I love shiitake dashi, and I use it all the time. Dried shiitake are very flavorful and full of umami. This dashi is 100% vegetarian/vegan and very flexible.
As with all dashi, there is no one established “right” way to make it. This is simply the base I use for a variety of dishes, especially sukiyaki and other nabemono. The kombu add richness and rounds out the earthy mushroom stock. This is very easy to prepare, so let’s make shiitake dashi!
What you need
- Ingredients
- 18-20 dried shiitake
- 1″x4″ strip of kombu
- 8 cups water
What to do
Step 1 – Put the dried shiitake, kombu and water in a bowl and let it sit until the water darkens and the mushrooms become completely soft.
Step 2 – Strain the liquid into a pot and use immediately, or place in the refrigerator for up to a week. Some people boil the mushrooms, water and kombu first and then strain, but it’s up to you.
Step 3 – Use the shiitake and kombu in other dishes, like Sweet Simmered Shiitake.
Variations
You can use any number or variety of dried mushroom in your dashi. Wood ear fungus works very well (and it’s usually pretty cheap). I typically set it all out on the counter to soften up overnight and use it or refrigerate it the next morning. Give it a try and let me know in the comments below how it turns out!
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いただきます！
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