All Easy Recipes. Cook all that you can cook. Basic Soup Stock
(Ichiban Dashi)
 
What You Need:            (To Make: 2½ quarts)
Print this recipe  AD Banners
  • 2½ quarts cold water
  • A 3-inch square kombu (dried kelp), cut with a heavy knife from a sheet of packaged kombu and washed under cold running water
  • 1 cup preflaked katsuobushi (dried bonito)

  • How To Cook:
    1. Pour 2½ quarts of cold water into a 4-to 6-quart pan and, over high heat, bring it to the boil. Drop in the kombu, let the water come just to the boil again, then immediately remove the kombu from the pan with tongs or a slotted spoon and set it aside.

    2. Stir the katsuobushi into the boiling water and turn off the heat. Let the stock rest undisturbed for about 2 minutes, or until the katsuobushi sinks to the bottom of the pan, then skim any surface scum with a large spoon.

    3. Place a double thickness of cheesecloth or a clean cloth napkin in a sieve set over a large bowl, pour in the stock and let it drain through undisturbed. Remove the katsuobushi and set it aside.

    4. The stock may now be used as the base for a soup or stew, or as a cooking base. Although best if freshly prepared for each occasion, ichiban dashi can remain at room temperature up to 8 hours without appreciable loss of flavor. Or it can be cooled to room temperature, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for as long as 2 days.

    NOTE:
        The cooked kombu and katsuobushi may be discarded, or they can be used in the preparation of niban dashi.
     

     
     
    Launch All Easy Recipes