Sauces · From Adam's kitchen
Homemade Awase Dashi
Dashi is the savory Japanese stock behind miso soup and so much more. It is made by gently steeping seaweed and bonito flakes, and it is far easier than it sounds.
- Makes
- About 16 cups
- Skill
- Easy
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 30 min
Method
Heads up
Dashi should never boil hard. A rolling boil makes it bitter and cloudy.
Heat the water (5-10 min)
Bring the water to a simmer in a large pot. Add the ginger, if using.
Ready whenSmall, gentle bubbles rise steadily. Not a rolling boil.
Steep the seaweed (10 min)
Add the seaweed and keep it at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
Steep the bonito (5 min)
Add the bonito flakes and let them steep for 5 minutes.
Rest (10 min)
Take the pot off the heat, cover, and let it sit 10 minutes.
Ready whenThe bonito flakes have sunk to the bottom.
Strain and season (5 min)
Pour through a fine strainer or cheesecloth into a clean pot or bowl. Stir in the tamari, coconut sugar, and salt, then taste and adjust.
WhyDo not squeeze the bonito while straining. Squeezing it makes the stock cloudy and fishy.
Make it cheffy
Add kombu for deeper flavor
How
Soak a 4-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp) in the cold water for 30 minutes before heating. Remove it just before the water simmers.
Why
Kombu is packed with natural glutamates, which give that deep, savory “umami” flavor.
Swaps
- Use it for miso soup, noodle soups, or cooking rice for extra flavor.
Make ahead & storage
Make ahead
Make a big batch and freeze in 2-cup containers or ice cube trays for easy portions.
Storage
Keep in the fridge or freezer.
Macros per serving
Estimate- Calories
- about 10
- Protein
- about 0 g
- Carbs
- about 2 g
- Fat
- about 0 g
Per cup, based on 16 cups. Most of the calories come from the sugar and tamari. The seaweed and bonito are strained out.