00:00Ever thought about what creates the depth in Japanese food?
00:03The answer is dashi stock.
00:05And in this video, I'm going to show you how to make a basic awasedashi
00:09made with two key ingredients, dried beneath flakes and konbu kelp.
00:14Watch until the end for extra tips on how to make the most of your ingredients
00:19and time-saving budget-friendly alternatives to homemade dashi.
00:23You can also find this recipe on my website along with 400 Japanese recipes.
00:27Just google awasedashi's space sedachi to find the written recipe.
00:32I'm going to start by placing 5-10g of konbu in a pot.
00:36There are all kinds of kelp out there, from the cheap kind to the premium kind.
00:41But when it comes to everyday home cooking, hidaka konbu is the best choice.
00:46Here's a tip too, don't wash your konbu.
00:49You might know it's a white powdery coating on the surface,
00:52but it's actually a natural flavour enhancer made of glutamic acid and mannitol.
00:58If you spot any sand or dust, just gently wipe off with a damp cloth instead of washing.
01:05Pour one litre of cold water into the pot.
01:08For the best results, use soft water.
01:10Soft water effectively extracts umami from konbu and dried beneath flakes.
01:15Soak the konbu in the water to rehydrate it.
01:19This will take at least 30 minutes, but you can soak it for up to 24 hours if you got
01:25the time.
01:25I use 10g but you can use less.
01:29Just keep in mind that with less konbu, you won't soak it longer.
01:33If you're soaking it for more than a few hours, just cover it and put it in the fridge.
01:39After the extraction, put your pot on medium low heat and let the konbu and water warm up gradually.
01:45This gentle heating process takes about 10 minutes, but trust me,
01:50it's worth the patience to extract those rich flavours.
01:54Watch the edges of your pot for tiny bubbles starting to form.
01:58Also, don't let it boil.
01:59Boiling konbu will release bitter compounds and we definitely don't want that.
02:04Once you spot those tiny bubbles around the edges of your pot, it's time to take out the konbu.
02:15Remove the konbu when the water reaches between 60 and 64 degrees Celsius, which is 140 to 150
02:24Fahrenheit, which is basically when small bubbles start to appear.
02:30Then turn up the heat medium and let the liquid come to a boil.
02:35This quick boiling step helps get rid of any strong kelp smell.
02:39Just keep an eye out for any form of scum on the surface and if you see any,
02:44simply skim it off with a fine mesh strainer or spoon.
02:48This will ensure your dash is nice and clear, not cloudy.
02:52Now, pour in 100 milliliters of cold water.
02:55This replaces the water the konbu absorbed and helps lower the temperature a bit.
03:01Turn the heat down to its lowest setting and gently add two handfuls of your bonito flakes.
03:06Make sure to let those flakes sink naturally.
03:09Resist the urge to stir or poke them.
03:12Give them 3 minutes to steep.
03:14If your stove is a bit temperamental with the low heat, no worries.
03:18You can just turn it off completely and let the bonito flakes steep for 5 minutes instead.
03:23Awasedashi is special because it's like a perfect band where every instrument plays its part just right.
03:30It doesn't overpower your dish.
03:31Instead, it creates this amazing umami foundation that makes every other ingredient shine.
03:37To be more specific, the rich umami comes from glutamic acid from konbu and inosinic acid from katsuobushi.
03:45Finally, let's strain the dashi.
03:47Grab a fine mesh sieve and line it with either a piece of cheesecloth or paper towels.
03:53Set it over a heatproof bowl.
03:55Pour your dashi through this setup which is important for getting that beautiful clear broth since those
04:02bonito flakes are really fine.
04:10Resist the urge to squeeze or press those strained bonito flakes.
04:13I know it's tempting but this will only release bitter compounds and mess with the delicate flavours
04:19we've worked so hard to create.
04:22Did you know you can actually make dashi twice from the same ingredients?
04:26Just like squeezing a second cup from a single tea bag.
04:30This first extraction is called Ichibandashi and Nibandashi for the second.
