← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 1 l Water
• 10 g Kombu
• 20 g Bonito flakes
• 2 tsp light (usukuchi) soy sauce
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sake
• 2 Shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 150 g silken tofu, cut into small cubes
• 8 slices Kamaboko (Japanese fish cake)
• 4 sprigs mitsuba sprigs or thin spring onion
• 4 slices thin strips of yuzu or lemon zest (optional)

Method

1. Soak the kombu in the water in a saucepan for 30 min.
2. Heat slowly over medium-low heat. Just before it boils, when small bubbles appear, lift out the kombu.
3. Bring to the boil, add the bonito flakes, then turn off the heat and let them steep for 2 min until they sink. Strain through a sieve lined with kitchen paper without pressing, so the dashi stays clear.
4. Return the dashi to the pan and season with the salt, light soy sauce and sake. It should taste delicate and gently salty.
5. Add the shiitake and simmer for 2 min, then add the tofu and kamaboko for 1 minute to warm through.
6. Divide the tofu, kamaboko and mushrooms between bowls with a knotted mitsuba sprig, ladle over the hot soup and float a curl of citrus zest on top.

Tips

• Light soy sauce keeps the soup pale; dark soy works but colours it.
• Swap the fillings for clams, prawns, egg drop or wheat gluten (fu) to suit the season.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Japanese Cooking 101 RecipeTin Japan