Pantry
Dashi
Also called kombu dashi, awase dashi
What it is
Japanese stock, usually kombu and katsuobushi. Instant granules exist; homemade is quieter and better.
Origin
Japan.
Flavour
Ocean, smoke, clean savoury.
How to use it
Base for soups and simmered dishes. Do not boil kombu aggressively.
Storage
Use fresh, or refrigerate a day.
Can you recognise Dashi?
Ingredient challengeQuestions about Dashi
From this ingredient's notes in the catalogue — not a chatbot.
What is Dashi?
Japanese stock, usually kombu and katsuobushi. Instant granules exist; homemade is quieter and better.
How do I use Dashi?
Base for soups and simmered dishes. Do not boil kombu aggressively.
How do I store Dashi?
Use fresh, or refrigerate a day.
What does it taste like?
Ocean, smoke, clean savoury.
What allergens should I watch?
Fish. Check the packet in your kitchen.
Nutrition
Per 100g · estimate · USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables. Values are typical, not lab tests of your shopping bag.
Allergens: Fish
Recipes using it
Shoyu ramen
醤油ラーメン
A soy-sauce ramen you can make at home without pretending you run a 20-year tonkotsu shop.
2 hrA bit of workNo chilli
Miso soup
味噌汁
The everyday bowl: dashi, dissolved miso, tofu and spring onion — breakfast, not a starter you ignore.
15 minVery easyNo chilli
Tamagoyaki
卵焼き
A rolled omelette, a little sweet, cooked in thin sheets — bento gold, not a French fold.
20 minMediumNo chilli
Oyakodon
親子丼
Chicken and egg on rice — the parent-and-child bowl, simmered in one pan until the egg is just set.
25 minEasyNo chilli
Okonomiyaki
お好み焼き
Osaka's cabbage pancake — flour, dashi, a pile of cabbage, and whatever you like, finished with sauce and mayo.
35 minMediumNo chilli
Ochazuke
お茶漬け
Tea poured over leftover rice — a late bowl with pickles, nori and whatever is in the fridge.
7 minVery easyNo chilli
Gyudon
牛丼
Thin beef and onion simmered in a sweet-soy broth, slid over rice — the chain-restaurant bowl you can make better at home.
22 minEasyNo chilli
Nikujaga
肉じゃが
Meat and potatoes simmered in soy and dashi until the house smells like someone is home.
45 minEasyNo chilli
Zaru soba
ざるそば
Cold buckwheat noodles on a bamboo tray, dipped in a smoky-soy tsuyu — summer lunch that should taste of the grain.
18 minEasyNo chilli
Ebi tempura
海老天ぷら
Prawns in a cold, thin batter, fried so the shell is lace — tempura as a technique, not a thick breadcrumb.
35 minMediumNo chilli
Agedashi tofu
揚げ出し豆腐
Lightly fried tofu in a hot dashi-soy broth — crisp for a minute, then silky, which is the point.
25 minEasyNo chilli
Kitsune udon
きつねうどん
Fat wheat noodles in a hot dashi broth with a sweet fried-tofu pillow — the fox's favourite bowl.
25 minEasyNo chilli