04:36By the way, if you want to make the most of your fresh Ichibandashi and make a clear soup,
04:41take 300ml of your strained dashi and combine it with 1.4 tsp of sea salt, 1.5 tbsp of
04:48sake,
04:49and 1.5 tsp of usukushu shoyu. That's Japanese-like soy sauce.
04:54Just warm this mixture over low heat for about 2 minutes. This quick step helps all those flavours
05:00come together beautifully.
05:01Now let's make sure we get our money's worth with our second extraction.
05:06Use the kombu and bonito flakes from your first dashi and put them back in the pot.
05:13Add 1 litre of fresh water and toss in another handful of fresh bonito flakes.
05:20Put it over medium heat and let it come to a boil.
05:25Once it's boiling, turn the heat down to medium low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
05:30If you see any foam or scum floating up, just skim it off.
05:34Unlike our first dashi where we have to be very careful,
05:38this second extraction actually gets better with a longer simmer to extract all those remaining flavours.
05:45Finally, strain everything again, just like before.
05:48Unlike our first dashi where we have to be gentle,
05:51you can actually press and squeeze these solids to get every last bit of flavour out.
05:56So go ahead, no need to be shy about it this time.
06:00We want to extract all those remaining flavours.
06:03I recommend letting it cool first though.
06:06I lived in England for several years so I totally get how expensive
06:10bonito flakes and kombu can be outside of Japan.
06:13In restaurants in Japan, these ingredients are used generously because dashi is their lifeline.
06:19But here's the thing, you don't need restaurant quantities at home.
06:23Like even now that I'm back in Japan,
06:25I'll still catch myself wincing when measuring out lots of katsubushi.
06:29You can still make grey dashi with more modest amounts.
06:33This recipe is optimised for home use and remember,
06:36it's all about finding a balance that works for your budget and cooking style.
06:41There's no point if it's not sustainable.
06:44If you're planning to store dashi and use it within a week, the fridge is your best bet.
06:49Just remember to let your hot dashi cool to room temperature first,
06:53then pour it into an airtight container or jar.
06:57If you're planning on storing it for a while, let it cool completely,
07:02seal it up in an airtight container and it'll keep in the freezer for up to a month.
07:08In fancy Japanese restaurants, Ichiban dashi and Niban dashi have very different roles.
07:13Ichiban dashi is the premium ingredient.
07:16It's delicate and perfect for clear soups where every subtle flavour counts.
07:21It's a huge deal.
07:22In fact, a head chef with over 30 years of experience told me
07:27that first extraction is the most nerve-wracking part of his workday.
07:32Then we've got this Niban dashi.
07:34It might not be as fancy as Ichiban dashi,
07:37but it's perfect for heartier dishes like meat soup and simmered foods.
07:41But you don't need to think too much about it for home cooking.
07:45One more tip before I go.
07:47You don't always have to make dashi from scratch.
07:50There are some easy alternatives like granulated dashi and dashi packets which look like teabags.
07:57In my opinion, when I need dashi as a base flavour for soup, noodles or hot pot dishes,
08:03I much prefer teabag style dashi packets over granules.
08:07Why?
08:08Granules can often make the flavour a bit blurred when you use a lot of them
08:13since they contain various ingredients and additives.
08:16But teabag dashi packets have a cleaner taste at least.
08:20That said, I do reach for the granules when I just want to add a quick touch of Japanese flavour
08:26to stir-fries or other non-soupy dishes.
08:30Of course, your options might be limited depending on where you live.
08:34Sometimes granules are all you can find.
08:36That's totally fine.
08:37The best method is the one that works for you and your kitchen.
08:42Want even more delicious recipes?
08:44Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
08:48Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time.
08:51And if you're ready to cook,
08:52grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up
08:57on your screen.
08:58Here we go!
08:59The link to the full recipe is on the screen now.
09:01And if you want to watch more,
09:03don't miss my classic recipe playlist popping up on your screen as well.
09:07Thank you so much for watching and I hope to see you in the next one.
09:10Bye!
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