Dashi

Is a soup stock made with dried bonito (a member of the mackerel family), called katsuo in Japanese, and konbu, a kind of giant kelp . It is said that the flavor and quality of the dashi that season a dish determine its ultimate success or failure. Some Japanese restaurants make dashi using only bonito flakes, but traditional recipes also use konbu.

The dried bonito fillet should have and ash-white coating of mold; the densest fillets are the best. Dashi is usually made with flakes shaved from the fillet, but commercially prepared and packaged bonito flakes are also available. The konbu should not be washed before adding to the soup. The standard proportions are 1 oz. kelp and 1 oz. bonito flakes to 1 qt. water. The dashi should be brought to a full boil, but the konbu should be removed before the water boils. Once the dashi has been brought to a full boil, the pot should be immediately removed from the heat. Once the bonito flakes have settled to the bottom, the soup should be strained and the bonito flakes removed. The konbu should be cut into two-inch slices, and then returned to the pot.

There are various stages in the process at which one can make the decision to go instant: there is dashi in a jar, which is simply added to boiling water and no straining of bonito flakes is necessary, or you can buy bonito flakes to use with regular konbu, or you can buy instant konbu to use with store-bought bonito flakes.

The bonito fillet can be stored in a can in a cool, dark, dry place. The dashi may be stored in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator for up to three days. It may be frozen, but both flavor and aroma are lost; it is best when made fresh.