Dashi Recipe
Dashi is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine and the building block of many recipes contained in this book. Similarly to how your confidants support you, dash plays a supporting role in many of the coming dishes, including Miso Soup (page 3), Nikujaga (page 56), and Ojiya with Mitsuba Leaves (page 107). It lends foundational flavors to every dish it touches — umami with just a hint of brine and smoke — and is worth making from scratch. Of course, alternatives (including instant dash granules) are available for purchase, if time is of the essence. For instant dashi, simply follow the package instructions to make as much as you need for a given recipe.
One 8-by-8-inch piece of kombu
3 quarts water
4 lightly packed cups katsuobushi flakes
- Combine the kombu and water into a large pot. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer — this should take about 10 minutes. If you notice any foam or scum forming on the surface, skim it off with a skimmer or spoon. While the dashi heats up, place a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl large enough to hold all the dashi.
- When the pot is simmering, remove the kombu, stir in the katsuobushi flakes, and remove from heat. Let sit for 10 minutes, then pour through the fine-mesh strainer set over the bowl. Transfer the dashi to a sealable container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
