Classic Japanese dashi
I absolutely love Japanese food. The delicate flavors, the perfectly seasoned vegetables, the light but flavor-packed broths, all the noodles.
Until recently, most of my experience with Japanese food has been at restaurants, and learning how to cook some dishes and incorporate Japanese flavors into my cooking has been an absolute blast.
The most life-changing Japanese recipe for me until now has been learning how to make the humble dashi. It is a simple broth made from kombu (a special type of dried seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried bonito fish flakes) and it can elevate the flavor of just about anything. You can find them on Amazon at the above affiliate links, at Whole Foods or your local Asian grocery store.
Add some soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free) to taste, and you have a beautiful broth for your noodle soup.
Add miso paste and tofu, and you have miso soup.
Use it to cook your rice, add some vegetables and meat in your rice cooker, and you have a one-pot meal.
And it’s so easy. And so delicious.
Awase dashi
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients
1 piece of kombu, about 4”x4”
1 cup of katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
4 cups of water
Directions
Pour water into a medium saucepan. Add the kombu to the cold water. Heat the pan using medium-low heat. You want the water to slowly come to almost boiling, about 10 minutes.
When the water is almost boiling, remove the kombu.
Add the katsuobushi to the water, and bring it to a boil again. When it reaches a boil, remove the pot from the heat and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
Use right away or cool to store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Allergens: fish
For fish-free/vegan, use kombu only to make kombu dashi.
My noodle suggestions: soba, somen, rice noodles would be lovely with this, with whatever toppings you like.
