Best Dashi Recipes

DASHI

Steps:

• Put the kombu in a 4-quart saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes.
• Set the saucepan over medium heat until the water reaches 150 to 160 degrees F and small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan, 9 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the kombu from the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the bonito flakes. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
• Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or several layers of cheesecloth. Reserve the bonito flakes for another use.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week or freeze for up to a month.

DASHI STOCK (KONBUDASHI)

Steps:

• 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.

DASHI (JAPANESE SEA STOCK)

Steps:

• 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. Reserve katsuo bushi for rice with soy-glazed bonito flakes and sesame seeds .

DASHI

Steps:

• Wipe konbu with a damp cloth to clean.
• In a stock pot, place konbu and cold water over medium heat. Just before the water begins to boil (DO NOT BOIL!) pull off heatand let stand 5 minutes.
• Remove konbu, and bring back to heat. Again, right before stock begins to boil, remove from heat and add the bonito flakes. When flakes sink to the bottom, strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Dashi can hold in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

KONBU DASHI

Steps:

• Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth to clean it. Cut into 1-inch pieces and place into a saucepan along with the water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand a few minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer before using.

DASHI

Steps:

• Put the water, dashima, shiitake mushrooms, and anchovies in a covered stockpot or other large pot and let stand at room temperature overnight, or for 8 to 12 hours.
• Remove the lid, set the pot over high heat, and heat until the surface of the water begins to ripple; pay attention, and do not let it come to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer (the ideal temperature is a few degrees below a light boil) and simmer for 80 to 90 minutes. Taste the dashi every 20 minutes to monitor the changes in flavor and texture. You will notice the texture becoming softer. I describe it as having a slippery, slightly viscous texture compared to tap water. The sea flavor will become stronger, and the dashi will become darker, like pale Earl Grey tea. The sweetness will take a while to appear, but when it does, the dashi is almost ready. When you can taste the sweetness and deep sea flavors, and the dashi has a very soft texture, it is done. Be vigilant, because dashi will become bitter if cooked too long.
• Strain the dashi into a covered container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. After 24 hours, the dashi will begin to lose some of its flavor and it will turn slightly flat.
• Cooks' Notes
• It's best to use dashi the same day you make it, though if you keep it refrigerated, you can use it for another day or two. By the third day, it will no longer taste fresh.
• Vegetarians can make a dashi from just dashima and dried shiitakes.

BONITO DASHI

Steps:

• Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth to clean it, then cut into 1 inch pieces, and place into a saucepan along with the water. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.
• Bring the kombu to a rapid simmer; reduce to a slow simmer over low heat. Sprinkle in the bonito shavings and simmer a few minutes more until the flakes have sunk to the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and let stand a few minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer before using.

TAMAGOYAKI (WITH DASHI)

Steps:

• Crack eggs into an appropriately sized bowl.
• Add the light shoyu, salt, and mirin to the eggs.
• Beat the ingredients together, then add dashi.
• Mix the dashi in lightly. It is important you don't mix too much, or the dashi will lose its flavor.*.
• Soak a paper towel in oil and wipe a frying pan with it, then put your frying pan over medium heat. If you have a rectangular or square pan, use that for best results.
• When the frying pan is hot, pour a thin layer of egg over it. Use your hashi or flipper to pop the bubbles.
• If using hashi, you need to flip or "roll" the egg towards you while gently guiding it with your hashi. Beginners may want to use a flipper, in which case you only need to roll the egg either toward you or away from you. Try not to rip the egg, but just keep rolling if you do.
• Now the rolled egg is on one side of the pan. You can choose to take it off of the heat now, or you can wipe the pan with oil again and add more egg. If so, remember to lift the cooked egg up to let the raw egg under it. Repeat until you have used all of the egg.
• After all of the egg had been used, move it (or them) to a cutting board. You can use a paper towel to shape the tamagoyaki while it is still hot, if you so choose.
• With the long side of the tamagoyaki parallel to yourself, slice evenly, though not too thin. There you have classic tamagoyaki!
• *If you are worried about appearance, this is the point where you would strain the egg through a sieve.

