Secondary Dashi (Niban Dashi 二番出汁)

As a continuation of the Primary Dashi recipe I posted last week this post will be a very short one. As a quick reminder, dashi (出し) is the most popular Japanese stock made with konbu seaweed (昆布) and dried bonito fish flakes (although there are some other types of Japanese stock…).

After the primary dashi’s preparation, more delicate and lighter in coulour (see the recipe here), the konbu and the bonito flakes (katsuobushi かつおぶし) should not be thrown away. In fact they will be used to make a secondary dashi (niban dashi 二番出汁), a bit stronger and slightly darker, perfect for nourishing soups’ base or for soups with strong tasting vegetables. The recipe is also taken from “Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art” by Shizuo Tsuji.

Preparation: <25 minutes

Ingredients:

konbu and bonito flakes leftover from the Primary Dashi

750 ml cold water

5-7 g fresh bonito flakes

Place the leftover konbu and bonito flakes in 750 ml cold water. Put it over high heat and when it starts boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer until it is reduced by 1/3 or 1/2 (the latter will have a stronger taste).

Add the fresh bonito flakes and immediately put aside.

Wait 30 seconds – 1 minute until the flakes fall to the bottom.

Remove the foam from the surface and strain through a piece of gauze.

This time the konbu and the bonito flakes can be thrown away.

2 Replies to “Secondary Dashi (Niban Dashi 二番出汁)”

    1. It is surprisingly neutral (unless you hate fish and its smell). The first time I made my own dashi I was surprised to see it didn’t smell as fishy as I thought and was also good if I put leftover chicken in it… Actually I use it sometimes instead of chicken stock in European soups too. I usually make two portions of both Primary and two of Secondary Dashi and put those I don’t eat at once in the fridge for two or three days (I know the author of my favourite Japanese book wouldn’t approve of it, but it’s very practical…).

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