Japanese dashi is a liquid made by soaking or boiling ingredients in water and extracting umami ingredients.
Very many Japanese dishes use dashi, and it is an essential part of Japanese cuisine.
Why is the Japanese Dashi so Delicious?
Do you know the word “umami うまみ”?
The term “umami” was first named by Professor Ikeda of the University of Tokyo in 1908, when he discovered the umami ingredient “glutamic acid” in kelp. Umami is a combination of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes, and is said to be “an independent taste that cannot be created by mixing other tastes.
Dashi is mainly made by adding kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), shiitake mushrooms, etc. to water or boiling them, and the umami components of each are dissolved from them. Therefore, the use of dashi adds depth and richness to dishes.
Recently, the word “umami” is often heard in the United States, and even “umami” seasonings are sold there. In the world, umami has been added to the basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
In addition, the use of dashi has the advantage of replacing the water in the vegetables with dashi, reducing the bitterness of the vegetables and making them easier to eat. Furthermore, the taste of dashi makes the meal more tasty and satisfying, so even if the amount of salt is reduced from the usual level, the addition of dashi makes the meal more satisfying.
Furthermore, the aroma of dashi is also a comforting aroma for those who like Japanese food, which leads them to enjoy the aroma as a meal.
Types of Dashi だし
It is said that there are more than 100 types of dashi in Japan.
Because different regions have different types of kelp, fish, and ingredients available, the types of dashi naturally vary from region to region. Also, the flavors favored in each region differ slightly.
There are six basic types of dashi for Japanese cuisine: katsuo dashi, kombu dashi, katsuo and kombu dashi, iriko dashi, shiitake dashi, and ago-dashi.
Katsuo Dashi かつおだし
Bonito flakes are used for katsuo dashi.
Bonito flakes are dried and smoked bonito, and are very hard.
Therefore, dashi is made from flakes made with these special shavings. By changing the shaving method, such as making the shavings thinner or thicker, the dashi made from each has a different flavor and uses. In addition to bonito, fish such as tuna, mackerel, and sardines are also used to make dashi.
This katsuo dashi has a mellow aroma and delicious, elegant flavor. The umami component in dried bonito flakes is inosinic acid.
However, it is quite rare for people to actually use a shaving machine to make dried bonito flakes at home. Many people use these already shaved flakes that are available for sale.
Kombu Dashi 昆布だし
Kombu dashi uses dried kombu (kelp) taken from Hokkaido, located in the north of Japan. Rausu kelp, Rishiri kelp, Hidaka kelp, and Makon kelp are famous. (The product shown above is Hidaka kelp.) Naturally, however, kelp from other regions may also be used to make kombu dashi.
Kombu dashi is light, slightly salty, and does not interfere with the flavor of the ingredients. Kelp dashi is rich in glutamic acid, a flavor enhancer.
Katsuo and Kombu Dashi あわせだし
This dashi is made from kombu (kelp) and bonito flakes.
By combining the two ingredients, a synergistic effect produces a strong umami broth. The umami ingredients are inosinic acid and glutamic acid.
Iriko Dashi いりこだし
Dashi made from dried small fish such as katakuchi sardines and sardines is called iriko dashi.
It has a strong flavor with a slight bitterness and is suitable for dishes with a strong flavor. The umami component is inosinic acid, the same as katsuo dashi.
It is known for its suitability for miso soup stock. The characteristics of iriko (dried sardines) are not overpowered by miso, and can give a full-bodied flavor.
Shiitake Dashi しいたけだし
Dashi is also made from shiitake mushrooms, the most popular mushroom in Japan.
To extract the flavor, shiitake mushrooms are sun-dried and then soaked in water to produce a dashi with a unique shiitake mushroom flavor and taste.
There are two types of dried shiitake mushrooms: “donko,” which has thicker flesh, and “koshin,” which has thinner flesh.
The flavor component is guanylic acid.
Ago-dashi あごだし
In addition to iriko dashi, there is also a type of dashi made from fish called ago-dashi.
Ago-dashi is dashi made from flying fish and is characterized by its refinement, lightness, and richness.
Ago-dashi is considered one of the highest quality dashi, and is often used in western Japan, especially in Kyushu.
Flying fish can be dried or grilled, and the season and location of the harvest also make a difference. Many packaged products are available in combination with other ingredients such as kelp.
Substitutes for Time-saving Items
Dashi Pack
This is a convenient item in which the ingredients for making dashi are packed in a pack, and the pack is placed in hot water to make dashi. It is very popular because there is no hassle of straining, and it is very convenient and easy to prepare when you want to use it, as each portion is divided into smaller portions.
