Dashi stock is a type of cooking and soup stock that is utilized in a large portion of Japanese cuisine. It makes up the base for many of the most iconic Japanese soups like, mis soup, noddle broth, and ramen broths. Dashi is typically made by heating fish stock and kelp. If you are a foody, and a fan of food concepts like umami, the savory mouth feel in food, you should definitely invest in perfecting your dashi stock.
Health Benefits
The main ingredient in dashi soup stock is sea kelp, which is an ingredient with a wide range of health benefits. It has a wealth of vitamins and minerals: vitamin C, vitamin V1, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, and copper. It also has iodine, which is great for people attempting to lose weight because iodine has a direct impact on the thyroid gland. This is the gland responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism.
Ingredients
oz dashi kombu: 1
qt water: 1
cup bonito flakes : 1/2
How To Make Dashi Stock
- Wipe any dirt off the kombu with a paper towel.
- Make sure not to rub off the white powdery deposits.
- Soak the kombu in water for 30 minutes until it turns soft.
- Remove the kombu from the water.
- Slice several slits lengthwise into the leaf.
- Boil the kombu.
- Remove the kombu the moment the water starts to boil, to stop the stock from turning bitter.
- Stir the bonito flakes into the kombu-flavored water and bring the water back to a boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Let the water cool.
- Strain the dashi through a coffee filter or cheesecloth lined strainer after the bonito flakes have settled to the bottom.
Trivia
Daki's unusual flavor was identified as the fifth flavor - umami.