Dashi Stock
hwoo.lee•
December 23, 2025
Ingredients (3)
Ingredients (3)
Instructions
Soak the kombu: Place the kombu (2 ½ cups) in the filtered water (12 ¾ cups) and let it soak in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Gentle heating: Heat the kombu and soaking water to 140 °F (use a thermometer to check).
Maintain this temperature for 1 hour - the water should be steaming but not simmering.
Remove the kombu: Take out the kombu and set it aside or discard.
Second heating: Raise the temperature to 176 °F and hold it there for 1 hour - again, it should be hot but not boiling.
Add the bonito flakes: Turn off the heat completely, then add the katsuobushi (20 cups). Let it steep undisturbed until the flakes mostly sink to the bottom (this usually takes about 10 minutes).
Strain: Pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove all the solids.
Notes
Notes
The low temperatures are important - boiling can make dashi taste bitter. If you don't have a thermometer, keep the heat low and watch for small bubbles forming but not breaking the surface.