{
  "id": 10084110,
  "title": "Waste not, want not with a banana peel-boosted side dish",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/waste-not-want-not-with-a-banana-peel-boosted-side-dish",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-26T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Japan Times",
    "slug": "japan-times",
    "url": "https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2026/09/27/food-drink/banana-peel-tsukudani-kombu-recipe-side-dish/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Creating zero waste in the kitchen can still be achieved by incorporating traditional dishes that cleverly utilize kitchen scraps. One such dish is \"tsukudani,\" a sticky, sweet, soy-glazed side dish that makes use of kombu, a type of seaweed already used to make dashi, as a key ingredient. The concept of adding banana peels to this dish is a fresh approach, but repurposing these \"scrap\" materials is likely as old as indigenous cultures that cultivate them.\n\nBanana peels bring additional benefits to the dish, such as providing extra bulk and dietary fiber for better digestion and reduced inflammation. These peels also contain the amino acid tryptophan, which the body transforms into serotonin for mood enhancement and melatonin for sleep regulation. The texture of banana peels when cooked in this style is similar to kombu, making the dish a potentially appealing addition to traditional Japanese meals or onigri (rice balls).\n\nTo prepare this dish, you'll need rehydrated kombu dashi. To make 1 liter of kombu dashi, soak a 10-gram strip of dried kombu in cold tap water for at least 30 minutes. Simmer the kombu in cold tap water until it is just barely simmering, then remove and cool the kombu before using it in the recipe. The dashi can also be used for miso soup or other dishes.\n\nFor this recipe, use banana skins from yellow bananas that are not overly ripe. Peel the bananas and freeze the flesh for later use in smoothies. Chiffonade the cooled kombu into thin strips, discarding the hard tops and tails of the bananas. Slice the banana skins into strips of similar thickness to the kombu.\n\nBring the kombu, banana peel, sliced chili, and water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Add tamari, mirin, and sugar, then reduce the mixture to a sticky glaze, which should take about 15 minutes. The banana skins should gradually resemble the texture of kombu. Turn off the heat and stir thoroughly to combine. Allow the tsukudani to cool to room temperature before serving.\n\nThis dish can be served as a side for washoku (traditional Japanese) meals or used as a filling for onigri (rice balls).",
  "summary": "\"Tsukudani\" is already a sweet treat, so adding byproducts of the fruit is a match made in heaven.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}