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Dashi (Japanese stock)

出汁 dashi

Flavor and role: The basic Japanese stock made from kombu and bonito flakes. Its clear, subtle savouriness underpins all of Japanese cooking.
Typical dishes and uses: Miso soup, oyakodon, udon broth, chawanmushi, nimono
Substitutes: 1L dashi = 1L water + 10g kombu (30 minutes at 60°C) + 20g bonito flakes (add just before boiling, strain after 2 minutes), or 1L water + 2 tsp instant dashi powder.
Storage: Homemade dashi: 2-3 days in the fridge, or 1 month frozen in an ice cube tray.
Main countries: Japan
Used in this book: Chawanmushi (Japanese Savoury Egg Custard)Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl)Katsudon (Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl)Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Potato Stew)Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake)Takoyaki (Osaka Octopus Balls)Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette)Tempura (Shrimp and Vegetable)Amatriciana Udon (Italian × Japanese)Bacalhau Brás Tamagotoji Don (Japanese Egg-Drop Rice Bowl)Miso Bolognese Udon Boxty Okonomiyaki (Irish × Japanese)Yapp Gyudon (Senegalese × Japanese)Vongole Chawanmushi with Garlic-Butter Clams (Japanese × Italian)Chawanmushi Rice Bowl with Ginger Crab Glaze Miyazaki-Style Fluffy Chicken Nanban with Mustard Tartare Miso French Onion Udon Kimchi Cheese Gyudon Seafood Pajeon Okonomiyaki Japanese Dashi-Braised Holubtsi Katsudon Sando Miso Kabocha Locro (Argentine × Japanese)Miso Tomato Minestrone Seafood Mix Okonomiyaki with Homemade Sauce Okonomiyaki-Style Oyster Omelette Kroeung Miso Pork Hot Pot (Cambodian × Japanese)Miso Shchi with Pork Belly and Tofu Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry Udon Baked Takoyaki Cheese Muffins Kyoto-Style Dashimaki Tamago Thick Tamago Sando Rof Salmon Tomato Takikomi Gohan (Senegalese x Japanese)Whitebait Kakiage Tempura with Tentsuyu (New Zealand × Japanese)

Updated 2026-10-10