chopped rapeseed blossoms
• Researching how to spread it to prevent uneven baking
—

【What Remained in the Kitchen】

Before and after baking,
the color and aroma changed little by little,
and yet, the essence of the rapeseed blossoms remained.
The scent of spring slowly spread through the kitchen.

—

This sheet was the beginning of the Nori-cho.

I think I will choose the next vegetable from the quiet questions of the kitchen.

#BehindTheScenesNotes
#KitchenRecords
#LifeExperiments
#VegetableNori
#Handmade
#PreservedFood
#SeasonalKitchen
#VegetableRecords
#Recipe
#VegetableResearchLab