Dashi (Japanese broth base)
This simple, delicately-flavored broth, made from konbu (dried kelp) and dried bonito flakes, form the foundation of a wide variety of Japanese dishes. It is an essential part of the reportoire of any cook interested in Japanese cuisine.
Servings: 4 cups
Ingredients
- 4 cups cold water
- 4" piece dashi konbu (dried kelp)
- 1 5g. packet soft bonito flakes (roughly ΒΌ cup by volume)
Instructions
- Gently wipe down the dried konbu with a paper towel or damp cloth. Place in a small pot, and add 4 cups cold water.
- Optional: let the konbu soak for 10 minutes or longer if you want a stronger-flavored dashi.
- Heat pot over medium heat and bring just to the very start of a boil. As soon as the water reaches this point, remove kelp from pot with a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon. Discard, or set aside for an additional use (see notes).
- Add bonito flakes to pot and continue to boil until the flakes sink (about 5-10 minutes).
- Remove from heat. Strain dashi through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Discard bonito flakes.
- Dashi is now ready to be seasoned to taste or used in another recipe. It may also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Bonito flakes (katsuobushi) are made from dried, fermented, and smoked bonito (aka skipjack tuna) that has been shaved extremely thin. They are often available in easy-to-use pre-measured packets, as well as in bulk containers. If you want to get fancy, you can even buy whole blocks of dried bonito and shave it yourself. Bonito flakes are available at Asian markets that specialize in Japanese food, and from online retailers.
- Konbu (dried kelp) comes in a wide variety of sizes and grades, with an equally wide range in price. Any variety will work for making dashi, but ideally you will want to use "dashi konbu", which is the most readily available variety and typically inexpensive. It should be readily available at most Asian markets. You can also try looking for it at health food stores and in the Asian section of larger mainstream supermarkets. Konbu is also easily found online.
- After the initial use in making dashi, the cooked kelp can be cut into strips or pieces and used as a topping for rice, ramen, or other similar recipies like donburi. It can also be reused one more time to make a weaker dashi known as "second dashi", which can be used in recipes where a stronger flavor is not needed (such as in miso soup). Cooked konbu may be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, or frozen for later use.
- If you want to extract more flavor from the konbu, allow it to soak in the cold water before turning on the heat. The longer it soaks, the stronger the finished dashi will be. You can also use a pair of shears to make cuts into the sheet of konbu before soaking to allow even more of the flavor to infuse.