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Japanese basics

Niboshi–bonito dashi

Made with the bigger niboshi (dried anchovies), not the tiny baby ones — heads and guts pulled out so the dashi stays sweet instead of bitter. Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) steeped at the end rounds it out. This is the one for oyakodon and tamagoyaki.

1 litre~1 h (incl. 30 min soak)
Niboshi–bonito dashi

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

  1. Niboshi
    Niboshiheads + guts removedStep 2
  2. Kombu
    KombuoptionalStep 2
  3. Katsuobushi
    Katsuobushia big handfulStep 5

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

minutes
010203040506070
Clean the niboshi 8 min
8 min
Soak in cold water 30 min
30 min
Slow heat; kombu out 10 min
10 min
Simmer, skim 8 min
8 min
Heat off: steep bonito 2 min
Strain 3 min
BoardHands-offPan / stoveBowl / counter

Soaking overnight in the fridge instead of 30 minutes gives a rounder dashi.

Step by step

  1. Snap off each head.
    Snap off each head.
    Split the belly with your thumbnail and pull out the dark guts — they make the dashi bitter.
    Split the belly with your thumbnail and pull out the dark guts — they make the dashi bitter.

    1Clean the niboshi

    ~8 min

    For this step

    • Niboshi (larger dried anchovies)20 g
    • Snap off each head, split the belly with your thumbnail and pull out the dark guts.
    • Both make the dashi bitter.
    • Small niboshi can go in whole; for the bigger ones, this step matters.
    Clean the niboshi
    Should look like this
  2. Soak

    2Soak

    30 min+

    For this step

    • Water1 l
    • Kombu5–10 g
    • Put the cleaned niboshi (and the kombu, if using) in a saucepan with 1 litre of cold water.
    • Soak at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
  3. When small bubbles appear, lift the kombu out — before it boils.
    When small bubbles appear, lift the kombu out — before it boils.

    3Heat slowly, kombu out

    medium-low~10 min
    • Bring up to temperature slowly over medium-low heat.
    • If you used kombu, lift it out as soon as small bubbles appear — before it boils.
    Heat slowly, kombu out
    Should look like this
  4. Skim off any foam as it simmers.
    Skim off any foam as it simmers.

    4Simmer and skim

    low5–10 min

    Let the niboshi simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, skimming off any foam.

    Simmer and skim
    Should look like this
  5. Steep the bonito

    5Steep the bonito

    heat off2 min

    For this step

    • Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)15–20 g — see note

    Turn off the heat, scatter in the katsuobushi and leave it for about 2 minutes, until the flakes sink.

  6. Pour through the lined sieve and let it drip — don't press the flakes.
    Pour through the lined sieve and let it drip — don't press the flakes.

    6Strain — don’t squeeze

    2 min
    • Pour through a fine sieve.
    • Don’t press the flakes: squeezing makes the dashi cloudy and fishy.
    Strain — don’t squeeze
    Should look like this