If you want to master Japanese cooking, first learn the importance of dashi because it’s one of the fundamental ingredients in Japanese cuisine. Based on all of the Japanese cookbooks I have read, dashi is usually required in most recipes. In a way, it’s like the mother ingredient in Japanese cooking!
So what’s dashi?
Dashi is a mildly infused broth with a distinct umami (savory) flavor. The 2 key ingredients are kombu (dried seaweed) and bonito flakes (dried tuna).
Don’t fret, not only is dashi easy to make, but it’s also very quick to prepare: It takes about 20 minutes compared to traditional stocks which take 4 – 6 hours. The main differences between dashi and traditional stocks are: 1) the concept of steeping versus simmering; 2) the length of cooking time; 3) the need for bones. The primarily reason why you simmer traditional stock for hours on end is because you want to extract the flavours from the bones; however, since dashi doesn’t require bones, it’s not necessary to simmer for hours.
Steeping dashi longer doesn’t necessary make better broth, but it will make the broth fishier. Depending on your preferences, you may want to steep the bonito flakes longer than the suggested time in order to enhance the taste of the bonito. I have seen receipes that requires you to pre-soak kombu for 30 minutes or even overnight!
Anyways, if you ever get the chance, try making miso soup with dashi in place of water. You will be amazed with the results!!
Ingredients
- 2L (2000ml) Cold Water
- 1/4 cup (60g) Bonito Flakes
- 30g (8 x 4 inch) Kombu Seaweed
Directions
- Add water and kombu into a pot. Slowly bring to boil.
- Remove kombu and add bonito flakes.
- Turn off heat and let steep for 10 minutes or longer, depending on your preferences.
- Strain broth and it’s ready for use.
Tips: If you steep the kombu too long, your broth will be slimy, so it’s important to remove it once the water comes to a boil.
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