Using dashi

• Soup
• Simmered dishes
• Side dishes
• Rice dishes
• Sauces

The basic Japanese recipes in this section come from Yoshihiro Murata, the third generation owner and chef of the kaiseki restaurant, Kikunoi.

The most commonly used dashi in Japanese restaurants is ichiban or niban dashi, made from kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes). However, dashi lies at the heart of a restaurant’s quality and unique taste; so, the types used, the origin of the ingredients and the methods used in cooking the dashi all have a role in creating this taste. Therefore, it is important to understand the characteristics of each type of dashi and how they are incorporated into cooking.