STEAMED BLACK BASS WITH KOMBU NOODLES AND MUSHROOM DASHI

Steps:

• Place the water, soy and sake in a large saucepot over a medium flame. Add the kombu and simmer until the kombu softens. Add the carrots and daikon, simmer until the carrots and diakon just soften (about 2-1/2 minutes), then remove from the flame. Discard the kombu, and reserve the carrots and daikon. Add the mushrooms and shaved bonito (or dashi flakes) and soak until the liquid comes to room temperature. Remove mushrooms from dashi liquid, thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside.
• Place 1 cup of mushroom dashi in the bottom of a small wok. Set a bamboo rice steamer over the dashi. Bring the dashi to a simmer over a medium flame. Place the bass fillets in the steamer and cover. Steam 6 to 8 minutes or until the bass is just cooked. Meanwhile, place the remaining dashi in a medium saucepot over a medium flame. Add the carrots, daikon, mushrooms, mustard greens, and kombu battera. Bring to a simmer. Divide the broth and vegetables equally into 2 warmed bowls. Arrange the carrots and daikon lattice style to support the bass. Lay the bass over the lattice and sprinkle with fleur de sel.

MIGHTY MISO SOUP (WITH DASHI - FISH STOCK)

Steps:

• Place dashi stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Cut the tofu block into small cubes and add them to the dashi.
• Simmer the tofu in the dashi stock for a few minutes on very low heat.
• The miso is the tricky part, you have to take out a bit of the soup stock from the pan and dissolve your miso into it.
• When the miso dissolves, add the dissolved miso to the pan gradually.
• DO NOT boil the soup after you put the miso inches This is the only way you can mess up this soup.
• Stir the soup gently.
• Turn off the heat and add chopped green onion, shitake mushrooms and dried wakame seaweed flakes.
• Add the omega fish oil and soy (if desired).

UDON SEAFOOD CIOPPINO WITH SMOKY DASHI BROTH AND SPIRALED FISH CAKE

Steps:

• In a large saute pan coated with the canola oil, cook the garlic, ginger, shiitake, bok choy, tomatoes, shrimp, and fish over high heat for 1 minute. Add the mussels, clams, smoky dashi broth, noodles and butter and simmer covered until the shellfish have opened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Plating: Pour the broth and the fish into a large-shallow bowl so that the fish shows through the top of the broth. Place the tatsoi on top of the fish. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the cut fish cakes around the top of the fish and garnish with the aioli. Set out 4 smaller shallow bowls and ladle out the respective portions making sure to include all the components in each serving.
• In a large pot over medium heat, cook the shallots, garlic, and ginger until transparent, about 20 minutes. Add the tomato and Szechwan peppercorns and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Then add the sake and reduce by a half. Add the mirin and dashi and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and lightly puree in a blender just until the tomato is just broken up. Strain before using.
• In a food processor, combine the fish, egg, miso, cream, and lemon juice until smooth. Season with black pepper and fold in the scallions.
• Lay the nori shiny side down on a rolling mat and spread a thin layer of fish mousse over 3/4 of the nori. Place the pepper strips at the bottom of the nori and roll, creating a spiral of nori and mousse. Seal the edge of the roll with a little water. Repeat the procedure for the other roll. Whisk the rice flour and soda water together until a thick pancake-like batter is achieved. Dip the nori rolls in the batter and place in a fryer or a medium heavy pot 1/3 full with oil over high heat to 350 degrees. Fry the rolls until very golden. Remove, season with salt and cut on the bias into thick slices.
• Aioli: 2 egg yolks* 2 tablespoons red miso 2 tablespoons roasted garlic, pureed 1 cup canola oil Juice of one lemon Black pepper
• In a food processor, puree the egg, miso, and garlic. While the processor is running, slowly add the canola oil until the mixture thickens. Add the lemon juice and season with pepper. Add a little water if the aioli is too thick.
• Wine suggestion: Bastianich Vino da Tavola 1998

SHIITAKE DASHI

Steps:

• Place kombu in pot of water and slowly bring to a simmer over medium high heat, but do not boil; about 10 minutes on the stove.
• Remove the kombu just before the pot boils and add the dried mushrooms.
• Boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and let the pot sit, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Remove the mushrooms and store the dashi for use in another recipe, or prepare it as a simple soup by adding the soy sauce, salt to taste and sliced green onion.

NAKED SHRIMP DUMPLINGS IN DASHI

Steps:

• Place kombu into a pan and pour in cold water. Let soak for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Place the pan of kombu over medium-high heat and wait, stirring once, until water almost starts to simmer and you see bubbles just start to rise to the surface. Immediately turn off heat and remove kombu from the broth into a bowl. Allow broth to cool down to about 150 degrees F (66 degrees C).
• Stir bonito flakes into the hot kombu broth and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain into a container.
• Place shrimp, Burrata cheese, salt, paprika, cayenne, ginger, and sesame oil into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until a smooth paste forms, scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed. Transfer to a bowl, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, to overnight.
• Transfer 2 cups of dashi back into the pan; add soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Taste and adjust with more soy and/or mirin as needed.
• Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chilled dumpling mixture into a football shape using two large spoons. Repeat with remaining dumpling mixture and carefully transfer 6 to 12 at a time into the simmering broth. Cook until dumplings turn over in the water, about 2 minutes per batch. Ladle about 1/2 cup dashi into warm serving bowls; remove dumplings with a strainer into the bowls (3 per serving).

JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) TANAKA AND DASHI

Steps:

• HOW TO MAKE THE EGGPLANT: Wash eggplant, but do not peel.
• Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the cubes of eggplant and saute over high heat until lightly browned here and there.
• This should take about 2 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Stir well, cover pan and simmer over low heat until eggplant is tender and sauce is just a bit thicker.
• Serves 2.
• HOW TO MAKE THE DASHI: Bring the water to a fast rolling boil.
• Add kombu seaweed.
• Stir for 2 to 3 minutes to release its flavour.
• Then remove with a slotted spoon (leaving it in the soup would make it too strong).
• Bring the water back to a fast rolling boil and add the bonito shavings.
• Bring back to the boil, then quickly remove from the heat.
• Let the bonito shavings settle in the bottom of the pan---this usually takes 2 to 3 minutes.
• Strain; now the dashi, or broth, is ready to use.
• Yield: 6 cups.
• *InJapan it is used as much as we use salt, and it is a vegetable protein derivative.
• If you wish to use it, look for the Japanese type in Oriental shops.
• **Kombu:Kelp or dried seaweed tangle, which is one of two most basic and important ingredients for making soup stock (dashi).
• ***Shreddeddried bonito (a fish), the other essential for basic stock (dashi).
• Can be purchased in one piece, then grated, or already grated and packaged, which is much more convenient.
• DASHI: This soup stock is the base for almost all Japanese dishes, so it is important to learn how to make it.
• Chicken stock can replace dashi, but a certain flavour will be missing.
• Madame Benoit's World of Food.

CHICO RAMEN WITH ROASTED CHICKEN DASHI AND SHOYU CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring water to boil in a medium pot. Drop in noodles and cook for 2 to 4 minutes. Strain and divide noodles among six bowls.
• Add 1 ounce Ramen Base to each bowl, then add 12 ounces Chicken Dashi to each bowl. Top with Shoyu Chicken. Serve hot!
• Cook's Notes: You can also top the ramen with kale chips, a soft egg, a scoop of garlic schmaltz, pickled shiitake mushrooms, or whatever topping you desire!
• Because both the Chicken Dashi and Ramen Base freeze well and are time consuming, we recommend you make more than needed for 6 servings at a time!
• Combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, scallions and mushrooms in a medium pot. Bring to just a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and discard solids.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Combine chicken backs, chicken feet, carrots, celery and onion in a roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes, then stir and roast until throughly browned, another 10 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and add a cup of water.
• Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan while it's hot, then add all the contents to a large stockpot. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves and parsley, then cover with 6 1/2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 6 hours.
• Add bonito, kombu and scallions and continue to simmer, 20 minutes more. Strain and discard solids.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Combine soy sauce and sugar and mix until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
• Place chicken in a roasting pan and add the pork fat, garlic cloves, black pepper, salt, thyme sprigs and 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and garlic cloves.
• Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and brown slightly on both sides, about 1 minute each. Add soy sugar mixture and cook until it bubbles and starts to thicken, glazing the chicken, about 1 minute. Be careful, as this sauce can go from glossy to burnt quickly! Set aside to put on top of ramen.

NISHIME (DASHI-BRAISED VEGETABLES WITH CHICKEN)

Steps:

