Dashi Stock: Savory Umami for Exquisite Cuisine

Dashi, or stock, lies at the heart of "washoku," Japanese cuisine.

Kyoto-style dashi has two key ingredients - bonito and kombu.

Since it is landlocked, the former capital relied on the delivery of foodstuffs from across the country.

The recipe for dashi used these marine products and has been refined over centuries to what we know today.

Adding seasonings to dashi yields a variety of flavors rich in umami.

Dashi goes back to the origin of the Japanese
and is part of our identity.

A movement is underway to expand Kyoto's dashi culture, creating a bridge to the future.

If you don't keep up with the times
you get left behind.

Our mission is to suggest ways for people
to use dashi in their everyday cooking.

Core Kyoto delves into dashi, the heart of exquisite Kyoto cuisine.

This emporium has sold dry provisions for over a century.

A variety of ingredients used to extract dashi line the shelves.

Most are dried marine products, such as kombu, bonito, sardines, and tuna.

Kyoto-style dashi is prepared by simmering kombu to extract the umami, then adding "katsuobushi," or fermented and shaved bonito.

Miso soup, a Japanese staple, is made by blending miso paste into dashi for flavoring, with other ingredients for texture and taste.

When most people hear "dashi" they
compare it to and equate it with soup, which it isn't.

Dashi is the stock
one step before soup.

This is the base of all cooking, and it's a part
of Japanese cuisine that can't be substituted.

Over 90 percent of kombu on the Japanese market is sourced from Hokkaido in Japan's far north.

Many varieties are native to specific areas and differ in their culinary usage.

Rishiri kombu, often used in Kyoto cuisine, is found near Hokkaido's northern Rishiri and Rebun Islands.

High-grade kombu thrives in this area where warm and cold currents meet and is rich in oceanic nutrients.

"Katsuobushi" is made by drying bonito until it hardens during the aging process.

From the tail to the head,
it's shrunk to a sixth of its size.

That's how condensed the flavor is.

Uneno is captivated by a type of "katsuobushi" called "honkarebushi" produced by a unique aging method using koji mold.

He procures his from a company in Kagoshima.

First, fresh, lean bonito is selected and boiled.

The bonito is then smoked to slowly remove water.

Smoking also sterilizes the fish and affords it a unique aroma.

After being sprayed with koji mold which then grows as the fish sits in a warehouse, the bonito is set in the sun to dry.

The process is repeated several times.

The koji mold reduces the fish's moisture and breaks down protein, converting it to inosinic acid, a component of umami.

The entire process requires about six months and yields a "katsuobushi" with a concentrated umami flavor.

The cross-section has a ruby-like hue.

This color is proof of delicious bonito.

Whoever discovered that the fish's protein
is altered by the koji mold was a genius.

Uneno shaves this "honkarebushi" in his own factory.

A thinner shave allows the umami to dissolve almost instantly in hot water, so the shaving technique is key.

An iron blade creates an uneven surface on the flakes, and the expanded surface area facilitates the extraction of a deep flavor and aroma.

Both bonito and kombu are sourced far from landlocked Kyoto.

They served as gifts to the imperial court or were used to pay taxes on local products, rendering them precious commodities unavailable to common folk.

Commoners began to use kombu in the 17th century when the Kitamae-bune cargo ships linking Hokkaido and Osaka brought great quantities of kombu to Kyoto.

Meanwhile, a koji mold technique for "katsuobushi" resembling that used today was introduced in the late 17th century.

The arrival of quality ingredients in the capital, as the distribution system evolved, enabled the spread of techniques for preparing dashi with "katsuobushi" and kombu.

Kombu was transported from Hokkaido,
and "katsuobushi" also came to Kyoto.

Combined, they caused a chemical reaction, and
became the food culture. It's a miraculous story.

Takahashi Takuji is the proprietor of a restaurant which has served traditional fare for almost 90 years.

He studied food and nutritional science at Kyoto University's graduate school and takes a scientific approach to dashi.

Kyoto cuisine emphasizes teasing out the flavor of ingredients, minimizing unnecessary seasoning.

How dashi is used to bring out
the flavor of the ingredients is key.

Kombu's umami-filled glutamic acid and
"katsuobushi's" inosinic acid causes a synergistic effect.

The combination's resulting umami is not simply
1+1 equals 2; it equals 5 or 6.

Dashi characteristically has a light flavor but strong umami and is low in fat and calories.

It took much trial and error over centuries for Kyotoites to discover the right balance in dashi that would bring out the best of each ingredient.

