I share practical, everyday Japanese recipes—from quick weekday meals to seasonal and traditional favorites—so you can enjoy simple, healthy home cooking without the stress.
🍡Two Stress-Free Ways to Make Perfect Katsuo Dashi
Published 27 days ago • 1 min read
by Kurumi Lawrence
Hi Reader,
Lately, I’ve been diving deep into dashi research, and guess what? Making homemade dashi from scratch is not only super easy but also incredibly relaxing.
I hope that calming joy comes through in what I share with you!
This week, I’m excited to introduce you to one of the most elegant and beautifully colored dashi varieties: Katsuo Dashi (bonito flakes broth).
In this post, I break down two simple ways to make katsuo dashi, so you can pick whichever fits your lifestyle best.
Use this flavorful broth as the base for classics like miso soup and nimono (simmered dishes), or get creative and blend it into your own awase dashi.
💫Why You'll Love This Recipe
Super flexible: Adjust ingredient ratios to get the perfect dashi for any dish, miso soup, mentsuyu, or more.
Stress-free & sustainable: Two easy methods mean you can choose what works for you.
Science-backed & doable: I’ve explored how to draw out max umami (hello, fellow cooking science nerds! 🙋♀️) and simplified it so no fancy gear is needed.
I used to rely on Kayanoya dashi packets for convenience, and I still love them. But after switching to homemade dashi, I realized the packets have a much stronger umami “punch”, almost too intense for my taste.
Homemade katsuo dashi feels gentler, more natural, and it supports your dish instead of stealing the spotlight. I hope you get to experience that subtle magic, too!
🧠 New to dashi? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Dashi for a friendly overview of different types (vegan, bonito, shiitake, etc.) and how to pick the perfect one for your kitchen.
💬What Do You Want to See Next?
Is there a Japanese dish you’ve been curious about? Hit reply and let me know. Your idea might be next week’s recipe!
And if you make katsuo dashi, tag me on Instagram @givemeumami. I'd be so happy to see it.
Thanks so much for being here. Wishing you a warm and delicious week 🍙
- Kurumi
P.S. The next dashi recipe will be the boldest in this series. Stay tuned!
I share practical, everyday Japanese recipes—from quick weekday meals to seasonal and traditional favorites—so you can enjoy simple, healthy home cooking without the stress.
