Niki Nakayama’s Ichiban Dashi Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 27, 2022 • 2 min read
Dashi is a broth or stock made with three ingredients—kelp, bonito, and water—and is an important component of Japanese dishes, according to Chef Niki Nakayama. Discover her flavorful ichiban dashi recipe.
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What Is Dashi?
Dashi refers to a group of Japanese cooking stocks that flavor everything from dressings and marinades to eggs, soups, and vegetables. You can make dashi with kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (shavings of smoked bonito), and water.
As Japanese American Chef Niki Nakayama explains, “Dashi is an important foundation. It is what Japanese cooking and what Japanese [flavor] is all about.”
For her dashi, Niki uses rishiri kombu, which has a ruffled edge and is dark brown and narrow. It’s known for its flavor and ability to produce clear broth. Other types of kombu are good for dashi, too—look for the largest flakes (hanakatsuo) of shaved bonito you can find.
Niki Nakayama’s Ichiban Dashi Recipe
makes
60 ouncesprep time
5 mintotal time
1 hr 10 mincook time
1 hr 5 minIngredients
- 1
Cut the kombu so that you have 30 grams that fit in your pot. Don’t tear it or use your hands to break it apart—tearing can create rough edges, which can cloud the dashi and increase the unpleasant tastes of the sea. The goal is to make as clear a stock as possible, and cutting helps prevent the powder from dispersing.
- 2
Put the kombu in a heavy-bottom pot and pour in the cold water. The cleaner the water, the better your dashi. Let it simmer at a low temperature (140 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 1 hour. Don’t let it boil, which will cloud the stock.
- 3
Using tongs, remove the kombu from the pot. (Leftover kombu can be used for a second batch of dashi, called nibandashi, which is lighter. It can also be sliced and pickled, sautéed with soy sauce and ponzu, or braised with soy sauce and sugar.)
- 4
Bring the kombu broth to a light simmer. Add the katsuobushi to the pot and let it simmer for 15–20 seconds. (For the best flavor, don’t oversteep. “You want as much of that fresh bonito flavor as possible,” Niki says.) Lightly skim the stock with a spoon or ladle. Remove the stock from the heat.
- 5
Line a strainer with fine cheesecloth and set it over a bowl, then gently pour in the dashi. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth and lift it out of the strainer. Carefully squeeze any excess liquid over the bowl. Discard the katsuobushi. Use the dashi immediately or store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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