Kombu and bonito flakes?

[hprmom]

Going through my pantry and found sealed bags of dashi kombu and bonito flakes, been there probably 2-3 years! Neither package has an expiration date.


Kombu is a kind of kelp/seaweed and I see those are safe; the company claims indefinite shelf life. So if they don't smell funky when I break the seal, I'm thinking it's okay to use. Should I soak them, or break/grind them up dry?

Bonito flakes, I can't find any reference to on either the safe/unsafe food lists or by searching the forum. Are they safe for crabs? The shelf life info I've found is inconsistent, so even if it's a safe food I might toss the bag and get new.

Incidentally, the bags are leftover from when I did a lot of cooking from the book Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat, I always had a pitcher of dashi ready to go in the fridge! Good stuff (now I'm hungry!).

[wodesorel]

Kombu is safe. I've served it both ways.

Bonito... It's a smoked fermented fish that is also salted. Between the smoking and the fermentation process I've always been hesitant to give my crabs any. It's probably safe, but something about it doesn't sit right for me. I will do other dried and salted fishes (like sardines), so long as they aren't smoked or aged.

By the way, I freeze my Bonito, so it doesn't go bad. I'm lucky if we make it to a grocer that carries it once a year, and I never know when I'm going to get a craving for miso soup.

[hprmom]

Thanks, wodesorel. I gave them the kombu last night, soaked in dechlor water. It was moved around so I'm guessing they tried it, but the big hit was sweet potato sautéed in coconut oil leftover from my dinner the other night (I was surprised because they had previously ignored plain sweet potato). Next time I'll try the kombu ground. Although I'll have to clean out my coffee grinder after, I usually only use it for nuts/oatmeal/flaxseed that I eat myself (and now share with the crabs).

The last time I bought kombu I had to hunt it down, my regular store stopped carrying it. When I asked, they directed me to a powdered dashi mix, they said everyone was using that instead. Not the same!! I also had a hard time finding red miso, which I prefer to white.

I tossed the bonito flakes. Thanks for the freezer tip!