How to Make Dashi Broth

Therapeutic recipe for dashi, a traditional Japanese broth enjoyed alone or as a base for many dishes, including soups and sauces.

During my travels in Japan many years ago, I enjoyed several types of broth that are rarely seen in Western countries.

One of these is dashi, a traditional broth that serves as a base for many Japanese soups and sauces.

It is also highly flavorful and satisfying to sip on its own!

All you need is filtered water, dried kombu, and bonito flakes (which make their own unique dish called bonito broth aka “quick fish stock”).

Dashi is an excellent food-based remedy that is rich in iodine.

It is a delicious as well as therapeutic dish to enjoy as an aid from exposure to radiation from international air travel, CT scans, mammograms, or dental x-rays.

Kombu (Saccharina japonica) is a brown seaweed that is extremely rich in a chemical called fucoidan.

Studies have shown that fucoidan holds great promise in combating exposure to ionizing radiation.

Each cup of my dashi recipe below contains roughly 750-1300 1,000 mcg of iodine and 50 mg of fucoidan.

Serving Suggestions

I recommend sourcing your kombu from Maine due to continuing concerns with contaminated water discharges into the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

If you don’t have access to bonito flakes or are otherwise allergic to fish, I suggest substituting dried shiitake mushrooms.

Simply soak the mushrooms in water and add to the broth per the instructions below.

If you are going to enjoy dashi for therapeutic purposes, include the kombu pieces which are added back in at the end. Each serving is one cup so include roughly 1/4 of the total amount of seaweed in the recipe.

I hope you enjoy this simple, delicious, and therapeutic broth!

Homemade Dashi Broth

Therapeutic recipe for dashi, a traditional Japanese broth that serves as a base for many dishes, including soups and sauces.

Instructions

1. Place the kombu in a pot with the filtered water and let it soak for about 30 minutes. This helps to extract the umami flavor.

2. After soaking, slowly heat the water with the kombu over medium heat. Just before the water starts to boil (when small bubbles begin to form), remove the kombu. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

3. Remove the kombu pieces from the water and cut into bite sized pieces (kitchen shears work best). Set aside on a small plate.

4. Bring the kombu water to a boil. Add the bonito flakes (or optional dried shiitake mushrooms) to the pot and let it boil for 2 minutes.

5. Remove the pot from the heat and let the bonito flakes settle to the bottom for a minute. Then, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into another pot or bowl. Do not strain if using mushrooms. Discard the bonito flakes. Hint: cats LOVE them.

6. Let the broth cool for 5 minutes and then add the kombu pieces back to the broth if you will enjoy it on its own. Leave the kombu out if you will use the broth as a base for soups or sauces.

7. Enjoy your dashi immediately on its own or as a base for soups, sauces, or other dishes.

8. If you have leftovers, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for longer term storage.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Dashi Broth

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 5

% Daily Value*

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Protein 0.5g1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.