In the simplest terms, dashi is the Japanese word for stock. Dashi stock is the basis for a lot of Japanese cooking and is used in simmered dishes like stews and soups, in dressings and even in sauces. If you don’t have time to make dashi from scratch, there are instant dashi products that can be decent substitutes. Kombu seaweed, sold in large dried pieces, is the main ingredient in dashi. It should be soaked in room-temperature water and boiled briefly. If boiled for too long, the kombu produces a slimy film you do not want in your dashi.
Basic Dashi Stock
Yield: 2 quarts
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Ingredients
- 2 pieces dried kombu, each 4 inches
- 10 cups room-temperature water
- 6 cups loosely packed bonito flakes, about 2 ounces
Instructions
- Using a damp cloth,wipe the kombu seaweed lightly to remove any dirt, but do not remove the white powdery coating, because this is what gives the dashi flavor.
- Fill a large saucepan with the water and add the kombu. Let soak for 3 hours. Remove and discard the kombu.
- Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reducethe heat to a low simmer. Add the bonito flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Strain the stock through a fine- mesh sieve set over a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the bonito flakes.
- Dashi can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.
