Basic Japanese Dashi Broth
There are many dishes that use dashi in anime!
As we continue with our anime-inspired recipes, there are a few essential "basics of Japanese cuisine" that you just can't miss. One of them is dashi.
Dashi appears not only in today’s My Hero Academia katsudon, but also in various other recipes like Demon Slayer's "Oroshi Soba," One Piece's "Sanji's Soba," Dragon Ball’s "Takoyaki,” and Psycho-Pass's "Curry Udon." Because dashi is such an essential ingredient in many dishes, we’ve dedicated an entire article just to dashi recipes.
How to make awase dashi (kombu and bonito dashi)
1 liter (4 cups) water *If you use hard water, it may not extract the flavor of the kombu properly. Using soft water, like Volvic, will help bring out a richer umami flavor.
10 g kelp – kombu
10 g dried bonito flakes – katsuobushi
Soak the kelp in water for more than 30 minutes to extract its umami before heating.
Heat slowly at a slightly higher than low temperature for about 10 minutes, just before boiling.
Remove the kelp, bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat.
Add the bonito flakes and bring the pot to a boil again over medium to high heat.
Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes to extract the flavor.
Turn off the heat and strain through a tea strainer or fine colander lined with kitchen paper. Let it filter naturally without squeezing if you prefer a clear and translucent dashi.
Once cooled, store in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 days.
These days, it's much easier to make dashi with granulated dashi. You can find it at Asian supermarkets even overseas. Honestly, many Japanese people use the convenient method in their daily cooking. If you want to enjoy dashi flavor quickly and easily, feel free to use granulated dashi.
Recommended Items
Dashi Kombu from Hokkaido Japan
Dried bonito flakes