Bouillon featured in French cuisine, on the other hand, has a complex flavor derived from simmering meats together with vegetables.

Bouillon has glutamic and inosinic acids,
but it also contains many amino acids.

It is the blend and
overlap of various flavors.

That's not the case in Japanese cuisine.
Dashi has glutamic and inosinic acids.

Both of these bring out
each ingredient's flavor.

Ingredients are life, so
I handle them with much respect.

That is the quintessence and
true value of Japanese cuisine.

In Kyoto cuisine, the essence of dashi is prevalent in the simmered dishes featured in kaiseki dining.

Only the finest dashi is used.

Takahashi only uses the highest quality Rishiri kombu to simmer ingredients.

Its transparency, elegant flavor, and restrained harmony with other ingredients makes it ideal for Kyoto cuisine.

This is 10-year-old kombu
from 2012.

It was stored in a cool,
dark place, so - it's very fragrant.

It's priceless.

He uses Kyoto's groundwater to boil the kombu, as the water is soft and it easily extracts the kombu's umami.

The kombu is soaked for two to three hours and then simmered for 90 minutes at 65 degrees Celsius.

He adjusts the time and heat according to the kombu's quality and the daily temperature.

Once the kombu is removed, the water is heated until almost boiling.

The scum, which contains unwanted flavors, is carefully removed to hone the umami.

He stirs the top-grade "honkarebushi" from Kagoshima into the liquid.

The resulting clear broth has a distinctive aroma, with no odd tastes.

Delicious. It has a refined taste.

The richness doesn't hit you but comes out
naturally, and it has a lingering aftertaste.

It's a brilliant dashi.

Takahashi uses this dashi to make simmered matsutake mushrooms, a favorite autumn delicacy in Japan.

The dashi enhances the mushrooms' celebrated fragrance.

Seasoned with only a hint of salt and soy sauce, the broth is brought to a boil just before serving to enhance the dashi's aroma for the guests to enjoy.

After it's boiled, the flavor
deteriorates in three minutes, so it's important we dish it out,
put on the lid, and serve it immediately.

The chef's dedication and passion toward dashi and his craft is reflected in this one bowl.

Sennyuu-ji is the family temple of the imperial household.

A memorial service, known as "shari-e," is held here every October to honor the Buddha's remains.

Following the service, participants share a meal, which itself is viewed as part of the memorial service.

One particular chef handles the catering.

6 a.m. on the morning of the memorial.

Meal preparations are underway in central Kyoto.

Chef Ueda Norimasa oversees the "shari-e" meal.

His catering service, founded in 1868, specializes in "shojin-ryori" and has prepared for some of Kyoto's most prestigious temples.

Derived from Buddhist precepts which prohibit killing, "shojin-ryori" does not incorporate meat, fish, or any animal product.

This constraint of course applies to dashi.

Kombu dashi is a base flavoring in "shojin-ryori."

It must have a bold, kombu flavor, because
we can't use stock made with bonito or tuna.

This kombu variety from Hokkaido
has punch, and a robust flavor.

Makombu is characterized by a richness and slight sweetness that is said to suit "shojin-ryori."

"Shojin-ryouri" uses dashi made from ingredients other than kombu too.

One such example is soybeans.

"Shojin-ryori" inevitably uses many plant-based
ingredients so has little protein.

But these are packed with protein.
They're the "meat" in "shojin-ryori."

Soybeans are dry-roasted to enhance their aroma.

Simmering them yields a broth infused with umami and fragrance.

Roasted green tea is added to the dashi for further enhancement, then mixed with the soybeans to prepare a rice dish known as "chameshi."

The dish is aromatic and flavorful.

One method of preparing dashi utilizing vegetable scraps stems from the Buddhist precept of using up ingredients without waste.

I leave them out to dry for 12 hours.
The umami condenses, then I make dashi.

The richness and sweetness of the daikon
radishes, carrots and sweet potato come out.

We must eat something to live, so we
consume vegetables which are living things.

Using every part of them is
showing gratitude toward them.

That's the foundation of "shojin-ryori."

Dashi made from vegetable scraps and kombu is added to stir-fried vegetables.

Miso paste is added for seasoning to produce miso soup.

Vegetable scraps deepen the flavor.

Once about 80 percent of the cooking is accomplished, the dishes are transported to the temple.

Upon arrival, Ueda puts the finishing touches on the meal behind the scenes.

The star of the meal is matsutake mushrooms steamed in earthenware pots with other seasonal ingredients.

The dashi is made from makombu, seasoned with soy sauce and salt.

