Homemade awase dashi is a Japanese stock made of bonito flakes and kombu kelp.
Together with Momoko, our resident Japanese food expert, we prepared awase dashi so that you can use it to make your favorite Japanese soups.
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TL;DR
Awase Dashi is one of the most common combinations of Japanese dashi preparations, and in Japanese, Awase, means to combine or to match.
Kombu kelp and dried Bonito flakes, which are known as Katsuobushi in Japanese, make the base of this flavored dashi combo.
Both ingredients are flavor-rich as they infuse the dashi with umami, salty savory notes.
Additionally, kombu lends the dashi stock a refreshing mineral-like taste and bonito flakes are dried fish shavings that add delicate fish aromas to your dashi and soup.
The process to making this homemade awase dashi is simple enough and can be prepared in ease within a reasonable time-frame.
Ingredient Notes
- Katsuobushi — aka dried Bonito flakes.
- Kombu Kelp — also spelled Konbu, dried sheets.
- Water
The types of Katsuobushi flakes that you use will determine the intensity of your awase dashi.
Coarse (Arabushi) and thick bonito flakes (Atsukezuri) are more intense in flavor and are more suitable for soups that require long simmering or when you want to add bold, rich flavors.
On the other hand, thin flakes (Usukezuri) are better suited for quick dashi preparations. The choice is all yours, but in the end it also depends on the availability of Katsuobushi in your country.
The same holds true for the kombu. In Japan, you can purchase many varieties of kombu, but these are not always available abroad, and you will mostly come across kombu packs without the type mentioned on it. Look for whole leaf kombu.
How to make Awase Dashi?
Step 1
Wipe the kombu first clean with a damp folded kitchen paper towel.
Place the kombu into a small pan and top with the water. Keep soaking for at least 30 minutes minimum. The longer you keep it to soak (overnight is best), the better the flavor.
Step 2
Place the pan on a medium heat setting, cover, and bring the water to simmer.
Just before the boiling point, take out the kombu and keep aside.
Step 3
Take the pan from the heat and stir in katsuobushi (bonito flakes).
Cover the pan and leave to soak and infuse until you can see all the katsuobushi falling to the bottom of the pan.
Step 4
Place a large mesh strainer over a bowl, to strain your dashi.
Use your dashi to make a soup.
📖 Recipe
Awase Dashi Recipe
Instructions
- Cut the kombu sheet into the required size with a kitchen scissor. Wipe the kelp piece clean with a damp folded kitchen paper towel.2x2 inches Kombu Sheet
- Place the kombu square into your pan and top with the water.2x2 inches Kombu Sheet, 2 Cups Water
- Allow the kombu to soak for at least 30 minutes. The longer you keep it to soak, the better, e.g., overnight.
- Take the pan to the heat and keep over a medium heat setting, cover. Bring it to a boiling point and take out the kelp sheet. Keep the kombu kelp aside (it can be cut into strips and eaten in a salad or use it as a ramen topping).
- Turn off the heat and stir in all the katsuobushi (bonito flakes).1 Cup Katsuobushi
- Cover the pan and wait for the katsuobushi to fall to the bottom of the pan.
- Place a large fine mash strainer over a bowl and strain your awase dashi. Discard the bonito flakes.
- Use your freshly prepared awase dashi to prepare a Japanese miso, noddle soup or a modern Asian-inspired clear soup. The dashi can be frozen or left in the fridge, too, to use at a later time.
Notes
Equipment
- Sauce Pan or any other small pan with a cover
- Bowl
Nutrition
Tips
- The white powdery layer on your kombu is not mold, it's called mannitol, a natural sugar-alcohol compound. It's safe to eat and in fact adds umami to your kombu, so don't wash it off. Only lightly wipe it.
- For the best result, keep the kombu to soak for a longer period of time, such as overnight. If you are in a hurry, soak it for 30–60 minutes.
- Once you see the water is bubbling up, take the kombu water from the heat.
- Don't boil the kombu in the water, or else your awase dashi will turn out bitter, cloudy and slimy.
- If you have time on hand, you can choose to leave the kombu sitting in the water a little longer to extract further umami flavors.
- You can leave the bonito flakes a little longer in your water to infuse. It all depends on the type of Katsuobushi that you use.
- Don't throw away your soaked kombu! You can use it in a salad or to cut in strips and serve as a topping with your soup.
Serving & Storing
Use your dashi further as a base to make a miso soup or any other Japanese clear soup or noodle soup that calls for a dashi stock as a base.
You can experiment around with flavors and try using this dashi to prepare modern Asian-inspired soup.
I love the kombu and bonito flavors, and I mix and match as needed with what I have at home when I'm short on time.
This is great when you crave simple Asian flavors after a long day at work, just heat this dashi with some noodles, add a few toppings, such as Japanese shredded chicken and some rayu, and you have a meal!
You can prepare a larger quantity to batch the dashi and freeze for a later time. The dashi can be left overnight in your fridge to thaw slowly or heat it on a lower temperature in the oven, in the microwave or in a pan over the stove top.
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