Dashi,meaning soup stock,is the basis of Japanese food.Dashi contain lots of Japanese-specific “umami” components. With no Dashi,cuisine would be unsatisfying. In other words,Dashi let cuisine satisfying enough even if you season weaker than that much,so Japanese cuisine tend to be seasoned weaker than foreign ones. And that may become why Japanese food is said to be healthy. Dashi is one of the most important things in Japanese food.

In foreign countries,people take soup stock by stewing meat and bone. However,in Japan,we take Dashi from ingredients from the sea and mountains such as dried bonito,kelp and mushrooms. Most of Dashi used into Japanese food is healthier than overseas.

・KatsuoBushi(dried bonito) KatsuoBushi,which is a fillet of bonito dried by smoking,is said to be the hardest food in the world. In making it,we put mold around it to let it suck the moisture to dry up during the bonito. KatsuoBushi contains many enzymes that decompose the fat and protein content of bonitos and produce the unique flavor. It also contains much inosinic acid,which is one of the umami components extracted from animals. (Used into soup,cooked rice,etc.) ・Konbu(a kind of kelp) Konbu contains lots of Glutamic acid,which is one of the umami components extracted from plants. Combining it with inosinic acid,you can get a deep flavor. As it also contains rich minerals,calcium and dietary fiber,it is very good for our health. (Used into Chowder,boiled tofu,egg custard,etc.) ・Niboshi(dried sardine) Made by just drying,Niboshi is different from KatsuoBushi for example,Niboshi has a taste that seems fish compared with Katsuo-Bushi. Although it produces fish smell,so you need to remove its head and intestines. Because it contains lots of calcium and protein ,and can be eaten directly,it is attracting peoples’ attention as food for supplying the nutrients that are being lost in the modern world. (Used into Miso soup is the best way) ・Shiitake(a kind of mushrooms) The water used for soaking dried Shiitake contain the original flavor and fragrance of Shiitake. By combining it with other soup stock,you can make a much deeper soup. The soup stock extracted from Shiitake contain guanylic acid,which is a source of umami. Shiitake is often chopped and mixed into other dishes. (Used into cooked rice,egg custard,fried food,etc.)