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Dashi (Japanese Sea Stock)

Image may contain Bowl Food Dish Meal Soup Bowl and Soup
  • Active Time

    5 minutes

  • Total Time

    10 minutes

海带是爸爸ckaged in dried lengths that are most easily cut with scissors. Use this flavorful two-ingredient broth to make a nourishing bowl ofmiso soup.

Ingredients

Makes about 6 cups

6 cups cold water
1 oz (30 grams)kombu(dried kelp), about 20 square inches
2 (5-gram) packageskatsuo bushi(dried bonito flakes), about 1 cup
  1. Bring cold water and kombu just to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and remove kombu (saving it for pickled Napa cabbage ). Sprinkle katsuo bushi over liquid; let stand 3 minutes and, if necessary, stir to make katsuo bushi sink. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or a coffee filter into a bowl.

    Do Ahead:Stock keeps 4 days. Cool, uncovered, before chilling, covered.

Cooks' Note

If making stock for miso soup it is not necessary to save the kombu or katsuo bushi.

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Reviews (10)

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  • thank you for this

    • Anonymous

    • Atlanta

    • 11/5/2022

  • Great easy recipe! Used this as a base for a Miso soup and was very pleased.

    • steadfastchan

    • Atlanta, GA

    • 9/11/2017

  • Love this simple recipe. The broth is full of flavor. I like to double the recipe and then freeze the extra broth in an ice tray. This is a great way to always have the broth on hand for incorporating into other recipes.

    • teresalees

    • Santa Rosa, CA

    • 2/23/2014

  • Easy to make - used for Miso soup

    • LisaBNichols

    • Seattle

    • 9/10/2013

  • Excellent recipe to use in a large variety of Japanese dishes. We used to make Japanese egg custard (chawan mushi) and it was terrific.

    • hdesbiez

    • Paris

    • 5/27/2012

  • Excellent base for miso soup. The kombu can be re-used for a number of other recipes.

    • Anonymous

    • Shenandoah Valley, VA

    • 4/3/2010

  • Very simple and basic but such an integral part of many Japanese dishes. I also add shitake mushrooms (heads only quartered), some bok choy and carrots for flavor and then strain the veggies out along with the bonito flakes after they have simmered for 10 - 15 minutes. Not certain if there is a reason they recommend removing from the heat and just soaking the bonito. One trick I found is the bonito gets very, very bland once the flavor has transferred to the water.

    • papagio

    • Chicago, IL

    • 9/8/2009

  • Excellent & EZ. Used my dashi in Miso Soup.

    • choulli

    • 3/21/2008

  • This is A great recipe too!

    • Anonymous

    • Japan

    • 11/23/2001

  • I used this recipe as stock for miso soup. The soup turned out wonderful. I strongly recommend making the rice with soy-glazed bonito flakes and sesame seeds.

    • Tracy

    • San Mateo, CA

    • 6/13/2001

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