Quick Dashi
Greg Dunmore
Servings
1 Quart
I prefer soaking my konbu for 12 to 24 hours when making Dashi, but sometimes I forget to plan ahead and need a quicker method. This quick dashi recipe only takes about 1 to 2 hours and still produces a delicious dashi. For extra umami, I add dried shiitake mushrooms to this version (optional).
Ingredients
Directions
- In a medium-sized pot, soak the konbu and shiitake in the water at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour – the longer, the better.
- After soaking, turn the burner on low and heat gently for 30 minutes. It’s very important to keep the water hot but never let it come close to boiling.
If you’re using thin katsuobushi shavings, add them to the pot and steep for 1 to 3 minutes, but if you’re using thick katsuobushi shavings, keep the water just below a simmer and steep for 20 to 30 minutes. The longer you steep, the deeper the katsuobushi flavor will be.
Finally, strain through a chinois or sarashi (traditional cotton cloth) and your dashi is ready to use.