To prepare this classic Japanese broth you need between one and four ingredients. These are kelp (kombu), dried tuna flakes (katsuobushi), dried small anchovies or sardines and dried shiitake.
The simplest dashi is made with kombu only. Its taste is gentle with a touch of umami. It’s a great vegetarian broth. We use it to make pumpkin soup.
The best known is awase dashi and it’s made with kombu and katsuobushi. It is the basis of oden, miso soup and many other dishes. It’s also the basis of our dashi with matsutake and shrimps and for tentsuyu, the dipping sauce for tempura. If you add a splash of dashi and some Japanese mustard (karashi) to your mayonnaise you have your own Japanese mayonnaise.

Katsuobushi is made from skipjack tuna (bonito). It’s a complex and time-consuming process. A Japanese chef will begin her or his day with shaving katsuobushi. We keep it simple and buy flakes.

What You Need

• 1 liter of Water
• 20 grams of Kombu
• 30 grams of Katsuobushi

What You Do

1. Use a wet cloth to gently clean the kombu
2. Put the kombu in the cold water and leave for 30 minutes
3. Heat slowly to 80 °C or 175 °F
4. Take you time!
5. When the temperature has reached 80 °C or 175 °F, remove the kombu (and store it for a second dashi)
6. Bring the liquid to the boil
7. Immediately reduce heat
8. Add the katsuobushi
9. Bring to a boil
10. Immediately remove from heat
11. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so until the katsuobushi has sunk to the bottom
12. Pass the liquid through a sieve
13. You can also use a clean cloth, but don’t squeeze it. You want a clear broth
14. The dashi can be used immediately, stored in your refrigerator for a few days or kept in the freezer for a few weeks (not preferred)