Three-ingredient dashi: water, kombu, and bonito flakes. Simple and quick. Authentic Japanese dashi stock and broth for a wide range of culinary endeavors in the country.

DASHI STOCK

What is Dash?

The foundation of Japanese cuisine is dashi. It’s the foundation of much Japanese soup.

The primary ingredients are Kombu seaweed (a type of kelp) and shaved bonito flakes.

Oden, nabe, ramen, and many other dishes call for the stock.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of making this stock, every meal you create will taste as excellent as the best Japanese restaurants.

DASHI RECIPE

To create this dish, all you need are three (3) simple ingredients:

• Water
• Kombu or Japanese dry seaweed
• Dry shaved bonito flakes

Rishiri-Kombu and Ma-Kombu are the most outstanding varieties of kombu (from Rishiri in Hokkaido). They have a well-deserved reputation as Japan’s finest kombu.

HOW TO MAKE DASHI?

Making the broth at home is simple and takes only a short amount of time.

Instant dashi is available; however, the flavor is sometimes MSG-heavy and inferior to homemade stock.

COOK’S TIPS

Ideally, the best dashi has a light brown tint that is clear and not hazy or murky. Listed below are a few of my best cooking suggestions:

• Dry shaved bonito flakes of the highest grade can be purchased.
• Choose kombu seaweed that is well-dried, thick, and aromatic, such as Hokkaido’s Rishiri-Kombu.
• A kitchen towel or paper towel can be used to clean the surface of kombu seaweed. Because it contributes to the umami flavor, do not remove the white powder that coats the dish’s texture.
• The bonito flakes should not be squeezable. A nasty fishy odor will be produced as a result.
• Make a modest amount of the stock or as much as you require. It’s essential to keep it fresh.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN I FREEZE DASHI STOCK?

• You certainly can. Refrigerate any remaining stock for up to three days to maintain its freshness. You can also use an ice tray to freeze the stock.

IS DASHI HEALTHY?

• In my opinion, yes. Also, it’s halal. It doesn’t feel greasy at all.

What is the average number of calories in one serving?

• Each serving of this recipe contains only 193 calories.

With this recipe, what are its complementary dishes?

• If you follow this recipe, you’ll have three full dashi stock pots with just 32 calories each.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 oz shaved dried bonito flakes
• 4 cups water
• 1 piece kombu, 6×6-inch

Instructions

1. To clean the kombu seaweed, use a paper towel or a dishtowel. NONE of the kombu’s white powder should be removed. A big stock pot should be filled with water and kombu and then brought to a boil. Wait 30 minutes before serving.
2. Boil the stock in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Get rid of the kombu right now! Stir in the dried bonito flakes after they’ve been shaved.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes once the liquid returns to a rolling boil on the stove. Remove any surface scum that develops.
4. When the water has been boiling for 15 minutes, remove it from the fire and allow it to cool. Drain it through a cheesecloth or a fine sieve/strainer. If you squeeze the bonito, it will obscure the dashi and produce a fishy smell, so don’t do that. The bonito flakes should be thrown away after usage.
5. The dashi broth can be stored in the refrigerator for three days or frozen in an ice cube.

Notes

• To produce Japanese dishes like oden and nabe, use dashi.