If you are making any kind of Japanese soup or even most sauces, you will need either instant dashi granules, or to make your own dashi stock. This is a basic dashi recipe that works well.

If you decide to buy dashi powder, you can find it at most Asian grocery stores in the seasonings aisle. A popular brand is Ajinomoto Hon-dashi.

Ingredients

• 10g kombu (kelp)
• 10g katsuobushi (smoked, dried bonito tuna flakes)
• 1000ml or about 4 cups water

Instructions

1. Add the kombu and the water to a large stock pot. Heat this on medium-low until almost boiling. Skim off foam and remove the kombu. Reserve kombu for other uses such as kombu tsukudani.

2. Add katsuobuhi and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 seconds, and turn off the heat. Allow the flakes to settle to the bottom of the pot, about 10 minutes.

3. Strain the katusobushi using a strainer or cheesecloth. It will keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days, or you can freeze the broth for about 2 weeks.

Further reading

• Just One Cookbook - How to Make Dashi
• Serious Eats - How to Make Dashi