Serves 4 people when making clear soup or miso soup
Ichiban dashi is used for clear broth (suimono), miso soup, tempura dipping sauce, dashi-maki tamago (thick egg omelette), chawan-mushi steamed egg & dashi soup and the list goes on and on.
Ingredients
5 cups water (1-litre water), 10 g dried kelp (dashi konbu), 20g bonito flakes (hana-katsuo)
Do not wipe the white stuff off of the dried kelp as it is the natural flavour (umami). Heat up the water with 10 g dried kelp to near boiling on medium heat for 10 minutes. Do not boil the water when the dried kelp is in the water or the water will go green and lose the nice flavour of the dried kelp. Just before the boiling point remove the dried kelp and set it aside for making the second dashi stock (niban dashi). Add the bonito flakes and allow water to boil then turn off the heat.
Skim the froth if any and as you do so the bonito flakes will go down to the bottom of the pot. Strain the dashi stock through cheesecloth into a clean pot. Do not squeeze the fish flakes with a ladle or you may spoil the pure ichiban dashi for clear soup.
Strain the dashi stock through cheesecloth into a clean pot.
How to make 2nd Dashi Stock (niban dashi)
Niban dashi is used for cooking vegetables, Nikujaga, braised Wagyu with onions, carrots and potatoes.
Ingredients
500ml water, reuse the kelp and the bonito flakes just used to make the ichiban dashi.
Heat up the water, used kelp, and fish flakes on high heat. Reduce the heat to simmering and keep simmering for about 5 minutes.
Remove the kelp and strain the niban dashi through cheesecloth into a clean pot. You may squeeze the fish flakes with a ladle this time.
昆布の効能 About Kombu
According to Professor Kazunaga Yazawa of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, kombu is rich in marine minerals and dietary fibre. Recent studies show that the colouring component of Kombu enhances fat burning and prevents obesity. It also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
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