How to Make Dashi Soup Stock with Dried Bonito and Kelp

Dashi is the fundamental soup stock of Japanese-style meals. The time and effort taken to make a proper dashi will significantly improve the taste of your favorite dishes.
DashiSoupStockBonitoFlakes HIkariMiso
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3.5 cups* (840ml) water
  • 10 g (0.35 oz.) Dried Kelp
  • 20 g (0.7 oz.) Shavings of Dried Bonito

Instructions

  • Dust off impurities from the surface of dried kelp.
  • Make cuts in the dried kelp with scissors to bring out the umami.
  • Pour the water into a pot with the dried kelp, let soak for 30 minutes to an hour.
  • Heat water and dried kelp on the stove.
  • Remove the kelp just before the pot boils.
  • Once water starts to boil, add all the dried bonito shavings at once and turn off heat.
  • Let sit until the shavings sink to the bottom of the pot.
  • Strain contents of the pot through a tightly wrung clean cloth, paper towel or large, fine sieve and discard used shavings. Do not squeeze to drain the filtered shavings.