Prep Time
None
Cooking Time
30 - 60 mins
Serves
6 cups (1440ml)
Type
Cuisine
Cooking with
This stock is mostly associated with Buddhist cuisine in Japan as it doesn’t contain any fish and it can be used in vegetarian dishes. It is great for soups, stews, sauces and gravies, noodle broths, dips for tempura, fried mochi, and fried tofu. Dashi will keep for one week in the refrigerator. Ingredients
- 6-inch piece Mitoku Kombu
- 3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 7 cups (1680ml) spring water
Preparation Method
- In a pot, soak the kombu and shiitake in water for 15 mins. If you plan to use the shiitake in the dish, they will be more tender if you soak them for several hours or overnight. Add the kombu for the last 15 mins of soaking.
- Remove the shiitake, cut off and discard the stems, and thinly slice caps. Return the caps to the water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer for 5 mins, then remove the kombu and reserve it for another use. Simmer the shiitake for 10-15 mins more. If not using the shiitake in the dish, remove and reserve it for another use.
- Shiitake Soup and Noodle Broth
For soups, add your favorite vegetables or other ingredients to Shiitake Dashi, simmer until tender, and season with a little salt and soy sauce or tamari and mirin to taste (about 1 tbsp of each). If desired, add a little fresh ginger juice. - Broth for soba or udon is made the same way, except that more soy sauce or tamari is added (about 1 tbsp for every 480ml (2 cups) of broth). Increase the amount of mirin, if desired, and season with ginger or wasabi. Ladle the hot broth over bowls of cooked soba or udon and garnish with minced scallions.
Recipe by John & Jan Belleme