Dashi is the basis for a huge number and variety of Japanese dishes. Dashi is easy to make but to save time you can buy premade dashi powder from your local Japanese or Asian grocer. There are many varieties of dashi that you can make including types made with fish but today we are going to make a simpler “Katsuoboshi Bonito Flakes” Dashi.
INGREDIENTS/
- Water, amount is however much you need for your dish
- Kombu seaweed, 1 small piece
- Katsuoboshi Bonito Flakes, 1 handful
TOOLS/
- Pot
- Strainer
Prepare some warm water in a pot
Get/cut off a small piece of Kombu. (Note: Kombu will expand in water so it doesn’t need to be very big)
Wipe the kombu with a cloth to clean it off. You will want to spread it out to get into the crevices and folds
Put the kombu into the warm water and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Boil the water; When the water boils, remove from strong heat and remove the kombu (You can stop here to save time if you don’t like bonito flakes)
Add bonito flakes and re-boil
Strain the dashi to remove the bonito flakes
You are left with a soup base that can then be use for the next step of your cooking journey.
