Ming says: As many cooks know, dashi is the fundamental Japanese stock. Made easily from a few simple ingredients, it's the basis of miso soup and an integral part of dishes including
sukiyaki and
shabu-shabu. The addition of ginger besides the usual kombu seaweed and bonito flakes makes a dashi that is marvelously smoky without being overpowering. Dashi's a versatile ingredient, and one that more Western cooks ought to learn to use.
Makes about 5 cups
- 1 large piece of kombu (about 5 by 6 inches or 12 by 2 inches, depending on the shape purchased)
- Two 1/4-inch-thick slices of fresh peeled ginger cut lengthwise from a 2- to 3-inch long piece
- 2 cups dried bonito flakes
- Clean the kombu by wiping it with a damp cloth. Place the kombu and ginger in a stockpot with 5 cups of cold water and heat over medium heat. Just before the water boils, remove the pot from the heat. Watch carefully; you don't want the water to boil or the dashi will become too strongly flavored.
- Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes, remove the kombu, and return the pot to medium heat. When the broth once again nears the boiling point, remove the pot from the heat and add the bonito flakes. When the flakes sink to the bottom of the pot, strain the dashi through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer. Use or cool and store. Lasts 2 weeks refrigerated or 1 month frozen.
TRY IT
You can use dashi almost anywhere you'd use chicken stock: in soups, or as a poaching liquid, for example. This is particularly good news for non-meat-eaters (although strict vegetarians will note it contains dried fish flakes).
Cook vegetables or rice in dashi for extra flavor.
If you're feeling under the weather or need a pick-me-up, try sipping a cup of hot dashi. It's a great restorative.
MING'S TIP
Bonito flakes are pinkish flakes used primarily in the preparation of dashi, the Japanese cooking stock. Buy them in bags or boxes in Asian markets that have a rapid turnover, as the flakes deteriorate rapidly.
>>This recipe appears in
Episode #216.
>> For additional recipes and more, visit
www.ming.com
