Basic Soup Stock

Good stock is crystal clear, without a trace of oil or fat. It is a subtle blend of flavor, smoky yet sweet, with a hint of the salty sea. It is made from konbu (dried cultivated kelp) and katsuo bushi (dried bonito), both of which may appear unappealing to the uninitiated. Konbu is a sturdy sea plant which, when dried, resembles strips of dark, dusty leather. It imparts a mellow sweetness to the stock that no other ingredient could. Katsuo bushi looks like sawdu