Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (2024)

1K Shares

Dashi is one of the fundamental ingredients in Japanese cooking. It’s usedas botha tea and the base for hundreds, if not thousands of recipes in Japan. Dashi stock is so common, in fact, that most written recipes that call for it simply state, “add dashi”. The assumption is that everyone already knows how to make it, or has it on hand at all times (Kind of like chicken broth in America.).

The most common form of dashi used in Japan is awase dashi, or “mixed dashi”. It’s made by steeping dried seaweed (kombu) with dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi, or dried, flaked skipjack tuna) and steeping them in hot water for a few minutes. And it doesn’t taste like fish at all.

Note: in some prefectures in Japan, small dried sardines are preferred tot he bonito flakes, or they are used together.

The version made with bonito flakes is the most common in Japanese cooking, so should a recipe simply call for dashi, this is what the author was asking for.

The ingredients for this Japanese stock are simple. You need a little dried seaweed and some bonito flakes.

Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (1)

Both of these should be available in your local Asian market (assuming you have one in your area), but if not you can find boh ingredients on Amazon.

The other ingredient is the simplest, but can actually be the deciding factor in whether you dashi tastes incredible or if the sauce tasted like metal, and that’s water.

Unless you have extremely pure tap water, I highly recommend that you use bottled water to make this stock. If you’re like us and have hard water, you’ll end up with a murky, metallic tasting stock, instead of the wonderfully deep-bodied clear soup-base that you were after.

Let’s get to making some dashi stock.

First, take a piece of your kombu (dried seaweed), and add it to 4 cups of water in a small saucepan. Then go have a cup of coffee, or let the kombu soak in the water in the fridge overnight if you’re planning on using the sauce for breakfast.

Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (4)

Yep. You heard right. You’re not adding heat yet. What you’re doing is letting the kombu naturally absorb water. At the same time it will gently flavor the water in the pan. This process doesn’t need to be forced, so just let it sit for at least15 minutes, then toss the pan over medium low heat.

Heat the pan until small bubbles begin to form around the edges and the water is steaming.Do not boil the kombu or you’ll end up with a murky mess that tastes awful. just get those little bubbles going, remove it from the heat, and add your bonito flakes.

Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (5)

Now cover the pan and wait about 5 minutes, or until the bonito flakes sink to the bottom of the pan. Once that happens, just strain the stock through a sieve lined with paper towels, a rinsed cheesecloth or use my preferred method, a coffee filter. (Thanks to Rachael at La Fuji Mama for this tip!)

Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (6)

And with that, you’re done. nothing else is needed. you’ve got perfect, homemade dashi stock just waiting to go in your favorite Japanese recipe (or into a cup for sipping.)

Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (7)

Yield: 4 cups dashi stock

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Awase Dashi (Also known as dashi, dashi stock, or Japanese fish stock) is one of the cornerstones of Japanese cuisine. Dashi is used in one form or another in just about every Japanese recipe. it's also one of the simplest things you'll ever make at home, and so much better than dashi granules!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water (preferably bottled water)
  • 1 piece kombu (dried seasweed)
  • Approximately 1 cup (9 grams) bonito flakes

Instructions

  1. Pour water in a small saucepan. Add kombu and cover. Allow to sit for 10 to 20 minutes.
  2. Place pan over medium low heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Do not Boil!
  3. Remove from heat, add bonito flakes, cover and allow to steep 5 minutes.
  4. Strain and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

For vegetarian dashi (Kombu Dashi), just skip adding the bonito flakes. It's still a wonderfully rich broth that will make your cooking shine.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g


Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (8)

What I would have done differently had i thought of it at the time:

Dashi is like a lot of other staple recipes. Every home has their own particular way of making it, and each cook uses different amounts of kombu and bonito to make their awase dashi. My advice to you is to try different amounts of each to come up with a version that fits your tastes and your families.

More great dashi stock recipes from around the web:

Related Posts

  • Turkey Stock Recipe

    Updated from the archives, because there is no reason to waste anything from your gorgeous…

  • The Ultimate Homemade Chicken Stock

    I usually try to take gorgeous, sexy photos of a recipe geared toscintillateand entice you…

  • Frito Pie - Oh My! Your Basic Frito Pie Recipe

    Texas has its own rules when it comes to cuisine. I've seen foods here that…

Dashi Stock - Basic Japanese Sea Stock Recipe (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Horacio Brakus JD

Last Updated:

Views: 5882

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Horacio Brakus JD

Birthday: 1999-08-21

Address: Apt. 524 43384 Minnie Prairie, South Edda, MA 62804

Phone: +5931039998219

Job: Sales Strategist

Hobby: Sculling, Kitesurfing, Orienteering, Painting, Computer programming, Creative writing, Scuba diving

Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.