Dashi: The Super-Fast Japanese Stock! (And a Quick, Nutritious Soup to Make with It)

(Dashi recipes adapted from Shizuo Tsuji's Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art (Kodansha International, 1980)

Primary Dashi
1 quart cold water
1 ounce konbu
1 ounce dried bonito

Place the water and konbu in a pot and bring to a boil (slowly) over medium to medium-high heat. Once the water boils, remove the konbu. Add 1/4 cup of cold water and then add the bonito. Bring it back to a simmer, then turn off the pot and let the bonito settle for 1 minute. Strain the stock. You now have Primary Dashi!

Secondary Dashi
Bonito flakes and konbu leftovers from the previous recipe
1 1/2 quarts cold water
1/2 ounce of additional bonito flakes

Place the leftover konbu and bonito in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the hat and add the additional bonito and let it sit for 1 minute. Strain it and now you have secondary dashi!

Zosui
Dashi or secondary dashi
leftover rice, rinsed and drained
vegetables: like carrots, daikon, spinach, mushrooms and scallions, cut for soup eating
a couple of beaten eggs
soy sauce and salt to taste

Simply bring the dashi to a simmer and add some soy sauce and salt. Add any slower cooking ingredients like potatoes, carrots, daikon and the like and simmer them until just tender. Add the rice, and quicker cooking vegetables like mushrooms and greens. Simmer until cooked to your liking. Pour the eggs over the top and cover the pot. Cook until cooked -- about 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

[Klisstoriss]

Came over here after seeing you on Mythical Kitchen, did not know what to expect, but I liked your cameo on their goofy show. And I just love your show as well, glad I gave it a try. You and your wife have great energy, Ben can be sensed in the background and the edits and is a nice addition to what I consider a highly entertaining, educational and cosy channel. Seriously, I've been binge-watching your content from the start, all in afternoon's work, and it's great. Like a food sitcom for your soul, but maybe that's the adorable jingle :D

[ylizandrotoxenes]

I used to love your videos on the Tasted channel, and your drunk movie reviews!

[gregharrison]

One of the easiest soup bases to make. A staple in my kitchen, for about the five minutes it takes for my family to eat it all.

[johnathonbingham]

And next, furikake from the dashi leftovers!

[rsmorex]

"you think an American can't cook Japanese food? well I'll Shoyu!"

[nickcutler]

What do you guys think? Uncle Noah anyone?

[Hannah_The_Heretic]

Oh my gosh for a second there at the start... I thought she had aged 50 years!
Quite ironic considering the masks purpose eh? 😂