How to Make Dashi Stock (Konbudashi) - A Step-by-Step Guide

Dashi is a fundamental ingredient in Japanese cooking, hailed as the essential base for many popular dishes such as miso soup, udon and soba noodles, and various simmered dishes. It is a simple yet versatile stock that carries a savory and umami-rich flavor, perfect for enhancing the taste of any dish it is added to.

One of the most common and popular types of dashi stock is konbudashi, made from kombu seaweed. Kombu is a type of edible kelp that is harvested off the coasts of Japan, ...

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Ingredients

  • 1 ounce dashi kombu (dried kelp)
  • 1 quart water
  • ½ cup bonito flakes

Information

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Additional Time: 50 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 8 servings

  • Wipe away any dirt from the kombu with a paper towel, being careful not to rub off the white powdery deposits on the seaweed. Place the kombu and water in a saucepan, and allow it to soak for 30 minutes to become soft.
  • Remove the kombu from the water, and cut several lengthwise slits into the leaf. Return the kombu to the water, and bring it to a boil. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the kombu to prevent the stock from becoming bitter.
  • Stir the bonito flakes into the kombu-flavored water, bring back to a boil, and take the pan off the heat. Allow the water to cool. When the bonito flakes have settled to the bottom, strain the dashi through a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
  • Nutrition

    12 cal.

    • Sodium: 111mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 2g
    • Protein: 1g
    • Calcium: 4mg
    • Potassium: 1mg