From Tradition to Innovation, Creating Dashi with New Ingredients

Is it possible to think up new combinations of ingredients that will trigger umami’s synergistic effect, to create a new style of dashi? Here we introduce a new dashi recipe devised by Yoshihiro Murata. Possible even in places where Japanese ingredients such as kombu and katsuobushi are unavailable, this dashi combines umami-rich foods in accordance with general umami principles for preparing Japanese dishes. Inspired by this new dashi, Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino in turn came up with his own original dashi combining dried tomatoes and onions close to native Peruvian varieties, along with charqui (dried alpaca meat, a traditional Peruvian preserved food). You don’t have to confine yourself to Chef Murata’s idea for a new style of dashi; experiment with making your own.