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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

MAKING DASHI FOR SOUPS Maui

Here is a simple way to make dashi for soups such as miso soup, it is very easy to do. Dashi calls for bonito flakes, or dried tuna flakes, and it can be purchased in the Asian aisles in your supermarket or purchased online like at amazon. com.

The brand here is from NISHIMOTO and comes in 1.56 oz. packages for $12.15 at amazon.com. Bonito flakes have a fish flavor because it is from fish, from tuna, it is the root to a lot of soups and sauces in Japanese cooking, and now it is used in a generous way by a lot of foodies trying to replicate soups such as miso soup that they get in most Japanese restaurants and sushi bars.

To make good dashi, the flavors need to be somewhat intense, I like my broths to have a very pronounced flavor not weak by any stretch of the imagination. I also add dried ebi or shrimp too if available. However to me a very very excellent dashi is made with simmering fresh fish bones from tuna or snapper, and lots of shrimp shells, but in this modern hectic world bonito flakes will do just fine.

You'll need some dried seaweed or wakame (wah- kah-may).

In the picture is wakame from Eden brand, and sells for about $12.44 on amazon.com

Directions: (my style)

In a stock pot about 2 quarts

1. add about 4 cups of filtered water, and a strand of wakame, as well as about 1/2 cup of bonito flakes.

2. bring water to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or so. Off heat, let it sit for a few minutes so the flavors still harmonize.

3. Strain into a bowl and cool, and refrigerate.

When you are ready to make miso soup, just heat up a pot of water that you'll need for each bowl, add in a tablespoon or so of miso paste and the dashi and bring to a boil, garnish with minced green onions and you're all set.

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