Basic Sea Stock

Most soups and simmered dishes in Japan are based on a sea stock. This classic version calls for only two ingredients— kombu (kelp) and katsuo bushi (fish flakes). Unlike so many stocks that take hours of slow simmering, this sea stock takes just a few minutes to make. Timing is crucial here: Just as the water comes to a boil, the kelp gives forth its delicate salty-sweet taste, and moments after the fish flakes have been added to the hot kelp broth, they release their smoky f