Dashi
The mother stock of Japan, this delicate but smoky, sea-inspired stock is great for use for any recipe that calls for one. Use it to cook veggies or fish, any grain, or to supplement a sauce. Easy to make but reliant on the quality of your ingredients, this is a stock to become very familiar and comfortable with.
A few after the fire critiques: The quality of the kombu and bonito plays a HUGE role, source accordingly. You can use the kombu twice, the second batch is called nibandashi. Obviously, it is less potent, but that can be used to your advantage with the right recipe. You can also cut up the leftover kombu and saute it in soy sauce and a bit of sugar and add it to any dish (many thanks to Niki Nakayam for the suggestion). Have fun
Fuel
Kombu (30g)
Bonito Flakes (50g0
Water (1.8 L, cold and filtered)
Tools
Medium Saucepan
Fine Mesh Sieve
Cheesecloth
Medium Bowl
Tactics
Place the kombu in the medium pot and cover with the water. Let it simmer at 140 degrees F for an hour. Note that it is very important not to let the water boil, boiling makes the dashi cloudy. After the hour, remove the kombu (see the note above). Bring the broth up to a light simmer and add the bonito flakes. Let it simmer for 15-20 seconds and then remove from the heat.
Place the cheesecloth in the sieve over the medium bowl and strain the stock. Grab all the corners of the cheesecloth and squeeze the excess liquid. Use the dashi immediately or store in a closed container for up to a week in a refrigerator, indulge!