Japanese Dashi Stock

Clean the kombu thoroughly by gently wiping it with a paper towel, taking care not to remove the delicate white powdery deposits that are naturally present on its surface. Submerge kombu in water for 30 minutes to make it more pliable.

Transfer the softened kombu to a cutting board and cut several long, diagonal slits into its leafy surface. Then, return kombu to the water in the saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. As soon as the water reaches its boiling point, carefully lift kombu out of the pan to prevent any bitterness from seeping into the stock.

Add bonito flakes to the flavored water, and then return it to a boil. Once boiling has resumed, remove the saucepan from the heat source and let dashi cool down naturally. When the bonito flakes have settled to the bottom of the pan, carefully pour dashi through a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove any remaining solids.