04 Powdered Dashi/Dashi Packs

Surprisingly, good-quality powdered dashi is readily available, and this convenient shortcut is widely and commonly used in Japanese home cooking. Making dashi from scratch is worthwhile, but it isn’t the quickest or even the cheapest option.

The most common powdered dashi is sold in a box of small sachets. Dashi packs are like tea bags with whole ingredients, which offer very good flavour and convenience. I recommend choosing organic powdered dashi or dashi packs to avoid any additives. Always follow the packet instructions for preparing the dashi.