Awase Dashi

Japanese dashi plays a fundamental role to supplement the umami flavour of any Japanese dishes. By combining two dashi makes the umami flavour bolder and more dramatic. And that’s what Awase dashi does because Awase means to combine. So let’s learn how to make Awase Dashi at home.

What is Awase Dashi?

Awase means to combine in Japanese. So Awase dashi is simply the combination of two or more dashi; Katsuo (bonito), Kombu (kelp), Niboshi/Iriko (dried infant anchovies) and dried Shiitake mushrooms can be combined. Commonly Japanese use Katsuo(bonito) and Kombu(kelp) to make Awase dashi. When those two dashis are combined, umami synergies dramatically increase.

Ichiban Dashi & Niban Dashi

By using the same ingredients of dashi twice makes two types of Dashi. Japanese call them “Ichiban-dashi” and “Niban-dashi”. The first dashi made from the ingredients is “Ichiban” because Ichiban means the first. And the dashi made from the same ingredients used for making Ichiban dashi is called “Niban dashi”. Why? Because you guessed it, Niban means the second.

Ichiban Dashi

Ichiban Dashi is packed with umami flavour. When it is made successfully, it should look like clear soup stock with a bold flavor. It is, therefore, suitable to make dishes such as Suimono (clear soup) and Chwanmushi.

Niban Dashi

Niban dashi is made from the previously used ingredients for making Ichiban dashi with extra bonito flakes. It is used for making Japanese dishes such as simmered vegetables which flavor can be enhanced by other seasonings such as soy sauce and miso. You could also combine 1:1 ratio of Ichiban and Niban dashi to make all-purpose dashi.

So What’s the Big Idea of Making Dashi Twice From the Same Ingredients?

First of all, the ingredients that we use for making dashi is not cheap to get when you live outside of Japan. So if we threw them away (we don’t though) after the ingredients are only used once is quite wasteful. Japanese people would say it “Mottainai”. Secondly, the ingredients used for making Ichiban dashi still contain umami flavour to extract by adding a little bit of Katsuo bonito flakes. Clever, right!

Dashi Combination

You can combine any of the dashi that I have written about in previous posts: Katsuo dashi, Kombu dashi, Niboshi dashi, and Shiitake dashi. I usually make dashi stock with the following ratio. 100 (water) : 3 (ingredients). So when those ingredients are combined, I use 100 water : 1.5 of one ingredient + 1.5 of other ingredient. ( The other ingredients combined will always be 3% of the water used )

• Katsuo (bonito flakes) + Kombu (dried kelp) Photo 1-8
• Katsuo (bonito flakes) + Niboshi/Iriko (dried infant anchovies)
• Kombu (dried kelp) + Shiitake (dried shiitake mushrooms)

Tips to Make Awase Dashi Successfully

You have to remember the following tips to make each dashi successfully. Because these key tips also apply when making Awase Dashi.

• Katsuo dashi – When you see the small bubbles in the saucepan, turn the heat off and add bonito flakes and wait patiently until all bonito flakes sink naturally to the bottom of the saucepan. 85°C
• Kombu dashi – Remove Kombu kelp when you see tiny bubbles starting to form around the Kombu pieces. 60°C
• Niboshi Dashi – Remove heads and entrails because those parts have an astringent taste.
• Shiitake Dashi – extract shiitake umami flavour by soaking COLD water slowly overnight in the fridge.

Delicious Japanese Recipes Using Awase Dashi

The following Japanese recipes are good for using Awase dashi

• Oden
• Datemaki
• Nikujaga

FAQ

Q: Is there any way to make Awase dashi quicker?

A: Yes, although making dashi from scratch is worthwhile for your effort, I understand some people are busy and need a short cut. There is instant Awase Dashi Powder available from Japanese or Asian grocery stores or online shops.

Q: What to do with leftover ingredients?

A: You can make Furikake, Kombu tsukudani, and Niboshi tsukudani and Mushrooms can be used as ingredients of Takikomi gohan and filling for Sushi rolls and miso soup, Okara, and Scrambled Tofu.

See The Complete Dashi Guide

Dashi plays a fundamental role in Japanese cuisine. It ultimately determines the overall taste of the Japanese dishes. Mastering Dashi makes cooking Japanese food more fun and definitely more flavourful! Learn how to prepare 5 different dashi broth .

• Katsuo (bonito flake) Dashi
• Kombu (dried Kelp) Dashi
• Niboshi (dried infant anchovies/sardine) Dashi
• Shiitake (dried shiitake mushrooms) Dashi
• Awase (combined) Dashi

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