Konbu

Kombu is essential in vegetarian cooking to add 'umami' to the dish. Kombu dashi, which you'll need for vegetarian miso soup, is easy to make. Wipe a strip of kombu, cut in half and soak in around 4 cups of water. You can either leave the dashi to soak in the fridge over night, or heat gently in a pan for about half an hour or until the water is about to boil. Quickly remove the kombu, allow the dashi to cool, then store in the fridge.