• In a large pot, soak kombu in 4 cups water until the water is flavorful, at least 2 hours (or overnight).
• On a plate, salt the chicken generously on both sides; set aside in the refrigerator.
• Prepare the vegetables, and keep each in its own separate container: Peel daikon and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. (If the daikon is very large, halve it lengthwise, then cut it into 1/2-inch-thick slices.) Scrub satoimo, then peel using a paring knife. (Satoimo that are smaller than a golf ball can be left whole; larger ones should be halved or quartered.)
• Add the vinegar and 2 cups water to a bowl. Peel lotus root and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, adding them to the acidulated water. Peel carrot, then cut into rangiri: With your knife held across the carrot at a diagonal, cut it into 1-inch chunks, rolling the carrot a quarter turn between each cut so you end up with irregular, multifaceted pieces.
• Cut the kabocha into four wedges, then cut each wedge crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick pieces.
• Remove shiitake stems; carve out thin slivers from the top of the caps to make an asterisk shape (about the diameter of a quarter).
• Cut bamboo shoot lengthwise into 1 1/2-inch-wide spears, then cut each spear crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.
• Peel purple potato, then cut into rangiri. (If it's much fatter than a carrot, slice it into spears first.)
• Remove the kombu from the dashi, saving the kombu for another use. Add usukuchi shoyu, mirin, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt to the kombu dashi and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to keep the liquid at a simmer. Add chicken and simmer until barely cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, and set aside. Skim the dashi.
• Simmer each vegetable consecutively in the same dashi, cooking until each is tender but retains its shape, then transfer each vegetable back to its container. Cook the daikon about 20 minutes; satoimo 15 to 20 minutes; lotus root (discarding the acidulated water) 8 to 10 minutes; carrot 5 to 7 minutes; kabocha 12 to 15 minutes; shiitake and bamboo shoots (together), loosely covered if the dashi is low, 4 to 6 minutes; then finally the purple potato 8 to 10 minutes.
• The remaining dashi will be concentrated, dark and glossy. Add the chicken, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a sheet pan, skin-side up, and brown under the broiler, 3 to 4 minutes. Arrange the vegetables and chicken on a platter, in odd-numbered groupings (for better luck and aesthetics). Spoon a little dashi over and serve at room temperature.

KOMBU AND KATSUO DASHI

Steps:

• Wipe the kombu with clean cloth. Put water in a deep pot and soak kombu in the water for 10 minutes. Put the pot on low heat and remove the kombu just before the water boils. When it boils, add katsuobushi flakes. Remove any foam that rise to the surface, and turn off the heat. Let it set until bonito flakes sink. Strain the stock through a paper towel. This stock is called ichiban-dashi (first stock). Ichiban-dashi is often used for cooking clear soups or noodle soups. *Makes 4 cups *To make niban-dashi (second dashi), put back the katsuobushi flakes and kombu used to make the first dashi in the deep pot. Add 2 and 1/2 cups of water and heat on low heat. When it starts to boil, add 1/3 oz. of extra katsuobushi flakes. Let it simmer for a few minutes, removing any foam that rise to the surface. Stop the heat. Strain the broth through a paper towel. Nibandashi is often used to make nimono (simmered dishes). *Makes about 2 cups

DASHI SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Steps:

• Directions: For the Dashi: Wipe any dust from the Kombu. In a 3-quart pot bring water and Kombu almost to the boiling point. Immediately remove the Kombu, lower the flame and add the bonito flakes all at once to the Kombu broth and wait approximately 10 seconds and turn off the flame. Let the misture steep for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Strain the Dashi stock through some cheesecloth and discard the conito flakes. Reserve the broth for the risotto. For the rice: In a 3 quart pot over medium heat, place 3 tablespoons of the grapeseed oil. Add the leeks and when they are translucent, add the one tablespoon of the garlic, the onion, rice and mushrooms. Make sure this mixture is covered with oil and stir, stir, stir. Since this is Japanese rice it's a bit starchier than Arborio, however, it is not recommended to wash this rice for risotto. Once the rice mixture is covered with the oil and it has been stirred, place 3 ladles of the warm Dashi stock into the rice mixture - stir. Continue this process until rice is done and does not taste starchy and is just al dente. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to combine. Keep warm. For the seafood: In a 3-quart pot over medium high heat add 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil and the remainder of the garlic. Add the mussels and clams and about 1 ladle of the Dashi stock - immediately cover for approximately 8 minutes. When mussels and clams are done add them to the risotto and add the uncooked shrimp - stir in another tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper.. The heat of the rice will cook the shrimp. When shrimp start to curl they are done. Serve immediately with some of the clam/mussel stock - delicious! Garnish with cilantro and peas.

BACON DASHI

Steps:

• Rinse konbu under running water. Transfer konbu to a medium saucepan and add 8 cups water. Bring water to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off stove and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Remove konbu from saucepan and add bacon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer bacon for 30 minutes.
• Remove bacon from saucepan. Transfer liquid to an airtight container and chill until fat separates and hardens on top. Remove fat and discard. Store dashi covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days.

DASHI - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Put the kombu in a 4-quart saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes.
• Set the saucepan over medium heat until the water reaches 150 to 160 degrees F and small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan, 9 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the kombu from the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the bonito flakes. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
• Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or several layers of cheesecloth. Reserve the bonito flakes for another use.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week or freeze for up to a month.