Dashi is the basic stock used to make a variety of Japanese recipes. Essentially, dashi is the cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, made with only 3 ingredients: water, kombu seaweed and katsuobushi (dried and smoked bonito flakes). Dashi is easy to make at home and quickly, once you master the technique of this stock, everything will have the flavor of the best Japanese restaurants.
Purchase high-quality dried bonito flakes. Choose well-dried, thick, and aromatic kombu seaweed, preferably Rishiri-Kombu from Hokkaido. Clean the surface of the kombu seaweed and remove dirt with a kitchen cloth or paper towel, DO NOT remove the white powder on the surface as it creates an umami flavor. Do not squeeze the bonito flakes, as this will generate an unpleasant fish odor. Make the stock in small quantities or as needed and keep it fresh for 3 days or freeze it in ice cube trays. Ready to make shiro miso (miso soup)?
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2-3 cups of stock
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 oz kombu seaweed
- 1/3 oz katsuobushi (dried and smoked bonito flakes)
Steps
Clean the surface of the kombu seaweed with a kitchen cloth or paper towel to remove dirt. DO NOT remove the white powder on the kombu.
In a pot, add 4 1/4 cups of cold water and the kombu together and let it steep for 30 minutes, even up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, weigh and set aside the katsuobushi (dried and smoked bonito flakes).
After the seaweed infusion time, place the pot on medium heat and bring to a boil.
When the water starts to boil, immediately remove the kombu seaweed. Do not discard it; set it aside in the fridge or freeze it, as you can use it to make a simple recipe to accompany plain rice called Kombu Tsukudani (I will post the recipe soon).
Add the dried bonito flakes and stir once to incorporate.
As soon as the liquid boils again, reduce the heat to a low simmer for 5 minutes.
Skim off any foam that may appear on the surface.
After 5 minutes of simmering, turn off the heat and let the liquid rest for 15 minutes.
Strain with a fine sieve or cheesecloth, but DO NOT squeeze the katsuobushi, as it would make the dashi cloudy and generate an unpleasant fish odor. You can discard it.
Use the dashi stock to prepare miso soup and other Japanese recipes, or store it in the refrigerator for 3 days, or even freeze it in ice cube trays.
