Recipe by user david
Classic Japanese dashi stock made from kombu and katsuobushi, used as a deeply savory base for miso soup and more.
Makes 8 cups
This recipe teaches a foundational Japanese stock: kombu dashi (vegetarian/vegan) and awase dashi (kombu plus katsuobushi). What makes it special is the careful, slow heating to extract maximum umami without bitterness, plus the short simmer for bonito flakes for a clean, fragrant broth. Serve it as the base for miso soup, noodle soups, simmered dishes, and sauces. Helpful tips: never wash kombu or remove the white powdery bloom (it’s umami), heat the kombu slowly and remove it right before boiling to avoid sliminess and bitterness, and let the bonito flakes sink before straining for a clearer stock. The finished dashi stores well—refrigerate for 3–5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.
Add water and kombu (dried kelp) to a medium saucepan. If you have time, soak the kombu in water for 30 minutes. NEVER wash kombu and do not remove the white substance—that’s umami! These days, it‘s pretty clean, so just make sure there are no dirt particles.
SLOWLY bring it to a boil (about 10 minutes) on medium-low heat so you can extract as much umami from the kombu as possible. Right before the stock boils, remove the kombu and set it aside for another use. (If you leave the kombu, it gets slimy and yields a bitter taste.) Now, what you have is Kombu Dashi. If you’re vegetarian/vegan, use this kombu dashi for your miso soup.
SLOWLY bring it to a boil (about 10 minutes) on medium-low heat so you can extract as much umami from the kombu as possible. Right before the stock boils, remove the kombu and set it aside for another use. (If you leave the kombu, it gets slimy and yields a bitter taste.) Now, what you have is Kombu Dashi. If you’re vegetarian/vegan, use this kombu dashi for your miso soup.
If you‘re not vegetarian/vegan, add katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) to the kombu dashi and bring it back to a boil again. Once the dashi is boiling, reduce the heat, simmer for just 30 seconds.
Turn off the heat and let the katsuobushi sink to the bottom, about 10 minutes. Then, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Turn off the heat and let the katsuobushi sink to the bottom, about 10 minutes. Then, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Now you have roughly 4 cups of Awase Dashi. You can store the dashi in the refrigerator for up to 3–5 days and in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Reserve the spent katsuobushi and repurpose it; see the suggested recipes that follow at the end of the instructions.
Now you have roughly 4 cups of Awase Dashi. You can store the dashi in the refrigerator for up to 3–5 days and in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Reserve the spent katsuobushi and repurpose it; see the suggested recipes that follow at the end of the instructions.
What to do with the spent katsuobushi and kombu?
Save the spent kombu and katsuobushi in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
Furikake Spent Kombu and Katsuobushi
With the spent kombu, you can make Simmered Kombu (Kombu Tsukudani).
Simmered kombu in a small dish next to a bowl of steamed rice.
You can also make Homemade Furikake (Rice Seasoning).
| Nutrient | Per Serving | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 0 | 0 |
| Protein | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Fat | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Fiber | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Sugar | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Sodium | 19mg | 76mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0mg |
Per serving values based on 4 servings at 2x scale.
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