Dashi, Japaness soup stock, is one of the indispensable ingredients used in
Japanese food.
The powdered dashi called Dashi no moto is available in Oriental food shops; to use it mix four teaspoons in 2-3 cups of cold water, it dissolves easily.
Konbu and Katsuobushi dashi
This is a dashi made from konbu (dried kelp), and katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes).
This traditional method of making dashi does give a fresher taste. You can use the ingredients twice. The first extraction makes ichiban dashi, the second makes niban dashi, which is used in one pot cooking, or casseroles.
ICHIBAN DASHI
6 cups water
1 ½ oz konbu (kelp)
1 ½ oz katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
Wipe the kelp with a damp cloth. Then slash the kelp on one side to help release the flavor. Place the kelp in a saucepan with 5 cups of water and bring just to a boil. Remove the kelp and reserve it to make niban dashi. Add the other cup of water and the bonito flakes and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and strain reserving the bonito. The remaining broth is ichiban dashi. This dashi is often used for clear soup.
Makes 6 cups.
NIBAN DASHI
Add the reserved kelp and bonito to 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 15 minutes. Add 1 oz of bonito flakes and remove from the heat. Let stand for no more than one minute and strain. Used for simmering vegetables.
Makes 6 cups.
Niboshi dashi
Niboshi dashi is made with small dried sardines.
4 cups of water
1/2 cup of Niboshi
Remove the head and guts of the Niboshi. Add water to your pan and soak the Niboshi for 30 minutes. Then put the pan on low heat and bring to a boil. Let it boil for a couple minutes, remove from heat and strain the broth. *This dashi is often used for miso soup.
Some Japanese recipes that use dashi:
Miso-shiru: Miso-Flavored Soup with Bean Curd
Kani Chiri: Crab Hotpot