Each product has a well-balanced blend of dashi ingredients, salt, and seasonings added for flavor.
The above product is a very popular dashi pack in Japan. It is a light and easy to use dashi for all kinds of dishes.
Dashi Stock
Dashi stock is made by powdering flavor ingredients, combining them with salt, sugar, and chemical seasonings, and then drying the mixture.
Dashi stock is popular for its ease of use; just dissolve it in hot water and it is ready to use.
There are two types of dashi stock: powdered dashi stock that contains the ingredients in the dashi pack, and powdered dashi stock to which salt, sugar, and sometimes chemical seasonings have been added.
Of course, I always have powdered dashi stock at home.
However, I sometimes use it when I am busy, because it is easy, but I try not to use it as often as possible, because the aroma and other characteristics are so much better when the soup stock is made directly from katsuo or other fish.
Liquid Dashi
There is a great variety of liquid dashi, including concentrated kombu dashi and katsuo dashi, those that can be added with seasonings such as soy sauce and salt to make cooking easier, and straight types.
Liquid dashi should be used up as soon as possible after opening the package to prevent the flavor from deteriorating.
How to Make Dashi
Of the six basic types of dashi, this section will show you how to make katsuo dashi, kombu dashi, katsuo and kombu dashi, niboshi broth, and shiitake mushroom dashi, excluding ago-dashi.
Unfortunately, I have never made dashi from tobiuo (flying fish) because tobiuo is not readily available in the United States.
Katsuo Dashi
Thinly shaved bonito flakes are sold at Korean and Japanese supermarkets in the United States.
Unfortunately, unshaved dried bonito flakes are hard to find, and I have barely been able to find them on Amazon.
This time, I will use shaved bonito flakes.
Add 500 ml of water to a pot and bring the water to a boil.
Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
Then add 15 g of bonito flakes.
A handful of bonito flakes is equivalent to 15 g.
The dried bonito flakes will sink.
Let sit for 2-3 minutes.
Strain through strainer.
beautiful katsuo dashi with a very nice aroma.
Many people throw away the remaining dried bonito flakes, but I am going to make okaka.
Fry the squeezed dried bonito flakes in a hot frying pan, and lightly dry them out.
When the water has reduced a little, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sugar, and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
When the dried bonito flakes absorb the seasonings and change color, the dish is ready.
This is okaka. It is used over rice or as a garnish for onigiri (rice ball).
Kombu Dashi
Kombu has this white powder on the surface, but do not wipe it off as this is the tasty part of the kombu. Prepare 5 g of kelp for 500 ml of water.
Cut kombu into 3 cm cubes
Soak kombu in water for 1 hour.
Place pot over heat and turn off heat just before boiling.
Remove the kombu.
You can make kombu dashi like this.
Katsuo and Kombu Dashi
Combined katsuo and kombu soup stock is made by mixing the way to make katsuo dashi and kombu dashi.
First, soak 5 g of kombu cut into 3 cm cubes in 500 ml of water and leave it for 1 hour.
Put the pot on the heat, turn off the heat just before it comes to a boil, and remove the kombu.
Add 10 g of dried bonito flakes to the water, and after 2-3 minutes, strain the dried bonito flakes to complete the process.
Iriko Dashi
Iriko are sold in Japanese and Korean supermarkets in the United States.
At the store I visited, three different sizes of fish were sold.
Since they are all fish, you can make dashi by soaking them in water, etc. Generally, the left largest size iriko is used.
However, I like to eat the dried fish after making dashi, so I use the easy-to-eat medium-sized dried fish (middle one in the photo). The method for making dashi is the same as for the large size iriko.
Remove the head and guts of the fish. (Use only the part with the red circle)
Prepare 15 g of dried sardines per 500 ml of water.
By removing the head and guts of the fish, the bitterness and fishy smell is eliminated.
However, because I use smaller iriko, the fish smell is less fishy even if I add the whole fish, so I keep the fish head and guts on the fish to make dashi.
The treated dried sardines are dipped in 500 ml of water and left to sit for about half a day.
It is only faintly colored, but the aroma of fish is quite present.
Shiitake Dashi
Dried shiitake mushrooms are dried whole like this.
Dried shiitake mushrooms are finished when the underside of the umbrella is lightly washed and 4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms are dipped in 500 ml of water and left for half a day to one day.
In our family, we use dried shiitake mushrooms produced by my grandfather, which we receive in cut pieces, so we soak them in water as they are. Also, 4-5 shiitake mushrooms have too strong a taste of shiitake mushroom broth for me, so we soak about 2 shiitake mushrooms in water.
After half a day, it is ready. Shiitake mushrooms can be used in dishes such as miso soup.
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