The true pleasure of the dish is savoring the dashi, infused with the flavor of the seasonal ingredients.

The fragrance of roasted soybeans from the "chameshi" wafts through the air.

The miso soup, making good use of vegetable scraps, adds a bit of color.

These and other savory dishes allow full enjoyment of umami without meat.

We are always thoroughly satisfied.

Truly, we are alive thanks to these plants and
foodstuffs, and for that we're extremely grateful.

Buddhist precepts forbidding the use of animal products in meals led to the ingenious creation of dashi varieties unique to "shojin-ryori."

These four cups hold colorful surprises.

They contain a new type of fast food focusing on the umami of Kyoto dashi.

It looks very cute and sweet.

But in fact when you drink it, it's not sweet
at all, and tastes of dashi and vegetables.

The innovation is based on a puree used in "washoku," Japanese cuisine, known as "surinagashi."

The puree is made from mashed, savory ingredients, such as vegetables or seafood, and thinned out with dashi.

This traditional dish has been recreated as a new type of beverage.

Seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin or edamame soybeans are grated and blended with dashi to produce appealing colors.

The idea emerged from one of Kyoto's "washoku" restaurants.

It all began when we thought to create
a "washoku" item for the takeaway menu.

We came up with this
"drinkable washoku" - so people on the go can enjoy the taste of
authentic dashi in a drink they can hold in one hand.

The moment the purees debuted, they began attracting attention among young people on social media.

You can taste the corn.

The texture of this "drinkable washoku" is
different, something I've never had before.

I can really taste the dashi.
It's the real thing.

Chef Maruyama Masato developed the drink.

He paid particular attention to the dashi.

He relied on the rich and slightly sweet makombu from Hokkaido, while adding a blend of "katsuobushi" and dried tuna flakes.

Maruyama was quite innovative in how he used the dashi.

The bottom layer is dashi jelly.

For the pumpkin variety, we add minced
chicken, red konjak and rice flour balls.

He blended dashi with pureed pumpkin and poured it into a take-out cup.

He topped the concoction with soymilk foam.

We want people to enjoy it like other
fast foods, and realize the taste of dashi.

Our aim is for everyone to understand more
about authentic Japanese and Kyoto cuisines.

This shop, selling dried provisions for over a century, sees customers of all ages.

They stock one product everyone has loved for years - dashi packs.

The sachets, packaged like tea bags, contain powdered ingredients such as bonito, kombu, and shiitake mushrooms.

Customers simply simmer one for five minutes to enjoy the authentic taste of natural dashi at home with no fuss.

Most homes once had special tools that were used to shave bonito for dashi.

The packets were developed around 40 years ago to simplify the process.

It's a hassle.

Obviously, it's quite a lot of work shaving
the bonito, simmering the stock, and straining it.

It was around the time
bags of black tea became available.

My father wondered what would happen
if he put the dashi ingredients in a bag.

As a kid, I remember him stuffing
the bags and experimenting.

Uneno's belief that "the form and usage of dashi must change with the times" spurred the creation of an in-house kitchen in 2016.

The westernization of the Japanese diet has led to fewer people versed in dashi.

To counter this, Uneno offers dashi tasting as well as insights into preparation of the stock.

Delicious.

It's great to have the chance to try different
ones like this. It's easy to differentiate them.

It sounds like a joke, but kids honestly think
dried bonito is wood if you show them some.

I feel a sense of crisis in the fact
they think it something special.

Dashi is hard to convey,
because it's not a finished product.

It's extremely hard to explain
the process in words, so I wanted to create
this kitchen and make it -

a good way for people
to select a dashi they like.

Uneno believes in teaching young people about dashi.

He provides students with activities and learning opportunities to convey the appeal of dashi.

To achieve this, he uses noodles.

The soup is simply broth made from the dashi sachets with a bit of soy sauce.

This allows the students to experience the taste of real dashi.

My aim is to have them
try it at home.

Making dashi from scratch conjures
an image of traditional Japanese restaurants.

Therefore our mission is to suggest ways
for people to use dashi in their everyday cooking.

It's really tasty.

It's changed my perceptions.

You will all have
opportunities to interact - with people from around the world
and travel abroad in your lives.

You'll be asked, "What's
your country's soul food?"

Take some of this with you
and make them dashi.

If you can say that you eat
delicious miso soup like this every day, that alone expresses
your Japanese identity.

Dashi, which has long sustained Kyoto cuisine, was developed as a way of enhancing the flavor of ingredients.

The stock is infused with Kyotoites' respect and gratitude for the bounty of nature.